The most exciting day for any day is the day when the next album leaks. This is a tradition that goes back more than 30 years, and today -- 6 days before the official release of Bruce's "Tracks II" -- is the day. Sure, it's mp3 files this time, and I'll be purchasing the full thing, but these are still the days. In this case, the release is a monster -- seven full albums of material, comprising 83 tracks that were originally recorded between 1983 and 2018. Most of the 83 tracks have never been released before in any form, and only 2 ("County Fair" and "I'll Stand By You Always") have been previously released in the form they appear on here. "Tracks II" is divided in to 7 distinct albums. "LA Garage Sessions '83," "Streets of Philadelphia Sessions," "Faithless," "Somewhere North of Nashville," "Inyo," "Twilight Hours," and "Perfect World." Much of the mater...
Imagine the scene: Barefoot on the beach, a perfect cool breeze coming in off the water, and there in front of tens of thousands of celebrants, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. That was last night, for a unique performance to conclude the 2024 Sea Hear Now Music Festival . The festival was spearheaded by rock photographer Danny Clinch in 2018; this was the first performance of the E Street Band. In order to be able to see Bruce and the band without the aid of giant video monitors, there were two basic options: either procure very limited and pricey "VIP" and "Platinum" tickets, or arrive many hours early to the 7th Avenue Beach where the Surf Stage was located. I arrived at the Surf Stage around 1:15pm; many had lined up before sunrise and no doubt would have done so earlier had it been permitted by event staff. Getting to the stage early also meant catching three preliminary acts: Joy Oladokun , Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Kool & the Gang , an...
Over the years, an expectation has occasionally been built in the Bruce fan community that a tour finale will be a spectacle. There is certainly precedent for that: In 2000, the Reunion Tour ended with a blowout at Madison Square Garden, including rarities and even a world debut. In 2009, the Working on a Dream tour ended in Buffalo with a once-ever performance of the entire Greetings from Asbury Park album, and also other rarely and never-played songs. So for this final Milano show in the extreme heat, this final rescheduled show from 2024 and the last go-round for this 20-day tour's E Street Band, it could hardly be a surprise that fans arriving at San Siro thought maybe there'd be a bit of that once-in-a-lifetime experience at a building that has produced so many prior memories. This was not that show. If you saw Monday's show, you pretty much saw this one. This isn't a bad thing: Bruce was in great spirits, playing with audience members again and egging on t...
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