TWO LEGENDS, ONE MICROPHONE, AND AN EMPTY CHAIR AT CENTER STAGE. That night, Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney stood side by side onstage—but no one sang. Between them sat an old acoustic guitar, resting on a simple wooden chair, a familiar bandana draped quietly over it. Thousands in the crowd fell completely silent, understanding without a word that this place was reserved for a friend who was no longer there. Instead of launching into roaring rock anthems, Bruce began to pick slow, aching notes. Paul—usually all warmth and mischief—had reddened eyes that night, his voice trembling as he joined the chorus. They weren’t singing to the audience. They were singing to the empty chair. As the final notes faded, an unexpected rain began to fall, even though the forecast had promised clear skies. Two of the most powerful men in music embraced, soaked to the bone, lifting their eyes toward the sky. And when the camera caught Bruce silently shaping words into the open air, the moment left the entire world quietly thinking.
TWO LEGENDS, ONE MICROPHONE, AND THE EMPTY CHAIR THAT STOPPED A STADIUM COLD Some concerts feel like celebrations. Others feel…