“When I listen to my records they take me back to certain points in my life.” –(Shreevee from the movie “Diner.”
I’ve seen several Bruce Hornsby concerts and had the pleasure of spending quality time with him twice. The second occasion as Bruce’s personal tour guide when he came to Chicago for a special Q-101 private performance in November of 1990.
But this memory goes back to Sunday September 4th 1988. (Labor Day Weekend.) I was working for WCKG and given passes to host half a dozen listeners at Bruce’s concert at Poplar Creek Music Theater. We had the primo luxury suite right next to the sound board in the venue’s pavilion. Our perch included a food and drink tab and a mini fridge full of beer to start with. I took my longtime pal Marko Vasko with me as my guest.
Hornsby’s 2nd album was as good as his debut disc. That’s rare.
On the way to the show, I told Marko that Hornsby’s second album “Scenes from the Southside” was as good as his debut disc, 1986’s “The Way It is.” I went on to say that the track “Look Out Any Window” would be a great show opener. The song starts out with just a piano until it brightens into a full-blown rocker. It just seemed to me to be a good way to start a show. The message in the lyrics is about preserving our planet’s ecology.
So, at Poplar Creek that night, the house lights go down and the crowd was yelling “Bruuuce” in anticipation of Mr. Hornsby and his band. Then the slow gentle chords of his opening song started to play. Yes! Bruce Hornsby and his band The Range kicked into “Look Out Any Window”! I went nuts. I kept elbowing Marko with fun jabs and relaying to our suite guests that this was a fine way to start a concert. And it was!
Bruce and his band did a ninety-minute set of songs from his first two records. Songs like “Mandolin Rain” “Every Little Kiss” and of course his signature hit “The Way It is” were all well played. He also covered “Jacobb’s Ladder” which he and his brother John wrote but was a hit tune for his buddy Huey Lewis. I seem to recall the night wrapped up with “On the Western Skyline” which remains my very favorite Hornsby song.
Bruce Hornsby playing live circa 1988.
Before the show ended, a record rep gave all of us in the luxury suite some passes to meet Bruce and his band in “The Club” which was a tented off patio section a few steps south of the pavilion. After the last note was played, we headed up to The Club where there were more free drinks. Bruce Hornsby and the Range made their way to the after-show meet and greet.
When it was my turn to say hi to Bruce, I excitedly told him how before the night started, I predicted “Look Out Any Window” would be the great concert opener that it was. Bruce laughed and thanked me for the compliment. Then he asked me what song he should open with at his next concert. I replied, why not stay with what worked tonight?
This pic is when I hung with Bruce at the Q-101 Listener Appreciation Night at Park West. November 1990.
Talking to other band members, I relayed my prediction and pleasure of their concert’s opening song. Drummer John Molo told me they almost started the show with “On the Western Skyline” but Bruce opted for the newer track. Well done, I said.
My book “Raised on the Radio” will share about the next time I hung with Bruce Hornsby. But spoiler alert, with both meet-ups he showed me to be just a regular normal guy, no star trips and always ready to take in and share some thoughts on music.
The video to “Look Out Any Window.”
Next Blog- Say Goodbye to Winter.”