New for 2024: Article for 1973; video for 1988 and 2008; audio for 1988
1971: Bruce plays two shows at The Upstage in Asbury Park, jamming with (and scouting) local musicians for a new band.
1973: Bruce opens for Richie Havens at Bushnell Memorial Hall in Hartford, his first show in Connecticut. Bruce opens the show with the earliest known performance of “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy).”
1985: Bruce concludes his first Japanese tour with a second show in Osaka.
1988: At Night Two in Los Angeles on the Tunnel of Love Express Tour, Bruce debuts “Have Love Will Travel” and tour premieres “Sweet Soul Music.” Roy Orbison is in attendance tonight, celebrating his 52nd birthday. Audio of the show is available for purchase as part of Bruce’s official archive series (get it here), but it was filmed by an enterprising fan as well.
Also today, American Top 40 host Casey Kasem introduces Bruce’s current chart-climbing single “One Step Up” with a story about how music helped Bruce survive high school.
1992: Bruce rehearses with his new band for their upcoming tour.
1993: Bruce’s World Tour 1993 arrives in Belgium for the first of two nights at Flanders Expo in Ghent.
1999: The Reunion Tour makes a stop at Donau Arena in Regensburg, Germany.
2005: Bruce’s episode of VH1 Storytellers premieres on VH1.
2008: Still raw from the loss of Danny Federici, Bruce opens the show in Orlando with the rock version of “Blood Brothers.” Roger McGuinn guests on “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and “Mr. Tambourine Man” in the encores, the former of which will appear on the Magic Tour Highlights EP later in the year. Also tour premiering at this show: “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?”
2016: As the U.S. leg of the River Tour (2016 edition) comes to a close, Bruce opens the first of two closing shows at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center with “Purple Rain” in tribute to Prince, who passed away two days prior.
2018: At the premiere for the new Patti Smith concert documentary Horses: Patti Smith and Her Band, Bruce makes a surprise appearance, joining Patti for “Because the Night” and both Patti and Michael Stipe for “People Have the Power.”
2019: For the second day in a row, Bruce’s twitter account offers a mysterious photo with no accompanying text. Rumors begin to fly: is a new album imminent?
