Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band LISTEN NOW: Fenway Park, Boston, MA, August 15, 2012 By Erik Flannigan The bigger the venue, the more vibe matters. That’s not to say stadium shows in the US and especially Europe aren’t filled with longtime fans hanging on every note. They always represent, holding up signs and … Continue reading "In The Shadow of the Green Monster"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band LISTEN NOW: Giants Stadium, E. Rutherford, NJ, August 22, 1985 By Erik Flannigan Bruce Springsteen has enjoyed many a Jersey homecoming: Red Bank 1975; Passaic 1978, Meadowlands 1981, 1984, and 1999; Asbury Park and Freehold 1996, to name only a few. But surely none was bigger than the … Continue reading "I Got You And You Got Me"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band LISTEN NOW: Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA, July 1, 1978 By Erik Flannigan In terms of listening hours, surely no Bruce Springsteen tour has been re-lived more than the 111 shows Bruce and the E Street Band performed between May 23, 1978 and January 1, 1979. Even with entire … Continue reading "LOOKING FOR THAT MILLION DOLLAR SOUND"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band LISTEN NOW: Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA, April 28, 1988 By Erik Flannigan I saw more shows on the Tunnel of Love Express Tour—21, to be exact—than on any Springsteen tour prior or since. As a result, 1988 holds a special place in my heart.  By the time … Continue reading "Every Dream Slips Through Your Hands"

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band LISTEN NOW: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, June 27, 2000 By Erik Flannigan Any Springsteen show is special, and every Springsteen show is a candidate to be extra special when surprises enter the setlist or the performance peaks beyond expectation. For those of us who count the … Continue reading "These Promises We Make At Night"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band LISTEN NOW: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota, November 12, 2012 By Erik Flannigan Our nostalgia for great concerts of the past is not dissimilar to that of sports. For over 20 years before it went on-demand, ESPN Classic aired some of the most memorable football, basketball, and … Continue reading "Looking For A Moment When The World Seems Right"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band LISTEN NOW: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, November 7, 2009 By Erik Flannigan For Bruce Springsteen, 2009 began with the Super Bowl and wrapped with a series of memorable full-album performances. First, a brief history.  Complete, in-sequence album performances date back to the ‘70s, when Pink Floyd … Continue reading "I CAN STAND UP AND FACE THE WORLD AGAIN"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, November 24, 1975 By Erik Flannigan Performing under pressure can bring out the best in us, but it can also skew perception. The long-standing narrative surrounding Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s four-stop European tour in 1975 was that response to opening night … Continue reading "The New Jersey Hustle"

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina April 28, 2008 By Erik Flannigan Loss is one of life’s most challenging experiences. There is no universal path to solace, no prescriptive behaviors to mitigate its pain. But as we process the death of a loved one, at some point in the … Continue reading "We Made It Through The Heart Of A Hurricane"

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA, September 30, 1978 By Erik Flannigan I’ve written before about the role the Darkness tour radio broadcasts played in the career development of Bruce Springsteen. Broadcast live from the Agora in Cleveland, the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, The Roxy in West Hollywood, and Winterland … Continue reading "Walk Over To Your Dial, Turn It Up As Loud As It’ll Go"