Bruce Tour

[ericm]

Just announced a short but sweet US tour this winter. Tix go on sale Dec.11th 


Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 2016 US Tour Dates:
Jan 16   Pittsburgh, PA   Consol Energy Center
Jan 19   Chicago, IL   United Center
Jan 24 & 27   New York, NY   Madison Square Garden
Jan 29   Washington, DC   Verizon Center
Jan 31   Newark, NJ   Prudential Center
Feb 2   Toronto, ON   Air Canada Centre
Feb 4   Boston, MA   TD Garden
Feb 8   Albany, NY   Times Union Center
Feb 10   Hartford, CT   XL Center
Feb 12   Philadelphia, PA   Wells Fargo Center
Feb 16   Sunrise, FL   BB&T Center
Feb 18   Atlanta, GA   Philips Arena
Feb 21   Louisville, KY   KFC Yum! Center
Feb 23   Cleveland, OH   Quicken Loans Arena
Feb 25   Buffalo, NY   First Niagara Center
Feb 27   Rochester, NY   Blue Cross Arena
Feb 29   St Paul, MN   Xcel Energy Center
Mar 3   Milwaukee, WI   BMO Harris Bradley Center
Mar 6   St Louis, MO   Chaifetz Arena
Mar 10   Phoenix, AZ   Talking Stick Resort Arena
Mar 13   Oakland, CA   Oracle Arena
Mar 15 & 17   Los Angeles, CA   Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena

[beardedwonder]

Never seen Bruce live. I dig his early early stuff but have not listened to any albums post BITUSA.

Is his current sound and set lists worth it?

[joey_rogo]

Eric, not sure if I'll be attending the show, but let me know if you will be in Albany.

[rincon2]

The new updated River released today. 22 new songs. Sounds as good as the original release. I was fantasizing Bruce would enlist MMJ as his back up band. It comes with a built in replacement for Clarence. You know they could probably pull it off as well if not better than whoever the E street band is comprised of these days. Saw them twice in 1981 at the LA sports arena. Best shows ever until I saw MMJ. Sports Arena is the best arena venue I have ever seen. Rarely used, but all the greats 30 years ago played there. U2, Floyd, The Who, etc. A relatively  small basketball arena.

[oistheone]

This is so weird! I was sitting around last night thinking about icons I have yet to see in concert. Bruce topped the list. And now he announces a show down the street?!? I'M IN!!!

I assume I've GOTTA go GA floor for the full E-Street experience, but for those with lots of Boss experience, how hard are these tickets to come by? Is it a Taylor Swift-style, completely rigged 8-second sellout? Or should I be able to get a pair of floor seats no problem if I'm cool, calm and collected the moment they go on sale?

[rincon2]

I have been to 5 shows. 2 in 81, 2 in 85, stadium shows, and one in 98, Staples. I don't think any of them had GA. Different kinda vibe back then, GA was generally punk shows.. Expect a very much older crowd, middle age range 50's. When I saw him at the LA Coliseum security was on your ass in a second if you stood anywhere that was not in front of your seat.

[ericm]

The new updated River released today. 22 new songs. Sounds as good as the original release. I was fantasizing Bruce would enlist MMJ as his back up band. It comes with a built in replacement for Clarence. You know they could probably pull it off as well if not better than whoever the E street band is comprised of these days. Saw them twice in 1981 at the LA sports arena. Best shows ever until I saw MMJ. Sports Arena is the best arena venue I have ever seen. Rarely used, but all the greats 30 years ago played there. U2, Floyd, The Who, etc. A relatively  small basketball arena.

Hey now! You watch your mouth there sonny, don't be talking shit about the E St.Band! 

Actually word is this tour will be River centric with a scaled down band. Just back to basics which would be right up my alley. Not sure if Steve will be there, but Nils, Roy,Gary, and Max will be, with Clarence's nephew Jake on sax, Charlie Giordano on Keys, and Suzy Tyrell on fiddle/guitar.  Pretty much all the surviving members of E.St.

I'm eyeing some east coast shows but definitely want to do the two LA shows. Bruce has always loved that place and I've heard him say it was one of his two favorite venues. The other being the old Philly Spectrum. It's been on my bucket list forever to see him there so I'm gonna try and make it happen in March.

Btw, I'd love to see a Bruce/MMJ collaboration. Two of my all time faves together would be priceless! I wouldn't be surprised if Jim turned up at the YUM gig, especially after playing at the Springsteen Musicares Grammy benefit. Hell, I might just make the trip down for that just for the chance of that happening. My guess would be The Ghost Of Tom Joad. Fuck! I'd die a happy man if I ever saw that.

