abril 2012

Six years after his first appearance at JazzFest with The Seeger Sessions Band, Bruce Springsteen returned to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, though this time with The E Street Band. Same stage, different band, but similar feelings. Bruce brought back some of the songs he performed at his 2006 show, such as «How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?», «O Mary Don’t You Weep», «Pay Me My Money Down» and «When the Saints Go Marchin’ In». Due to the festival’s limitations, it was a shorter set, a bit over two and a half hours, and with an early start: at 4:38 Bruce was on stage already.

Midway thru the show, Bruce invited onstage the legendary singer and piano player Dr. John, who played and sang «Something You Got», the Chris Kenner song Bruce used to play on his early tours, between 1972 and 1974. Some of the songs Bruce has been playing on the tour were left behind tonight, and the setlist was a bit different: «Land of Hope and Dreams» ended the main set, while «Pay Me My Money Down» opened the encores and the medley «Rocky Ground»/»When the Saints Go Marchin’ In» was done almost at the end of the show, right before Bruce and the band said goodbye with «Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out».

Check out the (great) eview and photos at The Times-Picayune.

See complete set list.

Second night at the old Sports Arena in Los Angeles, home of so many legendary E Street shows since their first 6-night stand in 1981. Tom Morello guests again on 4 songs, and Patti plays at this show too. About one hour before showtime, and while GA holders were entering the arena, Bruce was onstage with some relatives, showing them around and taking pictures, when he took his acoustic guitar and surprised everyone with an acoustic version of «For You» (see photo and video).

One hour later, and with the arena completely filled, Bruce took the stage and opened the show with the tour premiere of «No Surrender», pushing «Badlands» to the fourth slot again. Later, during the encores, came another tour premiere: «Bobby Jean» (an advance of what’s to come in the European tour?). Changes from the previous night include «Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?», «Prove it All Night» and «Racing in the Street» (dropping «The Promised Land»). The original set list included songs not performed, like «The Ties That Bind», «Trapped» or «Thunder Road».

See complete set list.

Photo: @SlyM (Twitter). Bruce sings «For You»