A Night to Remember: Bruce Springsteen’s Epic Asbury Park Homecoming
Asbury Park, N.J. — The boardwalk fortune teller, Madam Marie, immortalized by Bruce Springsteen in his 1973 hit “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy),” may have left this once crime-ridden oceanfront carnival town years ago, but her spirit lingers on. Marie Castello, who passed away at age 93 in 2008, was a cherished figure in Asbury Park. She had fondly recalled meeting a young Springsteen back in the mid-1960s when he, then just 17, sought her guidance with only 50 cents to offer. Marie, ever generous, advised him to continue pursuing his passion for music, a piece of advice that evidently resonated profoundly.
As I eagerly made my way along the weathered boards toward the entrance of the “Sea. Hear. Now.” music festival on September 15, I was elated to discover that Marie’s granddaughters were preserving her legacy. They continued her tradition of fortune-telling inside her quaint concrete Temple of Knowledge and Psychic Booth, keeping her memory and her magical touch alive.
Returning to the Jersey shore brought a wave of nostalgia. For those of us who grew up in the Philadelphia area, the shore holds a special place in our hearts. Bruce Springsteen, who closed out the festival in front of a rapturous crowd of 35,000 fans lining both the beach and boardwalk, took us on an unforgettable journey down memory lane. The three-hour-plus performance was an epic tribute not only to the town but also to Bruce himself, who was a week shy of his 75th birthday.
“Greetings, Asbury Park!” were Bruce’s first words, greeted by a roar of delight from the audience. Positioned just 500 yards south of Marie’s former storefront, Bruce concluded what might be his final U.S. concert of this extensive tour, which commenced in 2023 following a six-year hiatus. The tour had faced interruptions due to his peptic ulcer disease and the COVID-related illnesses of E Street Band members.
Born in Long Branch, just six miles away, Bruce Springsteen has always regarded Asbury Park as his spiritual home. He enshrined this sentiment in his debut album and has been celebrated as the global ambassador for the town’s renaissance over the past quarter-century. However, Bruce and the E Street Band hadn’t performed together in Asbury Park since 2010, a small, invite-only show that made this reunion even more anticipated. Locals, in a playful nod to the occasion, sported t-shirts declaring: “Bruce might show up.”
For this momentous evening, Bruce appeared in a dapper vest, dress shirt, and tie. In the first third of the show, he tossed aside his standard setlist and delved deep into his E Street songbook. The night commenced with “Lonesome Day” from 2002’s The Rising, followed by a tour debut of “Blinded by the Light” and “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?” — songs he hadn’t performed since 2017. The inclusion of “Growin’ Up,” another track from the Greetings album, continued this nostalgic journey. Bruce introduced “Blinded” by reminiscing: “I wrote this a long time ago about 500 yards north of here on Loch Arbour beach. We haven’t played it in a long fuckin’ time. We got a lot of stuff we haven’t played in a long fuckin’ time for you tonight. Let’s see how we do.”
As the night progressed, Bruce’s selections were both surprising and exhilarating. He revived the rarely-performed “Thundercrack,” which, at eight minutes long, was a thrilling treat. Bruce noted, “I wrote this when I was 20 in a surfboard factory in Wanamassa,” making it only the third time he’s played it since 2013.
Throughout the evening, Bruce expressed his amazement at the town’s transformation. “There I was, driving down Kingsley, streets were empty, buildings were empty, nobody on Ocean Avenue, nobody anywhere,” he recalled. “And then, I fell into a dreamy sleep, and when I woke up, I said, ‘Where did all these fucking people come from?’”
Bruce’s joy was palpable. During “Spirit in the Night,” he urged the crowd to “wolf howl” at the moon, and humor abounded as he introduced “Local Hero” with a story about encountering black velvet paintings of a Doberman Pinscher, Bruce Lee, and himself in a Freehold store window. This deep track from Lucky Town, performed only four times since 1993, added a personal touch to the evening.
The emotional highs continued with Bruce dedicating “Sandy” to his late longtime organist, Danny Federici, who passed away in 2008. Bruce had fond memories of walking the Asbury Park boardwalk with Danny during their youth. This dedication was a heartfelt tribute to a cherished friend.
In a touching surprise, Bruce invited his “beautiful wife” and band member Patti Scialfa for a duet on “Tougher Than the Rest” from 1987’s Tunnel of Love. Patti’s appearance was particularly poignant given her recent battle with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer she had been fighting secretly since 2018. The couple’s duet and embrace were a tender highlight of the evening.
Bruce’s encore began with “Meeting Across the River” from 1975’s Born to Run, making its tour debut and paired with the rare performance of “Jungleland,” which featured Jake Clemons’ sax solo. This song held special significance as it was the last song Clarence Clemons performed with Bruce before his death in 2011. Bruce’s rendition of “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)” followed, further fueling the night’s fervor.
As the night drew to a close, Bruce delivered a fitting tribute to Asbury Park with a cover of Tom Waits’ “Jersey Girl,” first released in 1984. Before his final bow, Bruce reflected on the town’s revival and the people who made it possible. “I feel fucking old tonight, in a good way,” he said. “I never thought I’d live to see this sight in my lifetime. The band, we were here on that little street corner when nobody was here, and I didn’t know when I’d see folks in this good town again.” Bruce also expressed his gratitude to those who invested in the town’s renaissance, including the LGBTQ+ community, and thanked festival founder Danny Clinch and the audience.
Somewhere, Madam Marie was surely smiling.
Festival Notes: Earlier in the day, Bruce supported two other acts, performing “Kitty’s Back” with Trey Anastasio’s band and joining Jersey alt-rockers Gaslight Anthem for “History Books” and “American Slang.” Bruce also made a surprise appearance the night before at the Stone Pony, performing with Tangiers Blues Band and festival founder Danny Clinch. The festival featured a diverse lineup, including Noah Kahan, Kool & The Gang, and rap-rockers 311, showcasing the vibrant and enduring spirit of Asbury Park.
