Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band at MetLife: Night 2 brings more rocking thrills
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Bruce Springsteen needed help.
“We're here tonight to bring the life out of you and we want to get the life out of you, that's right!” said Springsteen while introducing “Mary's Place” at the Friday, Sept. 1 E Street Band concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. “Because I want to live in the land of living but I can't get there by myself.”
A crack 18-member band and 50,000 screaming fans in the swamps of Jersey can help.
“Nobody can get there by themselves,” said Springsteen, growing more animated. “You got to have help, you got to have your brothers and sisters besides you!”
Help was delivered by the faithful and the Boss delivered quite a vocal riff, high and powerful, on the song's outro. A Springsteen concert is many things, including partly a church revival. Much of the current show speaks to the spirit. It's based on Springsteen and the E Street Band's 2020 album, “Letter to You,” written after the passing his former '60s bandmate, and friend, George Theiss of Freehold.
Yet, “Mary's Place,” and its introduction, placed the moment specifically in the here and now and in the joy of living and rocking. Show two of a three-show MetLife Stadium run on Friday delivered plenty of thrills, soul-stirring serenades and high-wire rock 'n' roll moments.
Springsteen seemed to be in especially good voice. The Boss' vocal riffing at the end of “The Promised Land” dazzled, and there was a tear in his voice for “Last Man Standing.” He closed the night with a sweet and sentimental vibrato on “I'll See You in My Dreams.”
Yes, that was him skipping across the stage during the tour debut of “Spirit in the Night.” He's going to be 74 later this month, so what about it?
The E Street Band is finely tuned. Saxophonist Jake Clemons knocked his “She's the One” solo out of the park and Nils Lofgren added a new move to his on-fire “Because the Night” guitar solo ‒ a string-bend leg kick. Springsteen and drummer Max Weinberg were in an especially playful mood throughout the night with lots of fun interplay between the two. Where the Boss goes musically, Mighty Max follows.
More: Check out which songs Bruce Springsteen played at the Friday MetLife concert
Everything you need to know: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at MetLife Stadium
Greetings from MetLife: Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band rock New Jersey
There were a handful of celebs in the crowd on Friday, including Vincent Pastore, aka “Big Pussy” from “The Sopranos;” Brian Fallon from the Gaslight Anthem; and Eddie Brigati from Rock and Roll Hall of Famers the Rascals.
Before the show, the Springsteen tailgating scene was strong under sunny skies in the MetLife parking lots.
Jerry Schneider, 69 of Rutherford, flew the New Jersey state flag over his crew.
“It's for Bruce,” Schneider said. “He's New Jersey so we raise the flag every concert that we go to in the parking lot for tailgating.”
He's going to all three shows but plans to make some changes with the flag
“We got to make it bigger now because of the SUVs, you can't see it now,” Schneider said. “We're going to extend the pole.”
The Boss and the E Street Band also play Sunday, Sept. 3 at MetLife. Ticket prices range from $96 for upper-level seats to $390 for the general admission pit before fees on Ticketmaster for Sunday.
Check out Friday's setlist below.
Springsteen and E Street Band MetLife night 2 setlist
Lonesome Day
Night
No Surrender
Ghosts
Prove It All Night
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Letter to You
The Promised Land
Spirit in the Night
Kitty's Back
Nightshift
The E Street Shuffle
Mary's Place
Last Man Standing
Backstreets
Because the Night
She's the One
Wrecking Ball
The Rising
Badlands
Thunder Road
Born to Run
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
Seven Nights to Rock
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
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bruce Springsteen celebrates life at night 2 MetLife Stadium show
