I typically don’t go out on a “school night.” After a long day at work and a punishing commute, I just want to come home to a glass of wine and a soak in the tub. Tonight was a worthwhile exception. Tonight I went to a Bruce Springsteen concert.

To be honest, although I’m not really into Bruce’s music, I appreciate it. His lyrics and rock-style band don’t resonate with me. And I only know a handful of his songs. But given his ageless popularity and increasing years (and my husband’s purchase of the tickets), I figured that seeing him in concert was a “now or never” imperative.

Now, let it be known, I love music. All types. I’ve been to many concerts over the years. My experiences range from Peter, Paul & Mary to The Village People; James Taylor to The Cars; Celine Dion to the Backstreet Boys; Elton John to the Pentatonix. My all-time favorite was Tina Turner (wow, can she move!). My least was Madonna who thinks it’s okay to keep an audience waiting for two-and-a-half hours and only perform for ninety minutes (and she was snooty-tooty too).

Bruce, however, out-shined them all. First of all, he didn’t need a “warm up” from another band. Nope. He came out and sang for three-and-a-half hours straight with no theatrics, wardrobe changes, or intermission. His emotion, humor, and words were palpable. He had the crowd — almost twenty thousand — on their feet and with him the entire time. Everyone stayed in the arena until the last second (after 11:30pm), though it seemed that most had to go to work in the morning. More importantly, his love for the music and what he does exudes from his pores. Bottom line, Bruce seems like a real, down-to-earth-mensch. He taught everyone a lesson or two about being authentic, working hard, and having a passion for what you do.

Today we live in a world where terrorism and hate permeate concert halls, office buildings, and other venues of life. Many people have become more cynical, fearful, and even intolerant of others. Some are afraid to leave their homes and be in crowded places. But this evening, it was nice to be in a place where everyone seemed happy and just having a good time. For me, and I rarely say this, the experience was epic.

(Note: for an awesome review of Springsteen’s tour, click here.)