Bruce Springsteen pays tribute to Robbie Robertson, rocks no-surprise setlist in Chicago
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Bruce Springsteen paid a special tribute to the late Robbie Robertson at the E Street Band's North American stadium and arena tour kickoff Wednesday, Aug. 9, at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
“To my good friend Robbie Robertson,” said Springsteen before performing “I'll See You in My Dreams” to close the show, according to social media videos.
Robertson, the lead guitarist and songwriter of the Band, passed away Wednesday after a long illness, according to the Associated Press. He was 80.
Like Springsteen, Robertson developed his musical chops on the Jersey Shore in the mid-'60s. Specifically for Robertson, at the former Tony Marts in Somers Point with the Band.
In Chicago, Springsteen and E Street delivered a largely no surprise setlist that adhered to previous shows on the tour. The arc of the night is mortality and its motivational properties.
The concept originated on the Springsteen and E Street Band 2020 album, “Letter to You,” which speaks to the passing of George Theiss, Springsteen's former bandmate in the Castiles of Freehold in the '60s.
His passing in 2018 left Springsteen the last surviving member of the Castiles, and Springsteen addresses that in a spoken interlude during tour shows.
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The Boss and the band played for more than three hours in Chicago.
“Holy (blank) how is Bruce Springsteen still THAT good at 73??” tweeted fan Nathan Kelly.
Yet, some fans were expecting a few different songs.
“I really thought he’d change up the set list starting US Leg 2,” tweeted fan Sean Burnside.
Up next is night two at Wrigley on Friday, Aug. 11. Area shows include Wednesday, Aug. 16, and Friday, Aug. 18, at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philly, and then Wednesday, Aug. 30, Friday, Sept. 1, and Sunday, Sept. 3, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
The tour began Feb. 1 in Tampa and has just returned to North American from Europe, where 1.6 million tickets were sold to shows there.
Bruce Springsteen Wrigley Field setlist
No Surrender
Ghosts
Prove It All Night
Letter to You
The Promised Land
Out in the Street
Darlington County
Kitty's Back
Nightshift
The E Street Shuffle
Mary's Place
Johnny 99
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)
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 pays tribute to Robbie Robertson in Chicago
