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December 22 / Red Bank, NJ / Count Basie Theatre The night's format had crossover between artist's sets: Gary U.S. Bonds (after notably performing Bruce's "Action in the Street") was joined by Southside Johnny for "This Little Girl" to segue into Southside's set; Johnny was joined on his last song by Jon Bon Jovi for "This Time It's For Real." When it came to Bon Jovi's last song, out came Springsteen to back him up on "Run Run Rudolph," playing lead guitar and hollering backup on the final chorus. "Happy holidays!" said Bruce, otherwise a man of few words tonight. (Leave the quotables to Southside: "I'd wish you a merry Christmas, but it would be out of character" and "I get so sentimental, I have to drink myself into oblivion.") Springsteen opened his own set with a doubleshot of his holiday B-sides, "Merry Christmas, Baby" followed by "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Southside -- "Mr. Grinch" -- joined in on the latter, and LaBamba came downstage to take Clarence's part, "you better be good for goodness' sake." (LaBamba and Mark Pender brought the horn section headcount to eight for Bruce's set.) After Bruce went it alone on "634-5789," Bon Jovi came back out to split the vocals on "Tenth Avenue." And a final encore, as Springsteen was joined by Southside, singing lead, and Bonds for a rousing "Havin' a Party." Weather outside: frightful. Inside: plenty hot. Setlist: November 5 / New York, NY / Town Hall Acknowledging that he was the only musician on the bill for this New York Comedy Festival event, he got into the spirit of the show with a couple of jokes between songs. He said that the only jokes he knows are the ones the band tells him on the bus. And the two that he told -- variations on this one and this one -- were old enough that he probably heard them in the days when the band actually travelled by bus. After his set, they once again auctioned off one of his motorcycles, a 1994 Harley Davidson Dyna Wide Glide, which Springsteen rode onto the stage with the engine running. After he threw in his leather jacket, it went for $70,000. The guitar Bruce played during his set was auctioned as well, bringing in an additional $50,000 for the cause. Setlist:
"I was here a while back, in 2004," Springsteen told the crowd, adding, "I'm glad they let me come back -- that they didn't think I might jinx them or something." A six-song set, similar to the Columbus set a couple weeks ago, added a welcomed duet with Patti on a new song: "Workin' on a Dream." The song has been recorded for the follow-up to Magic, which Springsteen has been working on this fall, an album expected to see release around the time of the Presidential Inauguration in January 2009.
The world premiere of "Workin' on a Dream," which Springsteen dedicated to Obama, followed "The Promised Land," "Youngstown," and "Thunder Road" and preceded "This Land is Your Land.” On the Woody Guthrie classic, Bruce seemed to think the packed mall wasn’t singing up to their potential and laid a little hometown guilt on them by pointing out that Cleveland was one of the founding cities of rock 'n' roll, so, well, get singing! His now-familiar stump speech PSA and percussive "Yes We Can" chants were well received as he closed with "The Rising" before introducing Barack Obama. This slightly truncated set may have had more to do with the fact that Obama was due in Cincinnati later in the evening and had just arrived from Columbus.
Standing off stage along with Patti were their three children, all of whom joined Bruce onstage moments after he introduced Obama and his family to the crowd. It was a special moment as Barack's youngest daughter, Sasha, sheepishly shook Bruce's hand after her father introduced the two. For a minute, both families blended together on stage as Barack thanked Bruce for his support, Obama telling the crowd, "A rising is coming!" Find video on CSpan.com. under "Recent Programs." Setlist: October 16 / New York, NY / Hammerstein Ballroom Legend opened with his majestic solo piano take on U2's "Pride (In the Name of Love)," and was soon joined by Bruce, Patti Scialfa, and India.Arie for his new song, "If You're Out There." After short sets from Legend and Arie, Bruce was back for a little acoustic set of his own, with solo readings of "The Promised Land" and "This Hard Land." In between he gave a version of his recent Vote for Change stump speech, saying that electing Obama was just the beginning to "taking back our country," and that it would take everyone "from Jersey, Long Island, and all points west" to rebuild this hard land. Joel followed with his band (which would be the backing band for the rest of the evening) for two of his own songs, "Miami 2017" and "Baby Grand." The main event featured the Boss and the Piano Man together. Backed by Joel's band, along with Patti and E Street pianist Roy Bittan, Springsteen and Joel traded off songs from their deep catalogs, opening with "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out" and closing with "River of Dreams." On "Tenth," Bruce sang, "They made that change uptown and the Piano Man joined the band..." and "when Jersey and Long Island bust this city in half!" Joel dedicated "Movin' Out" to George Bush and Dick Cheney. On "Thunder Road," simultaneous piano action from Billy ("I like this one!") and Roy. This was truly a blended set -- not only trading off songs, but trading off verses as they sang on each other's songs. Bruce was surprised that Billy didn't know "Spirit in the Night" -- he called out chords throughout -- but was really into his own verse on "New York State of Mind," a highlight of the night. Legend and Arie joined in as well, singing on "Spirit," "The Rising," and "Glory Days."
In the encore, one more Bruce tune: "Born to Run," Bruce leaping onto Billy's piano -- with permission! -- and the pair sharing a hug, Billy giving Bruce a kiss on the cheek. "People Get Ready" spotlighted all of the evening's performers, who then brought Barack Obama to the stage. Some inspiring words from Obama himself, who also offered plenty of praise for the night's artists:
Obama also revelaed that, backstage as they were listening to the show, he told his wife: "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." The night closed with "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," Legend taking lead, with Obama and his wife Michelle dancing and clapping along. Setlist: Encore:
An overcast day brightened up while Bruce was onstage, as the sun came shining through during "The Rising" as if on cue. His acoustic set expanded to eight songs this time, featuring the soldier's-eye-view of "Devils & Dust" and, just down I-94 from Detroit, a very rare "Used Cars." The mention of "Michigan Avenue" in the latter got a big cheer, Bruce adding that mentioning the name of the state you're in is "kind of a cheap applause-getter, but it works." He also got a few laughs of recognition as he recalled opening for Black Oak Arkansas in these parts way back when. Another inspiring speech, "Yes We Can" chants, "This Land is Your Land" to close, and a takeway message: "Let's take America back!" See the Detroit News for a 360-degree view; Gary Graff's take here.