[king_fire]

Seen Bruce a solid 35-40 times in my life (both in NJ/NYC and across the US). Let me say this, the shows in NJ/NYC top anywhere else in the country from both a set list standpoint as well as the energy. I say this about most bands however, they play some of their most magical shows in their home town. So if you can make it to MSG/Prudential/Wells Fargo... those would be the 3 stops to hit this tour.

As far as tickets go... they will sell out in a minute for the 3 venues I listed above and most likely will add additional dates to them even. For the rest of the country, most will sell out rather quickly.

The REAL question is, when/if he will play the warm up show/s in Asbury Park before tour kicks off. That is the ticket to get.

---> Just adding that the crowd will be in their mid to late 50s. You will see some of the craziest MILF dancing in your life. But for the most part, people sit in the uppers, only standing for the big hits. Not really sure if there will even be a GA...

[ericm]

This is so weird! I was sitting around last night thinking about icons I have yet to see in concert. Bruce topped the list. And now he announces a show down the street?!? I'M IN!!!

I assume I've GOTTA go GA floor for the full E-Street experience, but for those with lots of Boss experience, how hard are these tickets to come by? Is it a Taylor Swift-style, completely rigged 8-second sellout? Or should I be able to get a pair of floor seats no problem if I'm cool, calm and collected the moment they go on sale?

GA floor is the way to go for Bruce. Like MMJ there's nothing like that energy down there. The thing is though he doesn't do a first come first served GA in the states because of people showing up days in advance and venue security put the kabosh on that tours ago.

What he does is set up a time usually between 1:00-4:30 where you show up to the venue, show your GA ticket and they give you a numbered wristband. Then at 4:30-5:00 they hold a drawing and whatever number is picked goes in first. He'll have a GA pit in front of the stage with a second GA behind that. Depending on how many people a venue's fire code allows into the pit  (usually 350-500) those enter in order after the first number picked. Let's say they give out 1,000 wristbands and number 600 is picked. #600 goes in first then 601,602 etc, and if the allow 350 in,# 950 is the last person in the pit, and 951 would be the first person on the secondary rail.

Usually if I miss out on the pit, it's back to the bar for some eats, and drinks. Then come in around doors and find a nice spot by the board. Unless I'd be on the second rail, thenI'll wait it out in line. It can be a bit of a wait as they don't let GA's in until after soundcheck, but if you've waited for a MMJ early entry rail spot, it's not much different. Sometimes in arenas we've gotten let into the concourse area, and got to listen to soundcheck.


I'm sure the GA procedure will be the same this tour and once they post the details, I'l post them here.

Don't fret if you get shutout on GA though, a good lower is pretty damn fun too. Like any other show the closer the better, and the only thing not as fun is the way back. Depending on the city and venue he does get those peeps rocking too but try and get as close as you can if possible.

[rincon2]

Hey now! You watch your mouth there sonny, don't be talking shit about the E St.Band! 

As you are well aware, praising the virtues of MMJ as a cover band is no slam on The E Street Band. Like I said, best show ever until you know who. Just imagine if they were the back ups. The Sports Arena is a charm. Not a bad seat, unless you are behind the stage. I'm passing. Can't afford every must see shows these days, and it will likely be compared to 81 River tour to me. I'm bad like that.

[ericm]

A little Bruce Juice to get the blood flowing.    I was fortunate to be at this show in 12, and then again a couple of nights later with the wonderful Penny Lane, and Headhunter.

One of the most fun openers I've seen in all the years I've been seeing  Bruce.

Badlands from MSG.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nlfkuljrwGw

Totally agree with North face as well. If you can make a MSG show, that's the tits! My next favorite though is Philly, and I'm Jersey through and through. Bruce in Philly is about as good as it gets for me.

[headhunter]

A little Bruce Juice to get the blood flowing.    I was fortunate to be at this show in 12, and then again a couple of nights later with the wonderful Penny Lane, and Headhunter.

One of the most fun openers I've seen in all the years I've been seeing  Bruce.

Badlands from MSG.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nlfkuljrwGw

Totally agree with North face as well. If you can make a MSG show, that's the tits! My next favorite though is Philly, and I'm Jersey through and through. Bruce in Philly is about as good as it gets for me.

Thanks for this one Eric.  Gave me goosebumps to start my day.   See ya in the pit at MSG.

