December 14, 2025. The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
I wasn't even supposed to be here. I was just laying low in Michigan. Oh I was planning to come visit until Saturday anyway, to see my ailing mother at the hospital, and then things got bad and things got worse and I was on a 6am Monday flight out here with no immediate plans to go home. When I got to Overlook, words were gone. Food intake gone. Responses to prompts were gone. This is how it was, all week. A gerontologist called it "delirium" and I learned what "decompensation" means. I wasn't sure she'd last the week. I started making the calls - funeral home, cemetery, spiritual leaders. But... she didn't die.
Eddie Manion's facebook post, 11/13/25
On Saturday, I happened to see a facebook post from Eddie Manion, "Rehearsing for the show at the Stone Pony tomorrow!" My immediate reaction was, "this... is possible... if mom stays with us." I asked some friends about the show, and was told that Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul had just been announced as performers. I checked ticketmaster, and saw it wasn't sold out. I sent a text to Ezra, about to fly in from New Mexico to visit mom in the hospital. "yeah that sounds great!" came the reply, followed by "Little Steven is one cool dude." When my 24-year old proud freak is raring to go, it's a done deal. I bought the tickets.
We spent Sunday afternoon at the hospital. Somehow, mom had a few words now. She said her name once. She appeared to laugh when I told her I was going to see a show in Asbury Park. After all, Asbury Park was her vacation spot as a child, she told me about getting dizzy on the merry-go-round. But she also knows why I sometimes go there, too.
We had Chanukkah to take care of, too. Last night was the first night, there was a community lighting in my hometown. This year, especially, I felt it important to show up. We repeated with friends in Asbury Park, and only then drove down to The Stone Pony. Arriving close to 8pm, we missed some of the earlier acts, and had to wind our way around the hall until we found a bit of room that wasn't blocking an aisle.
In the audience at The Stone Pony
Members of the Smithereens played. The Disciples of Soul came on stage to play some songs, without Little Steven. Mark Barden sang "I'll See You in My Dreams." Barden's son, Daniel, was murdered at Sandy Hook on December 14, 2012, 13 years before the show. Barden co-founded Sandy Hook Promise. As Barden was singing, the person next to me nudged me and said, "that's Bruce Springsteen." In the aisle, Bruce, along with his body guard, had come in to view Barden's performance. When the song was over, Barden thanked Bruce for writing the song. Bruce tipped his hat. I also thanked Bruce for writing the song as he turned to leave; taking my hand, Bruce smiled and with a sweet smile said "thanks." The original Harry Chapin Band played several of Harry's old standards (Hungerthon is a benefit concert for World Hunger Year, the charity formed by Chapin and Bill Ayres in 1975). The Disciples of Soul ripped through a couple Stevie Wonder classics.
Little Steven and Bruce came in to The Stone Pony's side stage area together. Stevie went on stage to lead the Disciples of Soul through 5 numbers, including his classics "Bitter Fruit" and "I am a Patriot." When it got to the nominal set closer "I Don't Want to Go Home," Bruce came on stage.
And then the fire alarm went off.
Then the fire alarm went off!!!
Besides making a racket, that also killed the power to the mics. The song came to a screeching halt... but Anthony Almonte kept going on percussion. He didn't miss a single beat. Nor did most of the audience, which launched in to choruses of "Having a Party" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Almonte kept going, appearing to anyone in view to be having absolutely the time of his life. Bruce came back to play with Anthony; Anthony showing him the rhythm, giving Bruce a go at it, taking it back.After around 8 minutes of merriment, the fire alarm was shut off and the band continued more or less where they'd left off; Bruce emphasizing, "I don't mind if it takes ALL night long!" and ad libbing a line about the fucking fire alarm along the way.
Bruce Springsteen, Anthony Almonte and Little Steven
The festivities continued with 3 more songs - "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," and then the Christmas numbers "Merry Christmas Baby" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," and Bruce telling his Harry Chapin story.
Today it was back to the hospital. And mom exclaimed, "Matthew! You have happy on your face!" A hug, a kiss. I'll take that.
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