Setlist:
The event, which brought 10,000 to OSU's Main Oval, was "aimed at encouraging Obama supporters to take advantage of Ohio's weeklong same-day voting period," the Associated Press reports, "in which state residents can register and cast an absentee ballot on the same day.... Absentee voting in Ohio began Tuesday. The state's voter registration deadline is today."
Setlist:
Songs included the relevant-as-ever "The Ghost of Tom Joad," the invitation of "Thunder Road," the determined rallying cries of "No Surrender" and "The Rising," and for fun, "a song I played many, many times at the old Main Point," "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street." Springsteen also prepared a speech the occasion, calling for a rock to keep his pages from blowing in the wind -- "Don't throw it!" He began by noting that he'd been writing about the American people for 35 years; he went on to what the Founding Fathers accomplished here in Philadelphia, what they stood for, and what their counsel would be these 200-plus years later: "Do your best to make these things real." Going on to address the difference between promise and reality in America, Bruce had some good laugh lines ("I occasionally play big stadiums like Senator Obama") and wrapped it all up by returning to that metaphor he liked to pull out on the Magic tour, of building a house together. "One thousand George Bushes and one thousand Dick Cheneys will never be able to tear that house down.... Come on, Philly, let's build that house." Toward the end of the set, the crowd broke into a spontaneous "Yes we can" chant, Bruce adding some percussion on his guitar before offering up one more, a regular from the '85 stadium tour, Woody Guthrie's stirring "This Land is Your Land." And one final message to the throng of voters in Philly: "It's up to you now." The speech:
Watch Bruce's speech and "The Rising" above; for more video, visit cbs3.com. Setlist:
Main event showtime at 8:45, with Bruce and the E Street Band taking the stage to the vroom vroom sound of a revving Harley, Bruce shouting out, "Good evening, Harley-Davidson motorcycle enthusiasts!" Actually, there seemed to be as many Bruce fans as riders in the crowd (not that there wouldn't be crossover between the two), judging by what looked to be a one-to-one ratio of Springsteen shirts to Harley shirts. Bruce made 'em both happy with the opener, a scorching "Gypsy Biker"'s first time in that position.
"Racing in the Street," another sign request, was played for Willie G. -- that's Harley hero Willie G. Davidson -- and as a "good end-of-summer song." It was one for the ages, too, just a stunning, definitive live version. Just when you might have thought it was over, Bruce hollered at the band, "Come on! Let's go! Keep it going!" for an extended coda with an otherworldy performance from Roy and Charlie. An amazing "Seven Nights to Rock" kept the engines roaring after "Badlands" to close the main set, Bruce truly rocking out on guitar at the end.
Of course, "Sandy" also includes the line "Every summer when the weather gets hot they ride that road down from heaven on their Harleys..." and was a reminder if anyone needed it, of how long Bruce has had an eye on hog heaven. Some have expressed surprise that Springsteen would play a corporate event, but it's hard to deny his affinity with the "product." The runaway American dream of "Born to Run" was pure euphoria, with an ocean of arms in the air. For "Thunder Road," the screens displayed Bruce's motorcycle cred, showing a series of images of Bruce riding over the years -- and the crowd ate that up, too. "Happy birthday, Harley-Davidson!" Bruce repeated throughout the night.
A quick kiss for Ginny -- "That's my sis!" -- in the family & friends section at the end of "Tenth Aenue Freeze-out." A thanks to the crew before "Dancing in the Dark," Bruce reeling off a list of names at this final show on the schedule and saying, "This was the greatest tour of our lives." And then one more -- "We're all warmed up now... We can't leave without this one, I guess... I hope we know it!" -- Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild." The place went apeshit, and Bruce shouted, "It had to be done!" A fun set, a loose set, a rocking set, a long set, a last chance power drive, putting the final punctuation mark on the Magic tour with the longest show of the past year, at 31 songs and three-and-a-half hours. "Thank you, we'll be seeing you... We're only just getting started!"
Setlist:
Breaking out another oldie just a few songs later, Bruce put the spotlight on another E Streeter. "This is for Soozie Tyrell," Bruce said, singing her praises and giving her the lead vocal on "It's All Over Now," the Bobby Womack song made big by the Stones (and often performed by Soozie with her own band). A great performance, with Bruce taking a verse and sharing the mic with Soozie on the chorus. "Gypsy Biker" got another play, surely warming it up for the Harley show. Bruce finally squeezed one in from the Devils & Dust record, playing "Devils & Dust" solo acoustic for the "safe return of our troops." And continuing E Street Band Appreciation Night, he looked over at Clarence before "Long Walk Home" and said "This is for the Mighty C."
A poignant "Sandy" opened the encore "in honor of our good friend Dan," Bruce said, with Charlie moving over to piano and Roy on the accordion. Bruce mentioned a donation that Sprint made to the Danny Federici Melanoma Fund and continued, "We're closing out our first tour ever without him. Gonna send this one out to you... and to Terry."
