Bruce Springsteen & The Band

The Band's influence on this tour is quite clear if you forget the Pete Seeger folk themes for a moment. And Bruce made it even clearer last night in Columbus, when he premiered Robbie Robertson's brilliant tune "Rag Mama Rag" (released on The Band's self-titled album), a real surprise that came appropriately right after "My City of Ruins" (back on the set as first encore).

Patti was absent last night, therefore there was no scat vocal intro to "Open All Night". And drummer Larry Eagle debuted yet another instrument on the tour: a real kitchen sink!

A shorter set last night due to the venue's curfew, which happily meant no "Ramrod" or "Buffalo Gals", thus letting some space for "Rag Mama Rag".

Check out the full set list at the Concerts page.

Springsteen's U.S. tour kicks off in Boston

The Seeger Sessions Band returned to the U.S. after a short European tour and opened the American tour last night in Mansfield, Massachussets. Patti's back in the band, and the horn section increased from 4 to 6 members as Mark Pender and La Bamba joined the band mid-show and raised the entertainment level with their skills.

Peter Wolf, as usual in Boston everytime Bruce plays there, joined to sing the classic "Dirty Water" plus "Buffalo Gals". "My City of Ruins" was dropped from the set and Bruce did "Bring Them Home" instead, the Pete Seeger song that debuted in Paris and re-appeared in Stockholm during the last show in Europe.

Bruce to play live on The Tonight Show

A new TV appearance was confirmed yesterday. Bruce and the Seeger Sessions Band will be performing live at the Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC) on June 5th. The show can be seen in Europe (normally with a 3-day delay) thru MSNBC.

Springsteen to perform at Late Night show

Bookmark this date: June 23rd. Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band will perform live at Conan O'Brien's late night show.

This will be the third appearance of Bruce Springsteen at the program. The first one was in February 1999 "Working on the Highway"), and the second one on December 11, 2002, with the E Street Band, for a fantastic performance that included "Kitty's Back" and "Merry Christmas Baby".

Bruce records in Norweggian studio

Bruce Springsteen has been recording at a studio facility in Oslo, Norway, according to the Dagbladet newspaper. Apparently Bruce arrived on thursday May 18th in Oslo and visited the Disclab studio, where he made some recordings.

The studio, owned by Hans Olav Grottheim, was hired by Toby Scott, Bruce's recording tech, for a few hours that afternoon. They had help from the studio's recording technicians, Richard Low and Jorn Dahl. Grottheim, who was not present as he just had become a father, says Bruce made some vocal recordings over previously recorded music. No more details have been given about this mysterious recording session.


Photo: Hans Olav Grottheim, owner of Disclab studios in Oslo.

Springsteen ends European tour in Scandinavia

The last two shows in Europe featured a few changes: "Devils & Dust" made its european debut in Oslo, while the last show, in Stockholm, included both "Long Black Veil" and "Bring Them Home", the Pete Seeger song Bruce debuted last week in Paris.

The tour will resume in the U.S. next week with a concert in Boston, and it's expected to come back to Europe in the fall, for an extended euro tour.

Video from Bruce Springsteen's Amsterdam show

On the Nova TV website you can now watch a 31-minute video of Bruce Springsteen performing "John Henry", "Pay Me My Money Down" and a few other songs in Amsterdam this week, along with a very interesting interview.

Click here to watch the video at Nova.

Dave Marsh to publish new Bruce Springsteen book

Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh has a new book ready to be published in October. Its title is "Bruce Springsteen On Tour 1968-2005" and it is authorized by Bruce Springsteen, and packed with photos from Bruce’s personal collection.

Bruce Springsteen on Tour is a glorious full-color tribute to one of America’s best-loved musicians. This gorgeously designed retrospective incorporates 350 color and black-and-white photos—many never before published—plus tour artifacts and memorabilia, and features an intimate portrait by bestselling rock writer Marsh following Bruce’s career from his first days on stage right through his 2005 Devils and Dust tour. Bruce Springsteen on Tour chronicles a great American musician thrilling audiences for more than thirty years, and is a must-have volume for all his fans.

Amsterdam & Frankfurt

Two excellent concerts with nearly identical set lists. In Amsterdam, Bruce performed at one of the greatest venues of the tour, the small and comfortable Heineken Music Hall, in front of 5,500 respectful yet enthusiastic fans. His fantastic version of Danny Dill's "Long Black Veil" is back in the set and it's certainly one of the musical highlights of the show. After "Cadillac Ranch" Bruce mentioned Patti's departure: "She's home with the kids, or they're gonna kill me otherwise".


Photo below: Bruce in Amsterdam. Copyright © 2006 René Van Diemen. Contact: René Van Diemen.

