Kingdom of Days: October 18

New for 2023: Audio for 1974 and 1975; video for 2002 and 2007

1973: Bruce and the E Street Band play their fourth of five nights at Oliver’s in Boston.

1974: Bruce is scheduled as the second opening act (after Dan Fogelberg) for John Sebastian’s show at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, but after watching the band soundcheck, Sebastian wisely decides to let Bruce close the show instead. Bruce’s set includes his first known cover of “Spanish Harlem.”

1975: Bruce and the E Street Band play two shows at the Roxy Theater in West Hollywood. During the first show, “Thunder Road” is recorded by Springsteen’s crew; it will surface over a decade later on Live 1975-85. This show is available for purchase as part of Bruce’s official archive series–get it here.

1976: Bruce and the boys play their second of two Lawsuit Tour shows at Georgetown University. “Growin’ Up” features a strange one-off story interlude tonight, eerily incorporating “Tubular Bells” to underscore a (seasonal?) scary story.

1980: At Night Two in St. Louis on the River Tour, Bruce plays “Hungry Heart,” “Drive All Night,” and “I’m a Rocker“– all for the very first time. Take a listen to “Hungry Heart” played without the audience sing-along–that tradition won’t start for another month.

1984: Bruce postpones a scheduled Born in the U.S.A. show in Tacoma by a day due to illness. Local elementary school students send Bruce a care package with hand-drawn pictures and a get-well tape of them singing “Hungry Heart,” and Bruce responds in kind with a recording of him (accompanied by Roy) singing the song back to them.

1989: Bruce decides its time for him to go it alone for a while. He calls up the members of the E Street Band, one by one, and breaks the news. In retrospect, it will seem like just a blip in a long, fraternal career, but at the time, and certainly at the beginning, it feels like forever.

1992: Bruce concludes the Canadian leg of World Tour 1992 with a show at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton.

That night, back in the U.S., Ben Stiller debuts Legends of Springsteen on his comedy show.

1995: On the second night of the American Babylon Tour, Bruce joins Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers at Tramps in New York City, and Dion DiMucci and Scott Kempner make a guest encore appearance on “The Wanderer.”

1999: Bruce and the reunited E Street Band play their second of two shows at the new Staples Center in Los Angeles.

2001: Bruce joins a stellar line-up of talent (including Joan Jett, Joe Ely, Bon Jovi, Phoebe Snow, Max Weinberg, Patti Scialfa, Michelle Moore, and musical director Garry Tallent) for the first of two Alliance of Neighbors benefit concerts for the victims of the recent 9/11 attacks. The set features Bruce’s first-ever performance of “Tiger Rose,” performed with Sonny Burgess and the Sun Rhythm Section.

2002: The Rising Tour moves on to Bologna, where Bruce and the band tour premiere a “Stand On It” one-off in the encores. My favorite highlight, however, is the final “Thunder Road.” The Italian crowd won’t let go of the coda, and Bruce eventually returns to the stage to accompany them on piano to bring the show to a close.

2007: Bruce tour premieres a back-to-back “Meeting Across the River” and “Jungleland” at Night Two on the Magic Tour at Madison Square Garden. Sessions Band alumni Charlie Giordano, Lisa Lowell, Larry Eagle, Jeremy Chatzky, and Greg Liszt join the E Street Band for a show closing “American Land.” Although no one knows it at the time, Charlie will be back on the E Street stage a month later due to tragic circumstances.

2012: Bruce performs at two election rallies with President Obama, first at Cuyahoga Community College in Ohio, later at Iowa State University in Ames. Bruce premieres his new song, “Forward” at the Ohio show.

2017: Springsteen on Broadway continues its run at the Walter Kerr Theater in New York City, and both Billy Joel and Jimmy Kimmel are in attendance.

2018: Springsteen on Broadway continues its theatrical run at the Walter Kerr Theater in New York City.