JOHN CAVANAUGH
Bruce Springsteen performs at the Sea.Hear.Now festival in Asbury Park, Sept. 15.
Before performing “Meeting Across the River” at the Sea.Hear.Now festival on the beach in Asbury Park, on Sept. 15, Bruce Springsteen looked out on the crowd of many thousands, and said he never thought he would see this site — the town, once nearly desolate, so full with people, and full of life.
“We were here, on that little street corner,” he said, pointing toward the direction of the Stone Pony nightclub, “when nobody was here. And I didn’t know when I’d see folks in this good town again.”
He then thanked “all the people that have invested themselves in Asbury Park, and brought the city back to life.”
It was a special show: the first time Springsteen and his E Street Band performed a set of music on the beach in the Shore town that was their home base, in the early days. It demanded, and got, a special setlist, including “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” — dedicated to the late Danny Federici, whose accordion playing was so important to the original version — and four songs from Springsteen’s debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. (“Blinded by the Light,” “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?,” “Growin’ Up” and “Spirit in the Night”). Also, “Thundercrack,” a staple of the band’s early, pre-stardom setlists; the rarely played, autobiographical “Local Hero”; the epic “Jungleland,” following “Meeting Across the River” (just like on the Born to Run album), to kick off the encores; and “Jersey Girl,” as the final encore. You can watch videos for some of the songs, below.
Also, Springsteen’s wife Patti Scialfa, having recently gone public about her battle with multiple myeloma (a blood cancer), made a rare appearance with the band, and sounded great dueting with Springsteen on “Tougher Than the Rest.”
JOHN CAVANAUGH
From left, Nils Lofgren, Jake Clemons, Soozie Tyrell and Bruce Springsteen at the Sea.Hear.Now festival.
Here is the show’s setlist, with some videos and a photo gallery under it.
“Lonesome Day”
“Blinded by the Light”
“Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?”
“Growin’ Up”
“The Promised Land”
“Spirit in the Night”
“Thundercrack”
“The E Street Shuffle”
“4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)”
“Hungry Heart”
“Local Hero”
“Atlantic City”
“Tougher Than the Rest” (featuring Patti Scialfa)
“Long Walk Home”
“Racing in the Street”
“Because the Night”
“She’s The One”
“Wrecking Ball”
“The Rising”
“Badlands”
“Thunder Road”
Encore
“Meeting Across the River”
“Jungleland”
“Born to Run”
“Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)”
“Bobby Jean”
“Dancing in the Dark”
“Tenth Avenue Freeze-out”
“Twist and Shout”
“Jersey Girl”
Springsteen was busy throughout Sea.Hear.Now weekend, jamming with The Tangiers Blues Band and others at The Stone Pony, Sept. 14; and with The Trey Anastasio Band and The Gaslight Anthem, earlier on Sept. 15.
Here are the videos, with a photo gallery underneath them:
SEPT. 15 SEA.HEAR.NOW PHOTO GALLERY
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