The Ties That Bind Long Walk Home (guitar) The Rising Notes: On Wednesday night, a packed house of contest winners (largely SiriusXM subscribers) was treated to a special performance of Broadway's most unlikely hit since… what was that hip-hop musical about the treasury secretary? Tonight delivered pretty much everything you'd expect at a Springsteen gig. It's a song that for so many fans stirs up memories of countless nights with the E Street Band, in encore delirium — or perhaps a version very much like this one in 1988 — and it's long been one of the most communal experiences you'll find. It gets built, it gets filled with concertgoers, it empties out, it gets taken apart, and kangaroos return to eat the grass and perhaps catch a buzz from so much spilled booze. what's new. Thunder Road (guitar) While many of the musicians in attendance have appeared onstage together in various capacities over the years — many still live in the area — such gatherings have become increasingly rare. But this is not a series of concerts — it's a one-man show (with all due respect to Patti) that Springsteen has carefully crafted, rehearsed, and honed to perform night after night. If so, Saturday night in Auckland — and I don't care how corny this sounds — was all sevens. But with these two lifelong friends and music partners sharing the mic at center stage, the performance became one for the ages. and the tuchases of two street kids from New Jersey were shaken for the final time on this tour. Unfortunately, much of the tale still waits to be told. I'm on Fire Because the Night - Brenda VanHorn reporting - photographs by Rene van Diemen, Setlist: Youngstown THIS WEEK, MAY 4, 1987, Chad Stuart passed away on December 20, 2020. Steve stood in his familiar spot with arms crossed and eyes closed at the start, praying to the garage rock gods or perhaps meditating on the night's post-show dinner spread. when it was time to shut it down. No. No individual element made it so. Lights down at 7:50 brought the familiar routine of the Cooper & Koo strings filing in, the band walking out to cheers, spotlights on Roy and Bruce, and The Professor launching "New York City Serenade." The Rising (guitar) New York City Serenade (with strings) Glistening eyes took one last look around the quickly dissipating closing-night crowd, paths crossed on tour about to bring us home to our everyday lives. The oldest Templeton boy, named Tim and aged seven and a half years, discovers his secret … Dancing in the Dark Glory Days Tenth Avenue Freeze-out Rosalita Setlist: The Rising (guitar) Sign-picking resulted in the first cluster of Greetings From Asbury Park songs to be played since the tour's opening night in Perth three weeks ago. My Father's House (guitar) It may not be what you think — that's another magic trick that Bruce pulls off over the course of the night. In fact, as simple starts go, this is almost as basic as it gets: "DNA," says Bruce. Cuts Like a Knife (with Bryan Adams) Lonesome Day As always, they tore up the place with their 90-minute set, just as they did at The Basie — and Steven promised a Christmas show there later this year. Strange Brew (Ribler & Upstagers) Born in the U.S.A. Born in the U.S.A. (guitar) JP Karliak voices the title character, replacing Alec Baldwin; only Eric Bell Jr. reprised his … Bruce has always been a storyteller, but the stories on stage have usually been in service of the songs. The Boss Baby is a 2017 American 3D computer-animated comedy film that is DreamWorks Animation 34th feature film, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Studios. Ground to dust, Bruce captured the essence of marriage with a final, pathetic, "You know what I like, honey.". Thunder Road (solo acoustic). "Listen to your Junkman, all dressed up in satin, walking by the alley" — a metaphor for an America that was sold on a promise of a quick fix, a drug of glittering promises that turned into an alternative truth. — and advised us to "sit those tired asses back down.". You think you've heard every variation of "Shout" until on this night Bruce repeated "Listen to me…" over and over until it morphed into a showdown between James Brown and Sam Cooke. The third was Mary's Place — "let it rain!" Shana Tovah to all! He spoke of how he wanted to continue in some fashion with the Invictus movement, and I can certainly understand why. Trapped Theodore Lindsey Templeton is the titular overall protagonist of The Boss Baby franchise. Thunder Road (guitar) Bathed in blue and perfectly still, Bruce hushed images of early-'70s Manhattan while the 2017 E Street Band recalled the remarkable maturity of the musical gypsies who cut the track in 