[APR]

A little Bruce Juice to get the blood flowing.    I was fortunate to be at this show in 12, and then again a couple of nights later with the wonderful Penny Lane, and Headhunter.

One of the most fun openers I've seen in all the years I've been seeing  Bruce.

Badlands from MSG.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nlfkuljrwGw

Totally agree with North face as well. If you can make a MSG show, that's the tits! My next favorite though is Philly, and I'm Jersey through and through. Bruce in Philly is about as good as it gets for me.

Thanks for this one Eric.  Gave me goosebumps to start my day.   See ya in the pit at MSG.

I thought of you two when I read this Bruce tour news. 

[headhunter]

Ha, Thanks Adam.  Hope I get to see you at a show - ANY show - before too long.

[Shug]

We saw Bruce for the first time last tour in Phoenix and he had a two section GA like ericm was describing above.  It wasn't so much a pit in PHX more like the front half of the GA floor and the back half.  We were in the back half and we didn't wait in line at all.  We weren't too far back fro the second rail.  The crowd had a lot of folks in their 50s, but as I recall it seemed more like an evenly spread 2 or 3 generations of show goers, similar to what you get at the Stones, Who, etc these days.  It was not too crowded, everyone on the floor stood the entire show, sang along and people were way into it.  It was a great vibe in the crowd, a solid rocking show and it really made me wish I had seen him in the early 80s or late 70s when he was surely even more full bore high energy.  Planning on catching the Phoenix show this tour with a hardcore fan buddy of mine from Texas.  If he focuses on The River, that will probably make a good setlist, I'm thinking.

[ericm]

That's true Shug but it depends on the venue. In recent tours some venues have gone to an almost 50/50 split on the ga floor sections but some still go the 1/3 - 2/3 route.

As far as the energy goes, yes those shows in the 70's and 80's were balls to the wall but he also had an intermission. Two sets anywhere from 1:45-2:00 hours each. Now it's one long set with an encore where they don't even leave the stage. I swear, these days he still has more energy than most of the crowd towards the end of the shows. 

I'm not really sure what to expect from this tour as far as length of shows but I'd say a safe bet would be a minimum of 2:45, probably longer. I'll take that any day , especially if it's River centric! 

[oistheone]

It is now confirmed that the show will consist of a complete River performance, and then some classics. I can't stop listening to this River box-set, so this news is awesome to me.

Thanks for everyone's advice in regards to the pit situation! Fingers crossed for some luck from the ticket gods come Friday.

[slappymoe]

I wouldn't be surprised if Jim turned up at the YUM gig,

jim was at the yum for bruce's 2012 show, but only as a fan.

our group had dinner that evening, then headed for the arena. my buddy and i took a detour back to his car for some pre-show "festivities." we caught up with the others in the concourse, and they were going bat-shit crazy:

"oh my god, you just missed him!! he was right here, no more than 45 seconds ago!!"

while my buddy and i were out getting buzzed, they ran into jim buying a beer before he headed for his seat. had a quick chat and took pics (that's my sis with jim).  i was so bummed, missed my chance at meeting one of my rock 'n roll heroes. probably the only time i've ever regretted getting high.

[ericm]

I wouldn't be surprised if Jim turned up at the YUM gig,

jim was at the yum for bruce's 2012 show, but only as a fan.

our group had dinner that evening, then headed for the arena. my buddy and i took a detour back to his car for some pre-show "festivities." we caught up with the others in the concourse, and they were going bat-shit crazy:

"oh my god, you just missed him!! he was right here, no more than 45 seconds ago!!"

while my buddy and i were out getting buzzed, they ran into jim buying a beer before he headed for his seat. had a quick chat and took pics (that's my sis with jim).  i was so bummed, missed my chance at meeting one of my rock 'n roll heroes. probably the only time i've ever regretted getting high.

I remember you posting this and that's a great pic!

Now that Jim has performed at the Bruce Musicares Grammy thing and shared the stage with him,I'm thinking if he's in town he'll not only show up but won't be in a seat this time. I'm thinking back stage and on it at some point too! "Get that man a guitar"! 

Just a feeling but Bruce does bring friends he's played with onstage when he hits their towns, not always but often. I've seen some pretty cool guests in encores over the years; Roger McGuinn, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, among others.

Here's hoping he invites Jim in L'Ville this tour. 

[oistheone]

WOO! Scored some GA tickets for the show in Toronto. Can't wait! February can't come soon enough. (Never thought I'd say that.)

I guess we won't hear about the exact pit policy until closer to the shows?