Oh, you witty "fool"-sters at Backstreets

MARCH 31, VANCOUVER: IT'S A BEAUTY WAY TO GOFor the third of their three Magic shows in the Pacific Northwest, Springsteen and the E Street band were clearly a band on a mission. Mission impossible? We thought so, but straight out of the gate last night came "The Price You Pay," a song Springsteen hasn't touched since the River tour. 27 years later, and no rust on this one.

After "Radio Nowhere" and "Lonesome Day," Bruce reached even deeper into his black top hat to pull out another big rabbit:"Crush On You." Yes, it was a difecta of long-lost River cuts, thought to be lost to the sands of time. When Bruce had trouble remembering the chorus (when is this man gonna get a teleprompter?), none other than Garry W. Tallent stepped up to take over lead vocals for the rest of the song. C'est magnifique, Garry!

Otherwise a pretty standard main set, ticking off Magic mainstays like "New York City Serenade," "Pretty Flamingo," and "Jack and Diane," Clarence hanging upside-down from the mic stand right on cue. Bruce was literally checking his watch between songs (and was seen mouthing to Steve, "What time's our flight?" and "Did you pack the Corn Nuts?"), but just when you thought he'd checked out for the night, out came a wildly unpredictable run to end the main set: "Devil's Arcade" right into "The Rising," with "Last to Die" and "Long Walk Home" hot on their heels, capped by "Badlands." Talk about a quintuple-shot surprise.

The encore is where things really got crazy. Or should we say, they really got crazy, eh? That's right, the advance rumors were true, as Canadian songbird Anne Murray took the stage. After a rousing "Protection," Springsteen told the crowd, "Let's have a big hand for Ms. Anne Murray! This has been a long time comin' -- we opened for her in Central Park many, many, many years ago -- some of you probably weren't born yet -- and, and she got booed off the stage. We thought that was funny at the time. Ah, the folly of youth, the folly of youth."

After encouraging Murray to lead the E Streeters through her own "I Just Fall in Love Again," Bruce and Steve began mugging and cracking each other up, even breaking into a slow dance together, rolling their eyes at their once-headliner. It was classic Bruce and Steve! "You know, Bruce," said Murray, her voice breaking as she stopped mid-song, "It's true what everybody always says about you -- you can be a real bastard." Roy's piano work on this one was truly magnificent.

The Canadian flavor continued, as the Guess Who joined in for an "American Woman" / "American Land" medley, and for the standard show-closing "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" they were joined by Bob & Doug McKenzie, Geddy Lee, and a moose.

Next: The third annual Cabo Wabo Cruise!