1973. American Skin (41 Shots) It was 10:35, and there were no doubts. The set had been advertised as "Patti and her Band will perform the title track of Horses along with some of their signature songs." So does it matter that the second act basically turns into a concert? After the 70-minute film, the screen went up and the Patti Smith Group were in place behind it. That shared experience reaches its peak with the final song of the night, "Born to Run" on acoustic guitar. December 27 - 30 / Walter Kerr Theatre / New York, NY The River Don't Hang Up Because the Night By the time everyone was waving their arms to the end of "Hungry Heart," it felt like we had already hit encore-level bedlam… just seven songs in (I know I was an encore-level, sweaty mess). Dancing in the Dark/Land of Hope and Dreams (guitar) Bruce left the stage briefly to make way for Jeff Kazee's lead vocal turn on "Fortunate Son" before reemerging to wind down the set. For however much he let the songs themselves speak his truth, Springsteen also seemed looser, more at ease, and spent a lot of time reaching down into the crowd, holding hands, high-fiving, and most obviously concluding "Hungry Heart" with a ride-of-a-thousand-fingers courtesy of eager pit denizens. American Skin (41 Shots) On Broadway it's a celebration, a benediction, an elegy, a commitment, a thank you, and a statement of community, Springsteen's palm finally beating out that proof of life before the lights go out. The show made me laugh, weep (twice), and like all great theater helped me understand something not about the performer, but about myself. The Rising Born to Run 01 (3 weeks) on the Billboard Hot 100. Mary's Place The Beatles make their Italian debut in Milan (June 24), continuing to Genoa (June 25) and Rome (June 27), before returning to France for a show in Nice (June 30). Bobby Jean It was a humble, quiet gesture from Bruce to say thanks to President Obama, the staff, and their families. From the Magic Rat to "magic in the night" to Magic Street, Bruce Springsteen is no stranger to the conjuring arts. Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (piano) That's best described as the soundtrack to her and her husband Jason's life over the past six-and-a-half months, the moment the family (which includes two … Notes: Opening night. Bruce called out Nils at the end of "Because the Night" for a solo that had him spinning and our neck hairs standing on end. As usual, no one was having more fun than Adele's son himself. He must have moved too fast for himself when, after holding up a sign for "This Hard Land," he strapped on a harp rack and began playing "This Hard Land" harmonica, but from his guitar came the intro to "Glory Days." Hungry Heart Tenth Avenue Freeze-out And don't forget, we can't do this alone... and we never have. Friends huddled in circles, others stood alone, smiles creasing faces that ain't that young anymore. The Promised Land These Born in the U.S.A. rockers normally benefit from the momentum of a set in progress, so it was odd to hear them kick off an evening. My Hometown (piano) April 4 -7 / Walter Kerr Theatre / New York, NY A beaming Bruce ambled out toward him from stage left. October 12 / Walter Kerr Theatre / New York, NY No Surrender There were many songs in the set that Springsteen could've guested on, but really, there was only one that would do for this type of an evening: "It's Been a Long Time," the centerpiece of the 1991 Asbury Jukes Better Days album that reflects the long, shared history of Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt and Southside Johnny, Asbury Park's premier partners in crime. - Joe Wall reporting - photographs by Rene van Diemen, Setlist: Tougher Than the Rest (piano) - with Patti Scialfa Springsteen Growin' Up (guitar) Long Walk Home (guitar) The house lights were up for "Born to Run," which was followed in the encore by "Dancing in the Dark" and "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out." As usual, right when diehards believe they've witnessed a culmination of sorts, Bruce just dials it up even further. So it's refreshing to find him rediscovering his comic gifts of late, first with the Born to Run memoir, equal parts eloquent and uproarious, and now with Springsteen on Broadway, which aims even more squarely for laughs, but never unearned ones. The Promised Land (guitar) Badlands The bombardment lasted 3 hours and 25 minutes, victory declared on the jubilant faces of Aussies who'd come for a River show but got gobsmacked instead by a rock 'n' roll reckoning. Wrecking Ball New York City Serenade (with strings) Thunder Road (guitar) Dancing in the Dark/Land of Hope and Dreams (guitar) I'm on Fire Badlands Australians seem to love his newer material, inspiring Bruce to engage in a deafening "I just want to hear some rhythm" call-and-response with the crowd. In stock now! Theatergoers arrive to find the set waiting, all blacks and grays; the dark brick wall in the back, by appearances, could be a freshly painted set or the old bones of the place. Seriously mate, why do you do it?". Don't think it's ever occurred to me at a Bruce show, but it seemed the songs themselves were secondary to the touching of skin, the making of eye contact, the involvement of "the stands." I want to send this out to everyone who suffered in the earthquake, send out our love and prayers, and to the emergency services who I know are working today to contain the fires outside of town. The Wish (piano) Thunder Road Of course we do, we're at a Bruce Springsteen concert. After Charlie's blissful organ solo, Jake laid down a sax vibe that made Bruce call out "Do it again!" My Father's House (guitar) 'Cause everything falls apart." The River A you-had-to-be-there performance, one not defined by setlists or duration or letters home. Because the hillside that on this day was crammed with 20,000+ people, food trucks galore, merch stands, and, of course, a massive stage, is normally empty. "American Land" again featured Charlie and Roy on dual accordions — has any band in the history of rock 'n' roll had a double-barreled accordion attack? There's not even a curtain. The song has become a sonic talisman for the tour. There's so much space, in the songs and the stories, in the building and in the atmosphere Springsteen cultivates, for our own memories to overlay his. Before you knew it, Bruce's acoustic performance was over. Growin' Up (guitar) Think of the legendary raps of the '70s and '80s — shaggy-dog stories and goofy cosmic tales that came off ad-libbed but were in fact carefully honed. Rosalita back in 2009. and tonight you knew damn well he was serious. And no. Kevin Buell was set up stage right with a tech area to tune and feed various acoustic guitars to Bruce throughout the night. I got a chance to drive around and take a look at the city today. before flying a now-necessary flag of solidarity with immigrants of all stripes. My Hometown (piano) And wouldn't get in trouble he was satisfied Wendy's a fan, but it was lifelong diehard Pete who asked, "How fucking hard could it be?" Alas, this wasn't a concert but a ceremony that was being televised, so strict timelines needed to be adhered to. He went straight into a quick version of 1962's "Don't Hang Up" by R&B group The Orlons ("Don't hang up like you always do/I know you think our love is true"). Tim is now a married stay-at-home dad. Those who predicted a third night in a small venue might be treated to full River performance weren't dead-on, but there were more songs from the album here than the previous two nights. People Have the Power (with The Patti Smith Group and Michael Stipe), Kicking off another week of #SpringsteenBroadway...? Hungry Heart The Promised Land (guitar) No Surrender We've come too far and worked too hard, and too many people have paid too high a price for us to allow that to happen…. Lucky us. * * * October 3 / Walter Kerr Theatre / New York, NY Murder Incorporated Tougher Than the Rest (piano) - with Patti Scialfa Springsteen The usual encores got everybody dancing, and "Bobby Jean" brought the show to a heartfelt close at 10:50. Darkness on the Edge of Town No Surrender At this, the boy onstage held his Takamine aloft, in an uncanny impression of Bruce Springsteen. But tonight Bruce recalibrated it and set it loose within the hearts of the people of Christchurch like a voodoo man stealing souls and setting them free in a better, less lonely place. THIS WEEK 60 YEARS AGO: THE HOTTEST HIT IN THE USA! Bruce opened with a very brief note of thanks to the President and the staff who were being honored before launching into "Working on the Highway." Next was another sign request, "Back in Your Arms." Glory Days After the outstanding full set from the Disciples, Stevie called out, "Where's my brother from another mother?" The audience frenzy built through the regular encore sequence of "Born to Run," "Dancing," "Tenth Avenue," and "Shout" before Bruce launched into "Bobby Jean" to say "good luck, goodbye" to his Australian fans. Glory Days Yet there he was up on the stage of the Paramount Theatre again on day three of the Asbury Park Music & Film Festival, a four-day music and film event. He's sweating like a motherfucker, again. I am here to provide proof of life to that ever elusive, never completely believable 'us.' My Father's House (guitar) The Boss, as always, is right, and everything, absolutely everything, is alright. Thunder Road (guitar) And then the song that starts each and every time with a line delivered like a benediction, "This is 'Land of Hope and Dreams.'" https://www.mcrfb.