Settled in my seat at the Verizon Center and looking around at my fellow concertgoers, I saw immediately that I was the youngest fan in my section by about 20 years. Perhaps seeing that I stuck out, the woman next to me asked, “Is this your first time?” I nodded. She smiled knowingly. “Let me tell you,” she said. “You’ll never forget your first Springsteen concert.” Bruce Springsteen and his venerable E Street Band are touring the country with their latest CD, Magic. The album, Springsteen’s 15th studio album, contrasts sharply with the mournful, dark tone of 2002’s The Rising and 2005’s Devils and Dust. Rather, Springsteen’s latest returns to the hard-rocking, energetic, fan-favorite sound of the Boss’ glory days. The album’s first single, “Radio Nowhere,” is a throwback to the classic Springsteen hits; the song’s loud guitar riffs, heavy drums and intricate lyrics hark back to the timeless greatness of his immortal Born to Run album.

The Boss continues to put his talented band to work as the album progresses, offering a saxophone-heavy “Livin’ In the Future,” the harmonic-tinged “Gypsy Biker” and the piano-laced stunner “I’ll Work for Your Love.” The album’s underlying theme seems to be one of distrust and apprehension; tracks like “Last to Die” and “Long Walk Home” slyly allude to the detrimental effects of the war in Iraq. Still, despite the gravity of its content, both lifelong followers and new fans will not be disappointed by this latest offering from the Boss. The album is Springsteen’s most concert-friendly in years, and many of the songs are ready-made live hits that rival some of the rocker’s greatest recordings. With Magic, the Boss returns to the rock-and-roll roots that made him a legend. With a full house at the Verizon Center last Sunday and very little fanfare, the Boss launched right into a blaring rendition of “Radio Nowhere.” Against the song’s backdrop of triple guitars and drumbeats, Springsteen quickly displayed that he hasn’t lost any steam over the years. Without even pausing for breath after the final chord of his opener, the Boss and his coalition of “E Streeters” blew into a pair of rocking classic tunes, “No Surrender” and “Lonesome Day,” both performed with as much energy and heart as the Bruce of the 1970s and ’80s. After that pounding opening, the Boss segued into a thoughtful performance of his latest album’s title track, first introducing the song with a pointed jab at the corruption of today’s government.

Springsteen, perhaps in reverence to Veterans’ Day on Monday, built on the subtle political theme of “Magic,” stating of the current political situation: “We’re musicians! We’re going to sing about it!” And sing they did. Springsteen’s longtime sax player Clarence “Big Man” Clemons led the way in a jazzy performance of the new “Livin’ in the Future,” a song that mourns the loss of a young man to war. And before grabbing his trusty harmonica, Springsteen introduced the classic, “The Promised Land,” with a shout out to the night’s guests of honor, soldiers from Walter Reed Hospital. The Boss kept the government bashing to a minimum, however, with the moving, piano-laced “I’ll Work for Your Love,” a song reminiscent of the delicate piano notes of “Jungleland.” Springsteen dedicated “She’s the One” to his wife/guitarist, Patti Scialfa, and the couple shared a microphone for “Tunnel of Love.”

And with a starkly stirring “Reason to Believe,” the Boss induced some hope into the hearts of the audience members. With a fist-pumping performance of “Badlands,” the Boss closed out the main set. But the crowd wasn’t going to let him go that easily. Amid roars and chants of “Bruuuuuce,” the Boss and his bandmates took the stage again with a breezy rendition of the boardwalk-ready “Girls in Their Summer Clothes” that the entire audience sang along with despite its recent release, and the tour premier of “Growin’ Up.” The song’s final piano notes had barely faded before the band busted out the iconic opening of “Born to Run,” garnering the loudest cheers of the night. Coupled with “Dancing in the Dark,” the Boss’ encore brought the house down. I watched as middle-aged businessmen shed their buttoned-up dispositions to sing along with their idol, and suburban moms danced in the aisles like they were 18 again.

Such is the power of the Boss: He remains as vital and lively as he was in his golden era, and his energy is infectious.