Midway through his Friday, Sept. 1 concert at East Rutherford, NJ’s MetLife Stadium, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bruce Springsteen took a minute to allude to one of the few unfortunate breaks in his illustrious career.
The music quieted and The Boss told a humorous story of how he was kicked out of his first band, The Rogues, way back in 1965.
He laughed it off with “Sopranos” cast member and longtime E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt but clearly this chip on his shoulder had a lasting impact.
58 years later, no one in music continually works harder to prove their worth. Rather than phone it in, Springsteen gives it his all to show his loyal fanbase — and maybe The Rogues — that he belongs every single time he takes the stage.
Let’s go back to the beginning though.
Starting promptly at 7:55 p.m. as New Jerseyans straggled into the massive Jets and Giants stadium with their $50 “Born In The U.S.A.” souvenir t-shirts, Springsteen and the E Street Band kicked the evening off with the rockin’, larger-than-life “Lonesome Day.”
Then, for nearly 2.5 hours, the long-running ensemble took nary a break. No banter, all bangers. Each song bled into the next with Bruce’s signature “1, 2, 3, 4!” cry giving the crowd a full-on musical thrill ride that never ran out of gas and was simultaneously heavy, silly and soaring sometimes all within the span of one song.
Of course, the singalong hits were just as impassioned, fresh and joyously infectious as when they debuted nearly a half century ago — “Born To Run,” “Thunder Road” and “Dancing In The Dark” all made this reviewer’s hair stand on end — but they weren’t even close to the chill-inducing pair of highlights from the jam-packed evening.
Early in the night, the band surprised super fans with the inclusion of their bluesy 1973 classic “Spirit In The Night” which The Boss hasn’t busted out since 2017 according to Set List FM. While the song didn’t have the seamless flow it does on the record, hearing the slowed-down, twinkling piano section live under Bruce’s powerful, gruff vocals was truly a great gift.
Yet, that wasn’t the peak.
For this reviewer, it was the rousing cover of The Commodores’ hit “Night Shift” where Springsteen stepped aside and showcased the horn section, drummer Max Weinberg (who you may remember from “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”) and most importantly, backup singer Curtis King Jr.’s striking falsetto that left the night’s most lasting impression.
That’s not to mention Bruce’s true co-MVP, saxophonist Jake Clemons (the nephew of the late Clarence Clemons), who blew his heart out all night breathing shockingly urgent life into the music that the band has been playing live for six (!) decades now.
Simply put, you have to see The Boss and his talented band live to truly appreciate their craft.
At the center of it all, the 74-year-old Springsteen is a pure showman full of gusto and bravado incorporating every tool at his disposal. Whispers, echoes, street preacher sermons, false starts and stops, ripping his shirt open, sharing a mic dangerously close to Van Zandt, spoken word sections, yelps and heart. Lots and lots and lots of heart.
The man still really cares about the music.
Based on what we saw, no one’s kicking him out of The E Street Band anytime soon.
Final verdict: Although Bruce didn’t play “Jungleland,” “Born In The U.S.A.,” “Hungry Heart” and countless other favorites at the gig this reviewer attended, we’ll give him a pass — the Sept. 1 concert was a complete, satisfying experience that encapsulated Springsteen’s historic career beautifully.
If you haven’t caught The Boss live, make it a priority.
New Yorkers, he’s in Syracuse next at the JMA Wireless Dome on Thursday, Sept. 7.
After that, The Boss will drop into Albany’s MVP Arena on Tuesday, Sept. 19.
Bruce Springsteen 2023-24 tour schedule
A complete calendar of all 24 remaining summer, fall and winter concert dates, venues and links to buy tickets can be found below.
Bruce Springsteen set list
Here’s what we heard Asbury Park’s most famous band play at the Sept. 1 MetLife Stadium show courtesy of Set List FM.
01.) “Lonesome Day”
02.) “Night”
03.) “No Surrender”
04.) “Ghosts”
05.) “Prove It All Night”
06.) “Darkness On The Edge Of Town”
07.) “Letter To You”
08.) “The Promised Land”
09.) “Spirit In The Night”
10.) “Kitty’s Back”
11.) “Nightshift” (Commodores cover)
12.) “The E Street Shuffle”
13.) “Mary’s Place”
14.) “Last Man Standing”
15.) “Backstreets”
16.) “Because The Night” (Patti Smith cover)
17.) “She’s The One”
18.) “Wrecking Ball”
19.) “The Rising”
20.) “Badlands”
21.) “Thunder Road”
Encore
22.) “Born To Run”
23.) “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)”
24.) “Seven Nights To Rock” (Moon Mullican cover)
24.) “Glory Days”
25.) “Dancing In The Dark”
26.) “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out”
Encore Two
27.) “I’ll See You In My Dreams”
Classic rockers on tour in 2023
A surprising number of stars that dominated the charts in the ’70s and ’80s are back on the road this year.
Here are our five favorite acts you won’t want to miss these next few months.
• Billy Joel with Stevie Nicks
• Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band
Want to see who else is out and about? Check out our list of the 22 biggest classic rockers on tour in 2023 here.
Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.