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Jimmy-Soul-If-You-Want-To-Be-Be-Happy-HQ.mp3, https://www.mcrfb.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ElvisPresley-Stuck-On-You.mp3, https://www.mcrfb.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Del-Shannon-Runaway.mp3. The Wish (piano) Garry's bass floated above, below and behind it all. It's already amusing to look back at what Jon Landau said in Sunday's New York Times about "the conventions of Broadway": "The show starts, there's absolute silence. Glory Days Notes: Patti Scialfa is ill and unable to perform, prompting the first changes in the Springsteen on Broadway set since the official opening. and the crowd ("Let's hear it for Steve… not too much…"). Jole Blon Long Time Comin' And that's where it appears here, as he introduces a jangly "The Promised Land" with a passage from the book, the most direct "reading" he gives all night. A wild, joyous, goofy, exhausting "Rosalita" ended this foursome of '70s thunderclaps that's a fountain of youth to older fans and an affirmation of rock 'n' roll's power to those weaned on a variation neutered by corporate-owned radio monopolies and TV "talent" shows. - 2000 Setlists - 2013 Setlists King's "Got My Mojo Workin'" while Bruce wailed away on guitar. I knew in the back of my mind it would be an abbreviated set, likely acoustic, but that didn't matter. Notes: Workshop III, Springsteen's by-invitation dress rehearsal on the Walter Kerr stage before previews begin. Besides, he’s only got 2 hours and 13 minutes to relay his version. The Ghost of Tom Joad (guitar) WEEK OF MAY 9, 1988, The Beatles’ European tour, which commences with a French televised concert at the, They perform at two large Spanish bullrings, the, on BEATLES WILL MAKE MILLIONS ON U.S. TOUR, EPSTEIN PREDICTS . Springsteen spoke between most of his selections, talking about politics a bit before "Born in the U.S.A." and calling it a "protest song," one that had been misunderstood before and would be misunderstood again. I looked over the crowd and saw a young girl watching with tears streaming down her face. My Hometown (piano) Tonight on 48th Street, Bruce Springsteen made his Broadway debut to rapturous applause — at the outset, throughout, and of course, at show's end. An honest-to-god breeze swept through the pit as Bruce crooned "He's singing…" over and over, the strings giving wing to the pleas of the song's narrator as Bruce whispered poetry over Garry's basslines. Action, not desperate at all but calculated. Rosalita. Next, Roy's piano intro to "Because the Night" charged the crowd ,and Bruce, alone in a spotlight, ratcheted the tension by repeating "Take me now…" in slow succession. No records were broken for show length, but you know what they say about quality over quantity. He mentioned that the last time they'd played together, at Hyde Park in London, they'd had the plug pulled on them by the authorities, so this time he hoped they'd be able to finish their song. However tragic that may be, the song offered wisdom we can only pray America heeds: "That flag flyin' over the courthouse / Means certain things are set in stone / Who we are, what we'll do and what we won't.". The River Hey, we all were. American Skin (41 Shots) Tonight, from the mighty bastion of E Street, the cannons were aimed squarely at the forces of hate and division back in the States. - Steven Strauss reporting - photographs by Bill Donohoe, Setlist: We were by the northeast gate as they pulled out. Wrecking Ball Every nuance of the multi-textured and moody "New York City Serenade," back in its opening slot after falling to tenth and ninth at the two outdoor Melbourne shows, commanded attention, from Roy's piano firestorm to Bruce's acoustic licks to Cooper & Koo's searing, soaring strings. Their intimacy points to a real hallmark of the whole night's experience. I'm on Fire Out in the Street Not tonight, that's for sure. It didn't exactly carry through to the records, or to Bruce's mythic public persona. As long as he would play it by the railroad side The Lakehouse Junior Pros — an enterprising bunch of local tweens receiving rock 'n' roll instruction at the performance space/studio on Lake Avenue — followed, performing "The Hours Before Dawn," the tune they showcased in the film. We'll be seeing ya." New York City Serenade (with strings) Nils ripped a solo that screamed for mercy, the song ended, and