Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ, July 9, 1981 By Erik Flannigan I was 15 years old in the summer of 1981. My friend Marc had just turned 16 and obtained his driver’s license. The previous October, my father took Marc and me to the Seattle Center Coliseum … Continue reading "Thank You Guys For Making This Really Seem Like Home"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Ullevi Gothenburg, Sweden – July 28, 2012 By Erik Flannigan If there was ever a time to appreciate archival live recordings, that time is now.  Many years ago, I heard the brilliantly talented and famously cantankerous guitarist Robert Fripp of King Crimson posit a provocative position on the … Continue reading "Tonight I Wanna Feel The Beat Of The Crowd"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI, March 28, 1988 By Erik Flannigan The 1988 Tunnel of Love Express Tour was marked by material changes to the Springsteen concert baseline in place from 1978-1985. The band changed on-stage positions, setlist warhorses like “Badlands” and “Thunder Road” took a breather, and … Continue reading "Gotta Sing A New Song, That’s My Job"

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY, May 4, 2009 By Erik Flannigan With the Super Bowl just completed, social media reminded us anew about Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s turn in the halftime spotlight back in February 2009. That gig speaks for itself (and will never be confused … Continue reading "Expressway To Your Heart"

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Winterland Arena, San Francisco, December 15 and 16, 1978 By Erik Flannigan The home stretch of the Darkness tour in late 1978 may look like a victory lap, but its purpose was to return to key markets and seal the deal. The final push raised Springsteen and the … Continue reading "Walking in a Wonder Winterland"

Bruce Springsteen Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ, November 24, 1996 By Erik Flannigan Three decades on, one can underestimate the significance of the Ghost of Tom Joad tour. Fans had been talking about the prospect of a solo acoustic tour since Nebraska, a dream reinforced by the Bridge School appearance in 1986 and the sublime … Continue reading "A Place Where You Could Find Yourself"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA, October 23, 1999 By Erik Flannigan Any longtime fan who has seen their fair share of Springsteen shows has at some point played the Time Machine game: If you could go back in time and see any Bruce concert, which would it be? … Continue reading "A Meeting In The Town Tonight"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ, September 19, 1978 By Erik Flannigan Like all great live performers in rock history, Bruce Springsteen has been heavily bootlegged on vinyl and CD, and the five live radio broadcasts from the Darkness tour were manna for home tapers and bootleggers alike. Bruce acknowledged … Continue reading "The Boss Homes Home"

Bruce Springsteen feat. Danny Federici and Nils Lofgren Bridge School Benefit Concert Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA, October 13, 1986 By Erik Flannigan Less than a month before the release of his physically and sonically mega box set Live/1975-85, Bruce went completely the opposite direction, stripping down to play his first all-acoustic set since 1972 … Continue reading "The Snake That Came Around and Began To Eat Its Tail"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY, December 29 and 31, 1980 By Erik Flannigan One of the most thrilling times to be a sports fan is when your team is in the midst of a winning streak. They occur in all sports, but in baseball and especially basketball, winning streaks … Continue reading "My Brand New Record, Rosie, Made It All The Way To Number One"