Setlist:
From there, the whole place was fist-pumping go! go! go! for "Little Queenie" -- hey, this is Chuck Berry's hometown, too. And no one actually expected the band to stick around for yet another one, but a prominent sign reading "Sophie loves Bruce" was just the excuse Springsteen needed to keep things going. "We gotta do one for Sophie!" he shouted, kicking off "Twist and Shout" to wring the last drops of energy out of the Scottrade Center. Bless you, Sophie, wherever you are, and hail, hail rock 'n' roll. Setlist: August 21 / Nashville, TN / Sommet Center It's those kinds of moments that have long elevated Springsteen's performances to greatness, and Nashville was full of them. Between the signs and the approaching end of the tour, spontaneity has become the rule. "I'm gonna test the band," Bruce told the crowd as the request portion began, showing everyone the sign for a Tennessee special, "Good Rockin' Tonight." "We played this at the Capitol Theatre in 1978," he recalled, quickly going over the song with the band as Max vamped (now with an "I [heart] Max" sign propped against his kit, which remained for the duration of the show). That wasn't quite enough -- "Short conference?" Bruce laughed before convening the band for a refresher huddle. "Elephants never forget!" he hollered before finally launching in: "Well have you heard the news?" And it was good rockin', with Roy and Bruce each taking fine solos. And again at the end: "Elephants never forget!"
August 19 / Hershey, PA / Hersheypark Stadium
Two more covers came in the encore: "Seven Nights to Rock" had its first U.S. airing on the tour, with Garry stepping up to sing along into Steve's mic, and the tour premiere of Them's "Gloria" was a major highlight to close the show. "Let's take it back to where it all started!" Bruce hollered, bringing up Joe and Johnny Grushecky to jam along.
Another tour premiere was "Part Man, Part Monkey" by request, joining "Boom Boom" to recall the Tunnel of Love Express Tour. And did I say there was local flavor? Well, not of the chocolate variety -- but just down the road from the home of the "Scopes 2" trial, Bruce sent this one out to "the Dover parents, and good science education." "We don't know this one," he said (though 20 years ago, they were playing it practically every night), "See if the band can get it." They got it, just as they've gotten every other curveball Bruce and the signs have thrown their way. Like taking candy from a baby. Setlist: Thunder Road August 18 / Richmond, VA / Richmond Coliseum
But it's not like they saved all the good stuff for the end. In a very solid main set, a sign that read "My band just broke up -- please play 'Backstreets'!" brought us the majestic '75 epic, which led into a rare solo reading of "For You." Sitting at the piano, Bruce introduced it with some memories of Richmond, "an essential audience that allowed us to get out of town," and dedicated it in particular to old friend Russ Clem, who always introduced Steel Mill at their Richmond shows.
Setlist: Crush on You August 16 / Charleston, SC / North Charleston Coliseum
Surely aware of their long absence from these parts, Bruce and the band really turned it on and, frankly, played their asses off -- and the energy onstage was matched by the thunderous audience, clearly very appreciative of getting Bruce back. From the beginning, greeting the band with a roar to rival any European audience, this was, as Bruce declared a couple of times, a "great, great crowd."
One of the few times the crowd flagged was during "Janey" -- granted, the tempo was off, it was a slow version, but though it was a treat for the hardcores, it read as a headscratcher for the crowd as a whole. Which may account for Bruce dropping "Drive All Night" and calling for "Hungry Heart" after "Mary's Place" instead.
Opening the encore was a very rare (only the second time on this tour) "Streets of Fire" -- a searing version and a real highlight of the show, thanks again to a sign. "Jungleland" was an audible in place of "Thunder Road" -- Bruce blew the words, but no matter, the crowd ate it all up, from the Carolina beach music opener to the "Twist and Shout" by request that closed the show. As Springsteen said, ""We need to come back more often!"
Setlist: Streets of Fire August 15 / Jacksonville, FL / Veterans Memorial Arena
"Does This Bus Stop" and "Candy's Room" were both played for signs, and then Bruce had a fine choice of his own, the rare "Loose Ends." After a 14-minute "Mary's Place" (another holdover from the stadium leg), we got a second tour premiere as Bruce pointed to a sign for "Back in Your Arms." This one had been soundchecked earlier in the day, Bruce likely already having it in mind to send out to Jerry Wexler, who died early this morning. "One of the great soul men," as Springsteen called him in his dedication, Wexler was an owner at Atlantic Records, producing greats like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, and coining the term "rhythm & blues." It was a wonderful performance, with a sweet solo from Clarence at the end.
Setlist: August 2 / Foxboro, MA / Gillette Stadium
It was a shorter show compared to the three nights in Jersey, not quite cracking the three-hour mark, and judging by the cross-offs on the handwritten setlist (including an unplayed "Racing in the Street" after "Mary's Place"), it seemed Bruce had to put some effort into how to trim the show a bit. But they still blew way past Gillette's 11:00 curfew, rocking "Rosalita" until ten past 12. In between, it was another party show -- all release, little tension -- with even more granted requests than usual bringing a pair of tour-debut covers and more rarities to set this night apart.
The biggest mind-blower came after "Tunnel of Love," as Springsteen gathered a heap of signs and complimented their "professionalism." One in particular made him chuckle: "The band will not be ready for this one... oh, they will not be ready!" It was "Little Latin Lupe Lu," a song they've only done a couple of times since the '70s -- and as opposed to some sign requests that probably would get played anyway, there's no way Bruce would have called this one up otherwise.
The requests kept coming, as "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street" (its second tour performance) and "Hungry Heart" followed, and then it was another cover special for the occasion. Not "Dirty Water" -- though there was plenty of that on the ground -- but another one almost as foreseeable: "Who'll Stop the Rain." Bruce played this one for Bill Belichick: "This is for the coach. He's out there tonight. He didn't bring a sign, though!"