Jake's hands fell. But the setting clearly suits him, and after so many shows he's developed an easier give-and-take with the theater audience, playing off our silences, our laughter, our pent-up urge to leap from our seats and sing along. “Stretch” across your device screen to magnify for larger print view. Jungleland "Because the night belongs to... Bruce," Smith sang, cueing him into a compact but satisfying solo. While I thought that scheduling was unusual, I was certain there would be a surprise or two as the evening progressed. "So walk tall… or baby don't walk at all." Sure, he can turn his band on a dime, call audibles left and right, teach his horn section a new song on the fly. Growin' Up but compensated with Bruce's first solo of the night. The Rising (guitar) But that's the miracle of any Springsteen performance, in any setting: all the years seem to gather into a single night, compressed into that "everlasting NOW" that's sustained Bruce and so many of us for so long. This was a concert of economy, a concentrated treat, fat-free and vastly entertaining. My Father's House (guitar) Bruce calling for Sancious to play the Hammond B-3 was priceless; "When I first saw him, he was playing the organ," he commented afterward. The band lit into a very energetic version of "I Saw Her Standing There," with a beaming Bruce trading verses at the same microphone as Sir Paul. After running through the chords a few times in practice, Bruce played the song standing perfectly still, locked into the words, perhaps lost in emotion, perhaps not, but playing it like he was standing before all of those he's lost and seeking their blessings. Setlist: My Hometown (piano) His choices ranged from trusty classics "Thunder Road" and "The Promised Land" to rarities like "My Father's House" and "The Wish." Setlist: Land of Hope and Dreams, For previous dates, The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021).In the sequel to DreamWorks Animation’s Oscar®-nominated blockbuster comedy, the Templeton brothers—Tim (James Marsde - 2008 Setlists This is the one that gave a voice to the voiceless all those years ago. As per usual for film premieres, many people associated with the film were in attendance for the Asbury Park Music and Film Festival event. A longtime Backstreets reader was there in the East Room and reports for us. Entertaining as Just Before the Dawn is, however, it barely scratches the surface of its subject. Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (piano) Because the Night Tonight's answer: Apparently not. Shout Tenth Avenue Freeze-out "And then, there I was, the next night…. Back in Your Arms This featured presentation would have not been possible without your generosity, dedication, and your continuous support. "American Skin (41 Shots)" and "The Promised Land" were next. By now a sense of rock 'n' roll delirium has set in. February 18 / Hope Estate / Hunter Valley, AU Midway through the encore of Paul McCartney's Friday evening performance at Madison Square Garden, with the final dulcet notes of "Helter Skelter" still ringing in everyone's ears, Sir Paul announced that there were two special guests who had agreed to join him on stage for the next song. - e-mail us image scans (photos, stubs, concert ads, etc.). If I Should Fall Behind (with Patti Scialfa) - Reporting and photographs (1,2,3,5,9) by Hal Schwartz - additional photographs (4,6,7,8) by Bill Donohoe, Setlist: The crowd filed back out into the Cross Hall for some final mingling before the Marine escorts started shooing us toward the coat check and out into the warm winter night. Lonesome Day Youngstown But as Bruce drew a "99" in the air for another audible it was clear he was going with his gut, and his gut said roadhouse. Jackson was joined by Steven for his classic "I Am a Patriot," adding some very timely lyrics about racism, bigotry, and current events. The River There was no sax player to be had, so the sax solo was replaced with guitar solos. He drives it home with "Land of Hope and Dreams," with a segue out of "Dancing in the Dark" that'll make you catch your breath. The crowd continued the "whoa-oh-oh-ohs" as the song concluded and as HRH Prince Harry took the stage to embrace and thank both Bruce and Bryan. Something in the Night Bruce had been sitting in section 104, enjoying the show and saying hi to his neighbors and friends. Bruce called for "The Promised Land" next, and the pit responded like convicts on a jail break. Of note here was a rare full-band version of the Bruce Springsteen Band-era tune "Ballad of Jesse James," officially released on last year's Chapter and Verse collection, with Vini Lopez on lead vocals.