New for 2025: Expanded entry and audio for 1979; video for 2023; new entry for 2024
1976: The Chicken Scratch Tour kicks off with a show at the Township Auditorium in Columbia, South Carolina–Bruce’s first time performing in the state.
1977: The Lawsuit Tour comes to a close with a final show at Boston’s Music Hall, featuring the last “Don’t Look Back” for 22 years, the last “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” for 32 years, and the last “Action in the Streets” for 34 years.
1979: At his home studio in Holmdel, Bruce and the E Street Band rehearse “Meet Me in the City.”
That evening, Bruce catches The Ramones playing at The Fast Lane in Asbury Park. Backstage, Joey Ramone asks Bruce to write a song for them. Bruce starts writing “Hungry Heart” that very night.
1984: Bruce joins Cats on a Smooth Surface on-stage at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park for “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide” and “Lucille.”
1996: Bruce performs “Dead Man Walkin’” at the Academy Awards, where it is nominated (but loses) for Best Original Song. Watch the CNN news coverage and full performance:
2003: The Australian leg of The Rising Tour moves on to Brisbane, where “Jungleland” makes its tour debut.
2023: Bruce and the E Street Band bring their World Tour to the Greensboro Coliseum.
2024: Bruce and the E Street Band return to San Diego for the first time in 18 years, tour debuting “My City of Ruins” at Pechanga Arena.
Hi Ken, I was lucky enough to be at the San Diego show. It was the first time since 1981 that he and the ESB had been here. He played a solo acoustic show here in 1996. He mentioned the 1981 show during the concert, and it was also reported that way in the San Diego Union-Tribune. (You mentioned that it had been 18 years since they had played here.) I sure do appreciate your newsletter–I read it daily. Thanks for your efforts.