Unusually, Bruce gathered more signs as the encore began, and kicked it off with another fan choice: "We have here the rarely played and even more rarely requested..." and he turned the sign around to reveal "I'm Goin' Down." That was another second tour performance, going into "Jungleland," by request for a birthday in the crowd. Thinking of nearby Boston, Bruce asked before "American Land," "Do we have any Irishmen out there?" The tepid response must have reminded him that this wasn't Boston, though, as at the end of the song he hollered, "Boston! Massachussets! Rhode Island! Connecticut! Wherever the fuck we are! You've just seen..." And on this night, it might have been a little late, but you could add rain-stoppin' E Street Band to the list.  - photographs by Alan Chitlik Setlist:
Appropriately enough, for both the heat and the traffic, Bruce began the show with "Summertime Blues." That one had been the sign-collection song at the previous two Giants shows; now "Light of Day" filled that slot, with Bruce gathering requests as Max pounded out an extended intro. The signs brought some classic early material to the set, but first Bruce had his own idea: an impromptu "Pretty Flamingo," last played in this very venue on the Rising tour five years ago (and only its third performance sinde 1978). As Springsteen strummed the chords, refreshing himself and the band, he told the crowd that it was "just Patti's birthday a few days ago," and began ruminating on their history together. "I first met her when I was 20 and she was 17," he said. And then again when he was 24 and she was 21... and again when he was 35. "In the meantime," he said, "something happened to me." As he went on to talk about Clarence's upcoming wedding (just a week away!), it was clear that he meant he had gotten hitched, saying that both the Big Man and himself had been married before. "But Clarence more than me!" He added, "Clarence is getting it right this time," before summing it all up: "So I don't really believe in love at first sight." Taking the band through the Manfred Mann song, it was a magical performance all the more impressive for the fact that it was obviously unrehearsed. "Bridge!" Bruce called out, to make sure they all stayed together.
Back to those signs: "Incident" was just about to get a play, thanks to a sign requesting it "for your old, bald fans" -- "seems to be particular!" Bruce laughed -- when another sign caught his eye. "Give that one to me," he said, pointing to a placard for "Blinded By the Light." "We'll do that one now, and we'll do the other one next." (And hey, that makes for two Manfred Mann hits in the same show!) After "Blinded," though, Springsteen opted to keep the tempo quick, going into a powerhouse pack of "Cadillac Ranch," "Candy's Room," Night," and "Because the Night" -- the last of these featuring another somersaulting solo from Nils. While that forward roll may have been less of a surprise this time, Nils having done the trick before, it was no less shocking -- how the hell does he do that and keep on playing? And after the drawn-out "Mary's Place," Bruce finally made good on his earlier promise, as the strains of "Incident" filled the stadium -- "for you old, bald fans."
A high-energy encore opened with "Jungleland," Clarence shining on the solo; Steve hammed it up good on "Dancing in the Dark" as he and Bruce struck a tango pose. Steve, it should be said, has been really into it on this stand, looking like he's having a blast (and ever-considerate, handing out bottles of water to overheated fans, too). For "American Land," the E Streeters were joined by three Sessions Band players: Jeremy Chatzky on stand-up bass, Sam Bardfeld on fiddle, and Curtis King, sharing a vocal mic with Patti.
And finally, Bruce and the band closed out their homecoming stand with "Rosalita," one more "fairytale" to send fans home happy, well after coaches had turned into pumpkins. Watch video from the all three nights, the first three songs from each Giants Stadium show, at NJ.com. Setlist: July 28 / E. Rutherford, NJ / Giants Stadium
But there were more goodies to come -- "Saint in the City" was next, and with some confusion about the key, it veered dangerously toward train-wreck territory... before Bruce and Steve shredded on an amazing guitar duel that salvaged it all and then some. As for guitar-work, Nils had a great night too -- most astoundingly, pulling off a forward somersault in the middle of his "Because the Night" solo, playing straight through.
Some intra-family dedications, as "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" went out to Sam and Evelyn -- "That's for my boy," Bruce reiterated at the end. After "Drive All Night" made its U.S. tour debut, an occasion in and of itself, Bruce added another dedication, turning to Patti to say, "Happy birthday, babe." To start the encore he encouraged a serenade, saying, "Tomorrow's my baby's birthday, so go right ahead..." The 50,000-strong New Jersey crowd offered up a weak rendition of "Happy Birthday." "That's terrible!" Bruce said, and so he sang it himself as the band joined in to play along. On the "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" that followed, Bruce came down to sing and dance with daughter Jessica, too.
"Detroit Medley" always rocks the house, but the real highlight of the encore was when Bruce said "We've got the next generation!" and welcomed Max's son, Jay Weinberg, who took over the kit for "Born to Run." Mighty ambitious, you might think... but mighty seems to run in the family. Jay kicked ass -- he's got the power, and Max looked on with pride.
One more after "American Land" ("I don't wanna hurt nobody -- I want everyone to go home happy!"), and tonight it was the stadium-wrecker, "Twist and Shout." Jesse Malin and Marah's Dave Bielanko came on stage for the show-closer, and the birthday girl was joined at the mic by Jessica and some of her friends. Garry's daughter was up there, too -- definitely familiy and friends night at Giants Stadium. Happy birthday, Patti! Watch video from the show at NJ.com. Setlist:
"Mary's Place" was "for my friend Wayne Myers, who has taught me so much about how to get there," Bruce said, "Thank you, Dr. Wayne!" Complete with knee-slide and an extended preacher rap (including Clarence in Ed McMahon mode, echoing Springsteen's offered wisdom), "Mary's Place" stretched out to 14 minutes, and that's even without band introductions. After rejoining the band for the four shows in Spain, Patti Scialfa was with us again tonight, bringing out "Brilliant Disguise" and "Tunnel of Love." Her husband gave her a quick peck after "Brilliant Disguise," explaining, "I didn't want to mess up that makeup." To open the encore, Bruce decided to send one out to "one special Jersey girl," which had some eagerly anticipating a certain Tom Waits cover... but just for a sec, before he went into, of course, "Girls in Their Summer Clothes."