Springsteen puts Barcelona audience in ecstasy

Half an hour before showtime the audience was already chanting and singing the chorus to "Pay Me My Money Down", creating a very particular and exciting atmosphere even before Bruce Springsteen had taken the stage. When he and his formidable Seeger Sessions Band entered the stage the audience went crazy and it lasted until the end of the show, two and a half hours later. Another long, 21-song set ending with "Buffalo Gals". Bruce announced again he'll be back in the Fall for "some more shows in spanish cities". Patti is returning home after this show, which was her last in Europe.

Some reviews from spanish newspapers:

El Periódico, by Rafael Tapounet
El Periódico, by Nando Cruz
La Vanguardia, by Xavier Aldekoa
Avui, by David Broc

Full set list in our Concerts page.

BBC show now on the web

Bruce Springsteen's special performance for the BBC2 program "Sold on Song" is now available on the BBC's website. You can see a 20-minute clip on their page. Link: BBC2.

Ramroddin' tonight in Milano

Another great concert in Italy in front of a very enthusiastic audience. A very long set with 21 songs and the tour debut of "Ramrod" in a 5-song encore. Full set list in the Concerts page. According to some attendees, at the end of the show Bruce said "we'll be back in the autumn". Meaning?

Springsteen debuts anti-war Seeger song in Paris

Tonight's show featured a world premiere: the anti-war 1966 Seeger-penned tune "Bring Them Home (If You Love Your Uncle Sam)". Elliott Murphy guested again, this time for the song "Buffalo Gals", and got help from another special guest: NYC singer-songwritter Garland Jeffreys.

See the full set list at our Concerts page.


Bring Them Home (If You Love Your Uncle Sam)

If you love your Uncle Sam,
Bring them home, bring them home.
Support our boys in Vietnam,
Bring them home, bring them home.

It'll make our generals sad, I know,
Bring them home, bring them home.
They want to tangle with the foe,
Bring them home, bring them home.

They want to test their weaponry,
Bring them home, bring them home.
But here is their big fallacy,
Bring them home, bring them home.

I may be right, I may be wrong,
Bring them home, bring them home.
But I got a right to sing this song,
Bring them home, bring them home.

There's one thing I must confess,
Bring them home, bring them home.
I'm not really a pacifist,
Bring them home, bring them home.

If an army invaded this land of mine,
Bring them home, bring them home.
You'd find me out on the firing line,
Bring them home, bring them home.

Even if they brought their planes to bomb,
Bring them home, bring them home.
Even if they brought helicopters and napalm,
Bring them home, bring them home.

Show those generals their fallacy:
Bring them home, bring them home.
They don't have the right weaponry,
Bring them home, bring them home.

For defense you need common sense,
Bring them home, bring them home.
They don't have the right armaments,
Bring them home, bring them home.

The world needs teachers, books and schools,
Bring them home, bring them home.
And learning a few universal rules,
Bring them home, bring them home.

So if you love your Uncle Sam,
Bring them home, bring them home.
Support our boys in Vietnam,
Bring them home, bring them home.

30 years later Springsteen triumphs again at Hammersmith

It was an epic concert, with a wonderful tour premiere ("Long Black Veil") and an amazing performance at Hammersmith Odeon (now known as "Apollo").

Monday's show was followed yesterday with a special performance at St. Luke's Church in London for the BBC program "Sold on Song". In front of only 300 lucky fans Springsteen did a shorter set, 80 minutes long, but particularly energetic. The show was recorded by a BBC crew and will be broadcast on saturday May 13 at 9pm on BBC2 radio.

A shorter version will be aired on TV on BBC4 (May 19, 22pm) and on BBC, May 21, 11.30pm).

Check out full set lists for the UK concerts at our Concerts page.

Bruce & Bobby Bandiera perform annual RCDS benefit

It was last night, at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, when Bruce Springsteen and the Bobby Bandiera Band performed their annual benefit concert for the Rumson Country Day School. And it was a blast. Southside Johnny joined for a few songs in a terrific set list that included "Seaside Bar Song", "Rendezvous", "Sugar Sugar", "The Fever" and a full "Detroit Medley". Bruce repeated several times this was the last time... as it's his kids last year in that school. Check out the full set list in the Concerts page.

Philly and Saratoga Springs moved

The concerts in Philadelphia and Saratoga Springs have been moved. New dates are:

June 19 - Camden, NJ (Philadelphia)
June 20 - Saratoga Springs, NY

CORRECTION May 2: Ticketmaster has different dates listed today. They seem to be official. Consequently, Camden goes back to June 20 as originally planned, and Saratoga Springs is moved to June 19.

See more concert and ticket sales info in our Concerts page.

Bruce conquers New Orleans

Bruce Springsteen & The Seeger Sessions Band conquered the New Orleans audience yesterday evening. The splendid 2-hour show was full of highlights, included "How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live" (see video here), dedicated to 'President Bystander', and "My City of Ruins", which Bruce introduced saying ""I saw sights I never thought I'd see in an American city. The criminal ineptitude makes you furious".

See full set list and more photos.