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There was a lot of heart at the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band show Monday, April 3, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
How much heart?
So much that Springsteen ripped open the buttons on his black collar shirt to reveal his naked chest after “Dancing in the Dark.” Granted, he’s been doing this at every show on the tour, and it could be interpreted as salute to the great soul men of the past, like Marvin Gaye and Teddy Pendergrass, whose disrobing was always a heated flashpoint of their shows. Springsteen, 73, recently released an album of soul covers, “Only the Strong Survive.”
But on this tour, the button rip seems to convey more — like a vulnerability, a direct connection to the heart.
That was especially clear Monday during “Backstreets,” when Springsteen spoke of his late friend and teenage bandmate, George Theiss, during the song’s outro. He’s the inspiration for the Springsteen and E Street Band 2020 album, “Letter to You.” The theme of the album is mortality, and the importance of living every moment to its fullest.
The shows on the current U.S. arena tour have taken on that theme, too.
“Backstreets” is performed after the new “Last Man Standing,” which is preceded by a Springsteen spoken interlude on how Theiss asked a 15-year old Boss to join his band in 1965.
“That afternoon I embarked on the greatest adventure of my life,” Springsteen said. “I joined my first real rock ‘n’ roll band.”
This new version of “Backstreets” brings the Theiss section of the show to an emotional ending.
“I got all the old books, and I got the old box of 45s — I still play ’em,” said Springsteen during the song. “(I have) the guitar you used to keep at the end of your bed and I got that picture of the two of us sitting on your porch looking like kids on your wedding day. I don’t think we were 19. And all the rest, and all the rest that you left I’m going to carry it right here.”
Springsteen put his hand over his heart to moving cheers.
More:Bruce Springsteen and E Street at MSG: ‘Jungleland’ tour debut, Paul McCartney in audience
The show had 27 songs performed in two hours and 50 minutes. “It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City” made its tour debut.
The crowd was lit and Springsteen was feeling it. They were so energetic that when “Badlands” was played, the general admission pit looked like it was going to pogo out of the arena, across Atlantic Avenue and into the East River.
Thankfully, no fans actually became airborne.
‘My Hometown’:Tour the Jersey Shore spots that Bruce Springsteen made famous
Up next is Wednesday, April 5, at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland. Upcoming area shows include two at the new UBS Arena in Belmont Park, N.Y., on Sunday, April 9, and Tuesday, April 11; and the Prudential Center in Newark on Friday, April 14, which ends the U.S. arena leg.
The band then heads to Europe to play stadiums before returning to North America for stadium and arena shows, which includes Aug. 30, Sept. 1 and 3 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
In other news, “Badlands” is on the upcoming “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” soundtrack, along with songs from Heart, Radiohead, Leon Redbone, the Replacements and more. The soundtrack is on sale now in various formats. The new “Guardians” movie is in theaters on May 5.
Springsteen Brooklyn setlist
- No Surrender
- Ghosts
- Prove It All Night
- Letter to You
- The Promised Land
- Out in the Street
- Candy’s Room
- Kitty’s Back
- Nightshift
- It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City
- Johnny 99
- The E Street Shuffle
- Last Man Standing
- Backstreets
- Because the Night
- She’s the One
- Wrecking Ball
- The Rising
- Badlands
- Land of Hope and Dreams
- Thunder Road
- Born to Run
- Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
- Glory Days
- Dancing in the Dark
- Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
- I’ll See You in My Dreams
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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com
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