After "American Land," and after making like he was done for the night, Bruce came back to the mic and told the crowd, "You ain't got it." He continued egging the crowd on -- "You ain't got it. I still got it... you ain't got it" -- before finally finding them up to the challenge: "Oh yeah? Let's get it on!" No twisting and shouting tonight, that's been left in Europe for the time being -- instead, "Rosalita" came out to jump. "A true fairy tale to open the show," Bruce declared, "and a true fairy tale to close the show." Watch video from the first three songs at NJ.com. Setlist:
Over the two nights, Bruce and the band played a total of 43 different songs, with 15 songs coming out for the final night that weren't played the night before. Night one, on Saturday, was a relatively straightforward set, at least for a tour that's continually evolving. Broensad continues: "The show has changed over the course of this leg, and Patti's return is a fine addition. There was less focus on the reqests than I saw earlier on the tour, with a little more structure in the set. 'Backstreets' and 'Janey' were by request, and he really nailed 'Backstreets.' No tour premieres or really big surprises, but what the hell. Those don't matter when you hear really great versions of 'Backstreets,' 'Jungleland,' 'Tunnel of Love' and 'The River.' " By the end of the show a good deal of the E Street Band: The Next Generation were twisting and shouting onstage, too.
For Sunday night's closing show, repeat attendees might have felt like they were witnessing a continuation of the night before: "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out," often an encore song, kicked things off, and of the first twelve songs, only "Radio Nowhere" was a repeat. Anyone disappointed in Saturday night's "standard" setlist got a slew of rarities, too, including the tour premiere of "I'm Goin' Down," the second tour performance of "Light of Day," and a trifecta of "This Hard Land," "Youngstown," and "Murder Incorporated."
Hearkening back to the show-closing cover-song blowouts of old, both "Detroit Medley" and "Twist and Shout" came out in the encore, as did the Young Springsteens once again, joining their folks to wave goodbye to Barcelona, and to the 2008 European Magic tour. It's been a remarkable two months, with Bruce and the Band quickly getting up to speed on the larger stadium stage and expanding the show to match. In addition to songs tailor-made for these bigger venues, like "Hungry Heart" and "Born in the U.S.A.," they broke out some classic covers ("Summertime Blues," "Twist and Shout," "Seven Nights to Rock") and long-lost rave-ups ("Held Up Without a Gun," "Stand on It," "I'm a Rocker," "From Small Things") as well as surprise slow-burners -- like "Drive All Night," "I'm on Fire," and "Racing in the Street" -- that overcame the enormous environs to play incredibly well. Hard to believe it's over so soon. But if you're looking for a sad song, we ain't gonna play it: in just one week, the summer U.S. leg begins -- and for a few shows, the outdoor venues continue -- with Bruce and the E Street Band's homecoming stand at Giants Stadium kicking off on Sunday night, July 27. July 19 Setlist: July 20 Setlist:
"In a magnificent stadium, pretty well packed to the rafters, Bruce and the band incited the crowd to near frenzy status on occasion. The energy, passion and sheer joy coming from the crowd was uplifting and at times electrifying -- no wonder Bruce delights in playing to Spanish audiences. I was lucky to be able to watch the show from the pit (which was as crowded as I’ve ever seen it), yet the fans sat high up at the back of the stadium appeared to be just as exhilarated.
"The show kicked off shortly after 10 p.m. Stand-outs amongst many were 'Spirit in the Night,' 'Cadillac Ranch,' and a barnstorming 'Seven Nights to Rock,' along with an extended 'Mary's Place.' 'Badlands' brought the stadium to yet higher euphoria -- with Clarence bizarrely forgetting to join in for his sax solo! The show drew to a close just after 1 a.m. with a fabulous 'Twist and Shout.'
"So while this show may not go down as a classic from setlist scrutineers, for those present amongst the Madrid hordes, it will certainly go down as a summer's evening to remember." And hey, friend-o: Check out the intro from Javier Bardem! Night Radio Nowhere Lonesome Day The Promised Land Spirit in the Night Summertime Blues Brilliant Disguise The River Cover Me Trapped No Surrender Out in the Street Because the Night Cadillac Ranch Livin' in the Future Mary's Place Tunnel of Love The Rising Last to Die Long Walk Home Badlands * * * Jungleland Seven Nights to Rock Born to Run Bobby Jean Dancing in the Dark American Land Twist and Shout July 15 / San Sebastian, ESP / Estadio Anoeta And one would think it would take quite a bit to get the locals into a frenzy. After all, they already live in what might best be described as one of the most beautiful, elegant cities in the world, where several thousand (including yours truly) spent the sunny, 80-degree day at one of the handful of eye-popping beaches located right downtown. And they already have some of the best food in the world, where one can wander through the streets and find pinxos (tapas) bar after pinxos bar loaded with even more delectibles than are at the beaches. And after Spain's recent victory in the European Soccer Championship, not to mention the previous day's conclusion of the Running of the Bulls just down the road in Pamplona ,it's not as though the locals need any more excitement in their lives. But that would only serve to misunderstand the passion deeply embedded here for Bruce and the band.
