New for 2024: Review for 1998; audio for 2012
1969: Child continues their opening stand at the Pandemonium in Wanamassa, New Jersey. The band will play here for much of April. Red Bank’s Daily Register spotlights the band in today’s paper.
1976: Bruce and the band play a gig at Michigan State University. The school paper’s review is less than enthusiastic.
1981: Bruce postpones a scheduled show in London to recover from the previous leg of the River Tour.
1985: Bruce and the E Street Band play their final Australian show of the Born in the U.S.A. Tour in Melbourne. Bruce will not perform in the country again for twelve years.
1988: The Tunnel of Love Express moves on to Largo for the first of two shows at the Capital Center.
1993: Night Two in Dortmund, Germany, for Bruce’s World Tour 1993 features a rare (back then, anyway) acoustic arrangement of “The Promised Land” along with acoustic versions of “Seeds” and “Adam Raised a Cain” as well.
1998: Bruce performs “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” and “The Ghost of Tom Joad” in tribute to Elaine Steinbeck (widow of John) at a ceremony in Sag Harbor, New York.
2000: Bad Seattle traffic delays Bruce’s show at the Tacoma Dome. Bruce makes up for it by delivering a scorching set, filmed in its entirety by a fan in the audience and paired with an IEM recording. Watch this amazing (for the time) full show video below, and check out the somersault at the end of the final encore of Ramrod! For more on this show, see my Where the Band Was report.
2005: Bruce tapes an episode of VH1 Storytellers before a live audience in Red Bank, where he debuts “Devils & Dust” and “Jesus Was an Only Son.” Following the show, Bruce holds a rare Q&A session. Watch the show below, including the Q&A session.
2006: Bruce and the Sessions Band rehearse for their upcoming tour at the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park.
2008: An odd stunt to promote the Magic Tour in Sacramento: a local radio station runs a contest to pick the opening song. “Spirit in the Night” won.
2012: The second of two nights in East Rutherford features five tour premieres, including “Racing in the Street.”
2018: On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Stevie Wonder publishes a video commemorating Dr. King’s enduring dream, featuring contributions by public figures who share their own dreams. Bruce adds his wish at the 4:36 mark.
Meanwhile, Springsteen on Broadway continues its theatrical run at the Walter Kerr Theater in New York City. Among the attendees this evening: Tony Goldwyn and Oprah Winfrey.
