Bruce Springsteen is the prodigal son of New Jersey, despite a parade of also-rans. He may be The Boss everywhere else, but in Jersey he's the King.
So when he returns to the Garden State, the rock legend who turns 75 next week, almost always has a special treat up his sleeve.
Last weekend was no different as Springsteen popped on stage as a guest for some talented friends. And then when it was his turn to perform with The E. Street Band, he dipped into this deep catalogue and played some songs audiences hadn't heard in years.
The occasion was the Sea.Hear.Now festival which is "a celebration of live music, art, and surf culture in Asbury Park, NJ."
You may have heard about Asbury Park from the 1972 debut Bruce Springsteen album, Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ, that gave us such beautiful tunes as "Blinded by the Night" and "Spirit in the Night."
So if there's a two day fest celebrating live music, in Asbury Park, guess who's headlining?
But before Bruce gave the Sunday night audience a three-hour fiesta, he was just gonna roll into town at the last minute like some rock star in a limo.
No, Bruce is a man of the people. Long after he was famous he'd host block parties in front of his nearby home.
He is not only from there, but he loves it there and if there was one weekend on his calendar marked with a star and a few circles around it, it would have been this one.
Which is probably why on Saturday night he was at the most legendary club in Jersey, the Stone Pony, where he performed at Sea.Hear.Now afterparty with Tangiers Blues Band, featuring Danny Clinch, with Robert Randolph and Jake Clemons with the Ocean City Stompers as the horn section.
Among the tunes they played together for a half hour were “Lucille,” “Gloria,” and “Boom Boom.”
The Pony is one of the clubs Bruce cut his teeth at as he was making a name for himself. This year it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
“Here I am back where it all started — how does that happen?” Springsteen said. “Happy 50th anniversary Stone Pony — you made it! It's a miracle you're still here but I'm glad you are.”
Other stars who have made their way out of New Jersey is Trey Anastasio of Phish.
During his set Sunday afternoon, he invited the Boss up to play the Phishiest tune from Springsteen's career, "Kitty's Back," from his 1973 sophomore offering The Wild, The Innocent and the E. Street Shuffle.
It was phantastic.
Because that wasn't enough pre-set rock, Bruce left the Surf Stage and ran over to the smaller Park Stage to do a few numbers with his young friends, the Gaslight Anthem.
First they did "History Books," a tune the Jersey band released last year which the Boss was featured on. And then a Gaslight song that could have been a Springsteen B-side, "American Slang."
When it was finally time for his own set, he let loose with a set of tour debuts and classic songs he hadn't played in years.
The 30-song set was so good, you'd be shocked if it isn't turned into a triple- or quadruple-album box set. Three songs were played that hadn't been heard since 2016 and two he hadn't rocked since 2017.
Plus a tour debut of "Jungleland" and Tom Waits' "Jersey Girl" as the finale.
Was it the perfect set? Maybe.
Even with the exclusion of "Born in the USA" it was perhaps the most Asbury Park set with tunes like "Meeting Across the River," 'Tougher than the Rest" (featuring his wife Patti), and "4th of July, Asbury Park" in the mix.
"I feel fucking old tonight in a good way," Bruce said at the beginning of his encore.
"I never thought I would live to see this sight nowhere in my lifetime," he said, reminiscing about when the band first started nearby and "nobody was here."
He then thanked all the people who helped bring Asbury Park "back to life."
Then, almost to prove he wasn't as old as his age, he knocked out an 8-song barrage, beginning with a trio from Born to Run followed by other anthems like "Rosalita" and "Bobby Jean." The Courtney Cox favorite, "Dancing in the Dark." "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," which is the Clarence tribute.
And to make sure all the rock is out of the system, the "Twist and Shout" cover into sweet, sweet, "Jersey Girl."
Fine, it was the perfect set.
Now that Bruce is home, he's taking a well-deserved break until Halloween when he gets back on the road for an 8-stop Canadian leg that starts in Montreal and will be his last gigs of the year.
Get your tickets on Bruce's website.