Bruce was as juiced up as the crowd, feeling the passion, feeding on it and giving it right back. He looked possessed most of the night. And other than a few surprises ("Growin' Up," "Atlantic City," "Incident on 57th Street" and "Tougher Than the Rest") the band expertly worked their way through the set list with their 'A' game. Having already heard so many of these frequently played songs so often, a skeptic or regular attendee of the tour might think that the San Sebastian show wasn't as interesting as some of the others. Wrong again. This show was about passion and perfect execution. After hearing "She's the One" or "Badlands" or "No Surrender" and others for the umpteenth time, I found myself saying to myself, "Wow -- that was really good." Same holds true for "Summertime Blues" and even "Twist and Shout," both of which have had a lot of air time recently. It didn't matter. They were stunning and most were as good as I have ever heard. And the passionometer kept steadily rising throughout the night, redlining on ma |
Notes: It's all cold down along the beach... the wind's whipping down the boardwalk... and it's freezing in Red Bank, where Bruce showed up tonight to bring some extra warmth to the newly renovated Count Basie Theatre. Just as in 2006, with no area holiday shows of his own, Springsteen chose to join in the festivities at Bobby Bandiera's 
Notes: "Hello Ypsilanti!" Bruce greeted the crowd Monday afternoon at Eastern Michigan University's ballpark, "Glad to be here -- I don't know how to spell it, though." This was Springsteen's third Vote for Change rally for the Obama campaign in as many days. "I know our opponents have said they're abandoning their attempts at Michigan," Bruce said as he encouraged voter registration, "But I wouldn't be so sure about that! It's not a time to take anything for granted." Illustrating the point at the end of "No Surrender," he alluded to his efforts and hopes four years ago: "In 2004... I had the tequila lined up on the bar..." before concluding one more time, "No retreat, baby, no surrender." 
Notes: The second day of Springsteen's Vote for Change rallies brought him to Columbus, where he was introduced by Ohio native, Mercury astronaut, and former U.S. Senator John Glenn. Springsteen opened up with a bit of The Byrds' "Hey Mr. Spaceman" in his honor. After that, a seven-song acoustic set, as in Philly, beginning with "The Promised Land" and including a variation on his rousing speech from the previous day. One setlist change -- instead of "Does This Bus Stop," here in Ohio Bruce gave a nod to "Youngstown." 
October 4 / Philadelphia, PA / Ben Franklin Parkway
A rocking sign set commenced with "Wooly Bully," the old Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs hit, the request spelled out in cotton balls on a sign in the shape of a bull. "This is a very creative sign... any bar band worth its salt has gotta know this one," Bruce said, Charlie's sodium level mighty high on his organ solo. "Darlington County" and "You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)" (Steve: "Not even mentally?" Bruce: "You can lust in your mind") followed by request, Bruce and the band powering through at a blistering pace more reminiscent of the early part of the Magic tour despite the sign collection. The only time they really seemed to slow down to catch their breath was on "Darkness on the Edge of Town," a beautiful performance that served to center the band before they dove back into the fray with "Youngstown."
"Jason..." Bruce said as the encore began, "Jason, if you're here, come see Kevin." No it wasn't someone who had left their lights on -- Bruce was calling for Jason Federici to join in on "Sandy." "This is the my first closing of a tour, of course, without Danny... and we're lucky enough to have Danny's son with us." Jason took the stage with an accordion strapped on, joining Roy to squeezebox on his father's signature favorite. He was absolutely beaming, getting hugs from Bruce and Steve before leaving the stage.
During "Glory Days," Bruce: "Don't you gotta be in church tomorrow?"
Up first was a world premiere, "Ricky Wants a Man of Her Own," a deep Tracks cut that got its first live airing ever. That led into "Cynthia," Bruce telling the crowd, "We're gonna do back-to-back Farfisa songs tonight!" Starting the show this way, with two obscurities (and"Cynthia" slower than usual), may have been a bit tough on the audience; Bruce soon brought them back in with "Hungry Heart" (an enormous cheer for this crowd-pleaser) and some more familiar sign requests, like "Cadillac Ranch" and "Working on the Highway." In between, though, was a truly unique performance, and the kind of thing that would only happen on a night like this: the vocal stylings of Mighty Max Weinberg.
"We have multiple requests here," Bruce said, going through the signs after "Spirit." "This is a very important one -- his has never been done before..." And he revealed a sign reading, "Let Max Sing." "Get that man a microphone! Oh, we're really flying by the seat of our pants now!... A little tutoring, be right back." Bruce went back to the drum riser to confer with the Mighty One. And maybe there was really only one song this could be -- the one, perfectly fitting song to break out for a sign like that. But in any case, damn impressive that they came up with it on the fly: it was "Boys," originally a Shirelles song, but most know it as sung by Max's hero, Ringo Starr, as Ringo's first recorded vocal with the Beatles. Max made the most of it, hollering out to "Kansas City!" as the song began. Musically, it sounded fantastic. Vocally... well, there's a reason Max isn't a singer, but he acquitted himself nicely. "You asked for it!" Bruce laughed afterward. A brilliant sign moment.
"Tenth Avenue Freeze-out" told the legend of the band one more time, lights-up standbys "Born to Run" and "Rosalita" rocked the house, and soon the last "American Land" tom beats were rolling out across the arena. "Mighty Max Weinberg -- the Singin' Fool!" Bruce hollered during the band intros at song's end. But of course that wasn't all she wrote just yet. "It ain't over til it's over!" said Springsteen, with still a couple premieres up his sleeve. "Save the Last Dance for Me" was a unique intro to "Dancing in the Dark" on this final night, Bruce starting the song solo before being joined by the keyboards, then Garry and Nils. A wonderful, soulful moment before the hopping commenced. Hannah, a little girl who had the honor a couple times before on this tour, came back for one last dance -- she upped the ante for Bruce with a cartwheel, and he responded with a somersault of his own. Finally, the E Street Band wrapped up their year-long tour with one more blast from the past, John Fogerty's "Rockin' All Over the World." "Thank you for suuporting our tour," Bruce told the crowd at the end. "Thank you for supporting the Magic album. Thank you Kansas City! Thank you E Street Nation!" After they all left the stage, cheers brought Bruce out for one last wave before disappearing again into the darkness. And it sure would be a whole lot more bittersweet if we didn't know they were going to be back on stage in less than a week!
