New for 2023: Review for 1996 and 2006; audio for 2021
1971: The Bruce Springsteen Band is in residence at the Student Prince in Asbury Park.
1978: Bruce and the E Street Band bring the Darkness Tour to RPI in Troy, New York. The soundcheck is captured on tape, so we have a document (albeit of poor quality) of Bruce playing a cover of “Apache” by The Shadows (which has never surfaced in his actual setlists).
1984: On Night Two in Denver on the Born in the U.S.A. Tour, Bruce switches up the setlist and possibly confuses himself a bit in the process: “State Trooper” (in its last tour performance) has its lyrics jumbled in the third verse.
1988: Bruce joins John Prine on stage at the Tarrytown Music Hall.
1996: Bruce plays a solo acoustic show at Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo.
2002: Clarence is back in action after eye surgery, and Bruce starts their Rising show in Cincinnati with a speech decrying racism (referencing recent police brutality and a subsequent boycott) before launching into “American Skin (41 Shots),” making this the first time since the tour began that “The Rising” does not open the show. In the encores, Bruce takes a rare (at this time, at least) sign request and plays “I’m a Rocker.”
2006: The Seeger Sessions Tour is in its home stretch now, but Bruce is still whipping out tour premieres. At Night Two in London’s Wembley Arena, Bruce surprises with the tour premiere of “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?”
2007: On Night Two at Washington DC’s Verizon Center on the Magic Tour, “Town Called Heartbreak” makes its last appearance to date.
2012: St. Paul gets two notable tour premieres at their second of two Wrecking Ball shows: “Stolen Car” and the first-ever full-band “Devils & Dust.” Don’t think that the show is all serious, though: Bruce opens with “I’m a Rocker” (the first time that’s ever happened) followed immediately by “Hungry Heart,” setting the tone for an unusual night. This show is available as part of Bruce’s official archive series–get it here.
2021: Bruce surprises fans at a premiere screening of The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts at Basie Center Cinemas in Red Bank, New Jersey. Earlier in the day, he sits down for an interview with Joe Grushecky to promote the 25th anniversary edition of Joe’s American Babylon album.
