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Three years ago, in 2009, Bruce Springsteen had to cancel his show in Kansas City due to the unfortunate death of his cousin, and crew member, Lenny Sullivan. Bruce came back to Kansas last Saturday, and delivered a magnificent and beautiful reward to the town. The show opened with Wilbert Harrison’s «Kansas City» in a fantastic version where the horn section shined. It was inmediately followed by a rock’n’roll blast in the shape of «Prove it All Night», «Candy’s Room» and «Not Fade Away / She’s the One», followed by the always fun «Hungry Heart».

After the exciting and funky «The E Street Shuffle» it was time for crowd requests, and so they got a fun «Fire», followed by «Incident on 57th Street» (Lenny’s favorite song) and an incendiary «Because The Night», with Steve Van Zandt on the guitar solo. «Cover Me» came from a weird sign request, after someone threw onstage a shining blue bra with the words «Cover» on one side and «Me» on the other. It was the first of 3 songs from Born in the U.S.A. (the others were «Downbound Train» and «I’m On Fire»). Then came «Waitin’ On A Sunny Day» with the most absurd moment of the night when the kid brought onstage literally didn’t sign nor say a single word. (More on this matter at Caryn Rose’s blog).

After «Land of Hope and Dreams», the song that usually closes the main set, Bruce went on with a fiery and unexpected «Light of Day». The encores brought «Santa Claus is Coming to Town» again (and we presume this will go on for the rest of this year’s tour) and a fantastic «My Beautiful Reward», dedicaded to Lenny.

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One of the best things about a Bruce Springsteen concert nowadays (besides the fact of being at the show, for over three hours, with such a great artist and his incredible band) is the unpredictability factor. Last night’s show in Omaha featured six songs off the Nebraska album. Opening with three of them in a row: the bullet mike, explosive full band version of «Reason to Believe», followed by the zydeco «Johnny 99» and the classic «Atlantic City», then joining the crowd on «Hungry Heart».

The rest of the show was as unpredictable as the opening. «Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?» (in place of «Spirit in the Night») was followed by «Sherry Darling» (sign request) and the always majestic «Lost in the Flood», with its thunderous guitar solo at the end. And more off Nebraska arrived, with «State Trooper» and the swing version of «Open All Night», as performed on the Seeger Sessions tour.

Later on the set, after «Raise Your Hand», Bruce had room for yet one more Nebraska song, the wonderful «Highway Patrolman», one of the best songs off that album, and it was followed by the emotional «Backstreets», one of the highlights at any show, before ending with «Badlands» and «Land of Hope and Dreams».

The encore brought his eternal classics, with «Thunder Road» and «Born to Run», then «Dancing in the Dark», which featured Bruce himself on the drums at the end of the song, during Jake’s sax solo, as a fan asked to dance with Max. It was followed by the tour premiere of «Santa Claus is Coming To Town». Bruce put on his Santa hat and remembered Clarence saying «Big Man, we need you!», before closing the evening with «Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out».

See complete set list.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band will join Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, Kanye West, and The Who at Madison Square Garden for the “12.12.12 the Concert For Sandy Relief», to benefit the Robin Hood Relief Fund’s Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts in the tri-state area.

This special one night only live music event will occur on December 12, 2012 at Madison Square Garden in New York. More information will be released in the coming days related to tickets and VIP ticket packages; on-sale information; partners and sponsors; as well as telecast information.

The proceeds from the concert will go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund which is providing money, material and know-how to local organizations that are serving families and individuals in the regions hardest hit by the storm.

The second show in St. Paul, Minnesota kicked off with «I’m a Rocker», a rock’n’roll explosion followed appropriately by «Hungry Heart», «No Surrender», «Night» and the rarely performed «Loose Ends». So far, so good. They were followed by two exquisite ballads: «Something in the Night» and the tour debut of the sublime «Stolen Car», one of the best songs off The River, unfairly forgotten and underrated.

Later in the set came «The E Street Shuffle», «Pay Me My Money Down» and another surprise: the first ever E Street Band vesion of «Devils & Dust», in a completely new arrangement. Next was a powerful trifecta (with «Youngstown/Murder Inc/She’s the One»). And to round up a great show, the encores began with an epic «Jungleland» and ended with «American Land».

See complete set list