It all started with "Then She Kissed Me," Bruce's spin on the Crystals classic that he last broke out in 1975. A delirious opener, a song I thought I'd never hear, but hey, we've come to expect such things this month. What I didn't expect was that it would be just the first of five classic covers in the set -- six, if you count the resurrected "Not Fade Away" intro to "She's the One." After granted requests for "Rendezvous" and a full-band "For You," Bruce returned to the signs and said, "As soon as we started doing these requests, people started getting very sassy. Very sassy. Trying to stump us with stuff we played 23 or 30 years ago. Tonight we'll challenge the band... and probably most of the audience, too!" Harold Dorman's "Mountain of Love" followed, a wall-of-sound cover that put me firmly on the path to Springsteen fanaticism when I first heard it on the Main Point '75 recording so many years ago. And in the nine-song encore, three more rock 'n' roll rave-ups -- "Detroit Medley," "Little Queenie," and "Twist and Shout" -- took it over the top.
But the oldies were only part of what shot this one into the stratosphere. Sizzling guitar on the return of a revitalized "Gypsy Biker," "Adam Raised a Cain," and a muscular (and rare) "Cover Me," Bruce taking two leads. And then there were the epics: "Backstreets," "Jungleland," and "Drive All Night." Traditional sing-alongs like "Hungry Heart" and "Sunny Day" went out the window to make room for this trio, and judging by the reaction, they were just as crowd-pleasing, if not more. "Backstreets" was played for a sign after "Mountain of Love" -- Bruce laughed, "We know this one!" After "Mary's Place," Steve could be seen miming a steering wheel to get the word around the stage. Bruce showed the "Drive All Night" sign to the crowd, and after an initial cheer there was an extraordinary hush, the whole place seeming to sit back to let it wash over. With the stage bathed in purple and blue light, it was a magical performance -- soulful, understated playing from the band led to tremedous crescendos, and then, if anyone had forgotten, Clarence reminded us of his power on that horn. "Better than Giants Stadium," a friend said to me halfway through the song... and it only got better from there.
For the first "extended play" song after "American Land," Springsteen decided to set a wrong right. "We got the hometown of Bob Costas here, am I right?" In case you haven't followed the corrections coming out of NBC, both 
Notes: Nashville was all about going the extra mile. Why just do "She's the One" when you can add the "Mona" intro? ("Mona"/"She's the One" was last performed on September 10, 1981, and even that was its only performance on the River tour.) Why just do "I'm on Fire" when you can lead into it with a bit of "I Walk the Line"? (With the Sommet Center right next door to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Springsteen paid tribute to Johnny Cash with an impromptu verse of the Man in Black's trademark tune. With Bruce on vocals and Nils on guitar, the only possible complaint about this magical moment was that it was too short.) Why just do "Growin' Up" when you can include one of those long-loved and much-missed stories in the traditional spot? (Bruce was obliging a sign that read, "Play Growin' Up... and tell us a story about that God Damn Guitar!") Joe Strummer's birthday? Let's do "I Fought the Law."
A great sign set continued with "Growin' Up," that story starting off with the classic, "Well there I was...." He went on to set the scene of getting his first guitar, standing in front of the shop window with his mom: "It was Christmas Eve, nineteen... sixty... four?" And as "that God Damn Guitar" became "that God Blessed Guitar," they kicked back into the song with Bruce proclaiming, "This is for you, Pop!" The next sign request was "I'm Goin' Down": "This is a song that almost didn't make the Born in the U.S.A. record; it was this or 'Pink Cadillac.'... We've played this a few times, it's good for a laugh, and probably one of my most insightful songs about men and women," Bruce said with a chuckle. Next: "The price of gas is going up, up, up, up, up... Did you ever feel like you were held up without a gun?" And the River outtakes continued with "Loose Ends" -- just a stunning run.
In the encore, a sign for "Boys in Their Summer Clothes" gave us "Girls" to replace the setlisted "Tenth Avenue." The sign's photo of a young Bruce playing ball in cutoff shorts prompted him to assure the crowd, "I know it's a little strange, but that's actually how men wore their shorts! I promise you!" After a thrilling "I Fought the Law" ("Happy Birthday, Joe!"), Bruce brought out a guest for "Rosalita." And after all the speculation about who might guest in Nashville, who'da thunk it would be a guy from Philly? "Dave Bielanko from the great band Marah... check out their record!" Follwing "American Land" with the now-standard one more, though Sam Cooke's "Good Times" was on the setlist(!), Bruce sent the "incredible crowd" home with "Dancing in the Dark." The third Born in the U.S.A. song of the night, it might have disappointed some hardcores who hoped for something more obscure, but it felt like just the right energy level. For a show that seemed to be one of the most undersold of the leg, the Nashville crowd was into it and ready to hop. "You've been a fantastic crowd," Bruce said, "We come through the South and we get some of the best crowds we've had in the United States." In the crowd: Dierks Bentley, Kix Brooks, Amy Grant, Kim Carnes, Mat Kearney.
Setlist:
Notes: Once again, it's E Street Band al fresco. And it's not like they had really scaled back performance-wise in the arenas, but tonight at Hersheypark Stadium it was decidedly a stadium-sized show. Three hours and 29 songs, with a powerhouse eight-song encore, and an emphasis on confections like "Darlington County," "Sunny Day," and "Working on the Highway," which Bruce performed out at the end of the center stage thrust. Those who expected locale-specific treats may have been disappointed -- not even "Candy's Room," let alone "Give the Girl a Kiss," "I Want Candy," "Sugar Sugar" or "Candy Man." Springsteen pulled a sign for "Give the Girl a Kiss" as part of the nightly collection, but otherwise, no apparent sense of the occasion for the Boss.
