Editor's Note
Editor’s Note: I wrote the article that follows for Backstreets.com ; it was published on September 29, 2019, the day after the events chronicled. I’m reprinting it here as part of my Where the Band Was series, in which I recap shows I’ve attended on their anniversary dates.
I’ve seen the past of Rock and Roll Future, but for at least a few minutes on Saturday night, it couldn’t compete with Rock and Roll Present.
During an evening full of discoveries and surprises, Bruce Springsteen made a surprise guest appearance at the “Dancing the Dark” preview party that officially opened the new Monmouth County Historical Association exhibit, Springsteen: His Hometown. It was Bruce’s first performance in his hometown since his 1996 acoustic show at his grammar school, St. Rose of Lima.
And it was indeed a surprise: any secret hopes that attendees might have had were seemingly dashed earlier in the day when Patti Scialfa’s Instagram showed the couple together on Governor’s Island in New York to support their daughter Jessica at an equestrian competition.
But Bruce must have been determined to thank his hometown, because he made a brief appearance, sneaking in unceremoniously around 7pm to tour the exhibit and joining Joe Grushecky on stage for a blistering “Light of Day” before leaving by 8:30 to rejoin his family.
Photograph by Michael Kravetsky for MCHA
“I can’t stay long, I’ve got my family in the city. But I wanted to just come down and thank everybody for supporting the Historical Association. It’s nice to be honored in your hometown. ”
And while it was only one song, it’s clear that Bruce is still in peak rock ‘n’ roll condition. For a night that was retrospective in nature, Bruce seemed determined to convey that his story is far, far from over.
As for his on-stage accompaniment, it’s been more than three years since Bruce and Joe last shared a stage together, but their on-stage chemistry is as strong as ever, and the Houserockers continue to prove themselves as more than capable E Street stand-ins.
But while that “Light of Day” performance might have been the apex of the evening’s excitement, it was far from the only attraction.
Besides the scorching opening set by Bobby Bandiera and his band and the Houserockers house party that followed, there was a museum to explore, a silent auction to compete in (or envy), and a park full of surprises.
Remember Bruce’s story from Springsteen on Broadway or Born to Run of learning to drive while crossing the country with Tinker West in Tinker’s truck? Well, Tinker’s truck was on the premises (along with Tinker himself), and for a $25 donation to the Monmouth County Historical Association, you could pose for a photo in it and imagine you and Bruce climbing over each other to switch seats, hoping the truck stayed on the road in the process. (Of course, I did just that.)
The “Born to Run” fire truck that Bruce donated to the local fire department in 1991? That was there, too.
Under the big tent were the silent auction items, including signed, famed photos by Frank Stefanko and Danny Clinch (Danny’s photo of Bruce is in his Broadway dressing room had reached $5,000 by the time I left around 10:30pm), Freehold getaway packages (including a private, after-hours museum tour), Bruce’s mysterious “Nites of Rutgers” tee shirt (sadly, only a reproduction), and even a Big Man’s Brew tap handle. All proceeds benefited the Historical Association, and well before the evening ended it was clear that the Association would have a lucrative evening.
The exhibit itself held even greater treasures — whether you’re interested in tour and album cover props, song lyrics, old newspaper clippings, or the Springsteen family tree, there’s more to learn than one can reasonably take in during a single visit, especially for partygoers who were admitted through the evening in sequential 45-minute windows. I now know about the accomplishments and life events of Springsteens dating back to the American Revolution (which threatens to widen the scope of my “Kingdom of Days” blog posts to a frightening degree).
Photograph by Lisa Iannucci
Between the auction, the vehicles, the on-stage entertainment, and the museum exhibit itself, it was easy to get overwhelmed at times. If you didn’t know where to look next, however, you could always socialize with fellow party-goers. It was the kind of night where fans mixed and mingled with notables like Vini Lopez, Danny Clinch, Kevin Buell, and Tinker West. (However, Brian Williams, who had been announced as the host for the evening, did not appear to be present.)
By any criteria imaginable (except perhaps the weather—it was a hot, muggy New Jersey night), the event was a smashing success, and a terrific kick-off for an exhibit that every Springsteen fan should try to see.
