High Hopes for Bruce Springsteen Tourt

The Boss and the E Street Band set to play Hershey Park Stadium May 14.

The man doesn’t stop. So far this year, Bruce Springsteen has released a new album called High Hopes, (you can catch the “making of” documentary on HBO), released an EP of outtakes called American Beauty, played the March Madness Music Festival, embarked upon and wrapped up an Australian and points beyond tour, inducted his ever-faithful E Street Band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, taken a motorcycle trip to Florida where he posted a number of Instagram selfies via his website, and well, you get the idea.

Speaking of selfies, here's one provided by Debbi Calton with Bruce from 1978's Darkness on the Edge of Town tour.

Testimony to the camaraderie that has contributed to longevity of this band is the fact that although Bruce broke up the band in late 80’s and everyone moved around to other projects, they came back together a decade later and reunited for good. Even when Bruce was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1999 (and that had to sting the band a bit), they stayed loyal and true and it’s been pure joy ever since (marred, of course, by the deaths of two band members Danny Federici and the “Big Man” Clarence Clemons.)

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Bruce and the E Streeters have always brought so much unbridled enthusiasm to their shows and relish in taking spontaneous audience requests for songs to cover. They call it Stump the E Street Band.

This past year, he’s stretched the boundaries, particularly while doing the Down Under tour, and played songs indigenous to the areas played (BeeGees, AC/DC).  For March Madness, there was a bit of on stage tip off happening before launching into Van Halen’s “Jump.”

At a recent show in Nashville, he covered Elvis’s “Burning Love” and The Stones “Satisfaction” where he brought the little girl who requested it up onstage to sing along with the band. Always one to embrace the audience, literally, Bruce often forges straight ahead into the audience with no reservation.

Occasionally, Little Steven is out (due to filming his Netflix series Lilyhammer) and Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine stands in. Sometimes the Mrs. (Patti Scialfa) sits out a show when there’s a kid related situation (she and Bruce are parents to three mostly grown children)

This next leg is a 17-date tour of the U.S., which hits our area eight or so shows in. By the way, don’t call Bruce for freebies: one of the stipulations in the tour rulebook is that no one in the band (including himself) can distribute free tickets to family and/or friends. Bruce’s set list typically spans 3+ hours (who else does THAT?) and includes 30 or so songs. You might see him sweat but you won’t see him falter.

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Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band

Hershey Park Stadium

Wednesday, May 14  

7:30 p.m.

Ticket prices range between $53.10 and $123.10 via ticket master (tax and fees extra)

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