Instead, the Hershey show was a cover-fest: cover songs opened and closed (as in Charleston), with a total of four in the set -- two of them tour premieres. First up was "Summertime Blues" to open. The next one was a tour premiere from the sign collection -- "Oh my god.... we've created a monster!" said Bruce, faced with literally hundreds of signs, and he gave Little Steven first choice. "Pick one, Steve! We're going with obscurity... start with obscurity..." and Steven opted for John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom." ("Appears hastily assembled," Bruce said of the sign, written on a box lid -- with the even more longshot "London Calling" on the reverse.) Steve also picked "Darlington," which followed -- what, no signs for "Held Up Without a Gun"?
Tonight, Springsteen breaks a 28-year streak -- not with "The Price You Pay," but with the first "Crush on You" since December 16, 1980. "Crush" was played frequently on the 1980 leg of the River tour, but never again... until tonight. Reacting to a sign, Bruce himself seemingly couldn't believe they were actually about to play it. Steve even more so, from the look of him. "We firmly believe this is the worst song we ever put on a record," Bruce laughed, also revealing that he took the riff from the Car 54, Where Are You? theme. Still, butt of jokes though it may be, it was one of the biggest holy-shit moments of the tour to date, kicking off the encore with a blast of energy. On one hand, it's a throwaway River rocker... on the other hand, it's... a throwaway River rocker! The perfect kind of thing (as "Ramrod" has long shown) for encore time. The only thing we like better is some vintage rock 'n' roll, like, you know, "Quarter to Three." Yep, the Gary U.S. Bands classic was next (last played at Shea in 2003), as the nightly E Street Band-as-cover-band history lesson continues -- with "Twist and Shout" closing the eight-song encore to boot. Local boy Robbin Thompson, Bruce's Steel Mill bandmate, guested for this final song of the night.
A welcome return from the Magic record, "I'll Work for Your Love," was in part a celebration of Clarence -- "The Big Man just got married!" -- who raised his arms victoriously. "The Promised Land," though setlisted, got a needed rest for the third show running. In all, 13 songs not performed at the previous show in Charleston, also including "Cadillac Ranch" and, previously played only in Amsterdam on this tour, "Stand on It." "This is a little obscure," Bruce said to introduce the latter, "but that's why we're here!" With only five shows left on the tour, ain't it nice that we're all on the same page?
The show was full of requests and audibles, including "Two Hearts" early in the proceedings. Signs tonight brought us "Light of Day," "Growin' Up," and "Janey, Don't You Lose Heart," then in a roundabout way, "No Surrender," as a sign called for Springsteen to "Play want you want!" The "Atlantic City" that followed was for a sign, too. 
Tonight's sign collection came after "Spirit in the Night," and the first request was a reach-back cover right up there with "Little Latin Lupe Lu": "You Can't Sit Down." Bruce pointed to the sign behind the stage, and the band deftly tackled it cold. An intermittent encore treat in the late '70s and sometimes medleyed in '81, the last time they even touched this one was nearly a decade ago, when they worked a bit of it into "Light of Day" midway through the reunion tour in Philly. And just as Philly was an appropriate place to break it out (the Philadelphia-based Dovells took the song to #3 in 1963), the Sunshine State is a fitting place for it, too: Steve Van Zandt played with the Dovells in the '70s on the Florida oldies circuit, picking up the nickname "Miami Steve" in the process.
More requests in the encore: "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" for a little girl's sign (he autographed it for her mid-song), and "Glory Days" for an Iraq War veteran's first show. And after "American Land," there was the now-traditional one more: this time it was a smokin' "Kitty's Back," which did not get stadium play... that alone showing the benefit of being back inside. No Patti tonight, and unusually, no "Promised Land," either; Pat Riley was in the pit.
But it seemed the band was ready after all, the song sounded great -- and the professionalism of the sign sure didn't hurt Bruce's performance. As he pointed out, the sign had the "Lupe Lu" lyrics printed on the back (in a Bruce handwriting font, no less) with "Key of F" written at the top. "That's appreciated!" he laughed, and he wasn't kidding -- he made sure to have the words where he could see.
Of course, if you thought "American Land" would be the last song on this night, you haven't been paying attention. Two more songs, though? Well, that's a closing night special. First up was the long-awaited "Jersey Girl" (you knew it had to come out here, right?) played for a fancy two-part sign and dedicated to Bruce's mom. "She's here tonight," he said, "she's working the concession stand." The full-band rendition of the Tom Waits classic is always a special moment, and here it was like reliving the version from the Live/1975-'85 box set, with cheers from the crowd coming at the same places as on the '81 recording. 
During "Summertime Blues" Bruce began the nightly sign collection -- "Send 'em down!" he chanted. Flipping through them after "Tunnel," he found one to his liking, for a song previously only played twice ever: "Held Up Without a Gun." "That's a good sign for Steve," he said, cackling, and went on: "I'm gonna dedicate this to what it cost you guys to drive here! We're getting screwed somehow... This song was written in 1980 -- and it was prophetic." After blasting through all two minutes of it, Bruce hollered, "Goodnight everybody! That said it all!"
The show opened appropriately with the retelling of the Legend of the E Street Band, "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out." Lots of dedications, including "Janey, Don't You Lose Heart" for "my friend Jane," and "Growin' Up" for a ten-year-old sign-holder named Rosie. "This song was written a quarter-century before you were born," Bruce told Rosie, "It must be good -- your daddy was a wink in his mama's eye!" And later in the song, he added, "There you were: a little egg inside a little egg inside a little egg...." 
The night's biggest surprise came right out of the gate when Patti Scialfa, absent for so many of the recent Magic shows (having been home minding the teenagers) suddenly appeared on stage. And when the band kicked into "Tunnel of Love" to start things off, the needle on the passionometer started to register. And the jumping began (more on that later). Nils' great solo towards the end of the song was a thing of beauty, and the band was just getting started. With a solid if perhaps not jaw-dropping set list that included all songs previously played on the Magic tour, someone who wasn't there might conclude that this show was a yawner. Nothing could be further from the truth.