New for 2023: Audio for 1979; new entry for 1980; video for 2004
1974: Bruce and the E Street Band perform their one-time-only cover of “Twistin’ the Night Away” at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania.
1976: Bruce and the band wrap up a week of California shows with a stop at the Santa Barbara County Bowl.
1979: Bruce and Vini Lopez appear on stage together for the first time since 1974 at The Fast Lane in Asbury Park, sharing the stage with Beaver Brown and Dave Marsh (on tambourine).
1980: Bruce and the band (except for Steven) head backstage at the Cleveland Music Hall to visit fellow New Jersey band The Proof at their opening set for Pat Benatar.
1987: Bruce releases his eighth studio album, Tunnel of Love, to much less fanfare than greeted his previous Live 1975-85 box set–a fact that almost every news report mentions.
2002: Bruce and the E Street Band perform “Lonesome Day” and “You’re Missing” on Saturday Night Live in New York City. The afternoon rehearsals are caught on tape–watch and see what happens when Bruce realizes he started the rehearsal without noticing that Patti wasn’t there yet.
2004: Neil Young guest stars at Bruce’s Vote for Change show in St. Paul, joining Bruce for “Souls of the Departed,” “All Along the Watchtower,” and “Rockin’ in the Free World.”
2006: One of the best shows from the Seeger Sessions Tour, at the ancient Arena di Verona: Bruce tour premieres “Bobby Jean” and “Fire,” along with Patti’s “Valerie” (played in honor of her final appearance on the tour until its final stand) and Bruce’s first-ever performance of “Samson and Delilah.” For more highlights from this show, see my Where the Band Was report.
2007: The young Magic Tour rolls into Philadelphia for its first two-night stand. Night One at the Wachovia Center features tour debuts for “No Surrender,” “Candy’s Room,” “Brilliant Disguise” (in place of Patti’s “Town Called Heartbreak“) and “My Hometown.”
2008: Bruce appears at a rally for presidential candidate Barack Obama at Ohio State University in Columbus, where Bruce opens with a partial “Mr. Spaceman” in honor of former senator and astronaut John Glenn.
2016: Bruce appears at a special interview event at the Nourse Theater in San Francisco to promote the release of his autobiography.
2017: Bruce makes a small tweak in Springsteen on Broadway, swapping out “The Ghost of Tom Joad” for “The Rising” as previews continue. In attendance tonight: Jessica Springsteen
2018: Springsteen on Broadway continues its theatrical run at the Walter Kerr Theater in New York City. Patti is absent tonight, so Bruce plays his “B” setlist that includes “Long Time Comin’” and “This Hard Land” in place of his two duets with Patti. In attendance tonight: John Mayer.
