In the week after Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at the Super Bowl, the four songs he performed in the set were downloaded 57,000 times as individual tracks. The leader was the new tune, "Working on a Dream," with 24,000 downloads, nearly half of its current cume of 54,000. "Glory Days" was No. 2 with 15,000 followed by "Born to Run" (12,000) and "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" (6,000). All the figures were provided by Nielsen Soundscan.
Album sales beyond the Wal-Mart-only "Greatest Hits" were not particularly strong. The two catalog albums on which those songs appear, "Born in the U.S.A." and "Born to Run," were up only slightly, to 4,000 and 3,000 respectively.
The new disc took a 55% hit on its second week, selling 102,000 copies.
What is rather cool is thepost Springsteen made on his website regarding his NFL experience.

Bruce Springsteen's "Working on a Dream" sold 224,000 copies in the week ended Sunday, hitting the mark that was widely expected among industry observers.
Of his three albums with the E Street Band this decade, it posted the lowest opening week. "Magic" sold 335,000 copies in its opening stanza 15 months ago and "The Rising" sent off 525,000 in August 2002.  
Sales period ended prior to his performance at halftime of the Super Bowl, which should keep his tally high next week. 
"Working on a Dream" is the third album in which Springsteen has kicked promotional efforts into high gear, agreeing to print and TV interviews. In addition, iTunes offered a free download of the title track a month before the release of the album and Amazon streamed the video of the new album's "Life Itself." Springsteen also appeared at the We Are One concert in Washington, D.C., just days before the album's release.
It was a novel move with "The Rising" to have Springsteen and the E Street Band reconnect with audiences by increasing his promotional appearances that now appears to be a necessary ingredient for any veteran star hoping to have a commercial impact. 
The rest of top 10 fell between 55,000 sold by Taylor Swift's "Fearless" at No. 2 and Britney Spears' "Circus" moving 28,000. Two albums debuted in the top 10: the "2009 Grammy Nominees" various artists disc from Rhino sold 33,000 to open at No. 6 and Franz Ferdinand's "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand" (Domino) sold 31,000 (No. 9). 

Potent, Ferocious. Brilliant song choices. Using a choir to enhance "Working on a Dream" and make it more viscerally exciting  than the recorded version. Altering "Glory Days" to make it applicable to football star instead of worn out out baseball pitcher. Showing off Bruce the Preacher. Reminding everyone that the core remains Bruce, the Big Man Clarence Clemons and Little Steven Van Zandt no matter how much their presence seems to dwindle with each recording. Remind America - and alert some for the first time - of the redemptive power of rock 'n roll. Great as "The Rising" was in D.C., that was hardly a fluke. "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" was elevated to a position of rock royalty, the kick-off tune for Springsteen's first Super Bowl performance. (In truth, "10th Avenue" never rates higher than middle of the pack in one of the Boss' marathon performances).  His half-time show was Springsteen giving yet another great performance, the sort that we expect from him, the type that makes us return time and time again to feel something that no other experience in our lives provides. No one delivers shows like this and he reminded us once again. Not Tom Petty. Not the Rolling Stones. Dylan was heard in a well-done Pepsi ad and part of me squirmed while the other half was appreciative of the fact that Bob was being exposed to people who don't know the genius of his words and music. Same thing with Bruce, but this was the artist at work, demonstrating why he sits atop a mountain that many are afraid to climb. 

He played one bona fide hit, "Born to Run," two songs that everyone knows and a new number. Who else does that at the Super Bowl? And on Monday, when tickets go on sale for the chance to experience the sort of rock 'n' roll show that exist only when Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are on tour, it will break records in terms of sell-outs. I have an avid love/hate relationship with the NFL - that's what happens when you're a Jets season ticket holder - but tonight all I can say is thank you, NFL, for bringing us Springsteen. He was as amazing as the 100-yard interception run back, Larry Fitzgerald Jr.'s run and the spectacular Rothlisberger-to-Holmes TD pass. Steeler Nation. Springsteen country. A perfect match.  

And to be a sports and music fan whose employment future is up in the air due to economic circumstances that have rendered my job expendable, I hear the words in "Born to Run" the way I did when I was a 17-year-old, the song was brand new and he was expressing something I had never heard from another songwriter:  
"Together we could break this trap
Well run till we drop, baby well never go back
Will you walk with me out on the wire
`cause baby Im just a scared and lonely rider
But I gotta find out how it feels
I want to know if love is wild, girl I want to know if love is real."

In a fine profile written by Jon Pareles on Bruce Springsteen, the Boss said the decision to do a deal with Wal-Mart for an exclusive greatest hits package was made too hastily. “We were in the middle of doing a lot of things, it kind of came down and, really, we didn’t vet it the way we usually do,” he said. “We just dropped the ball on it. ... Given its labor history, it was something that if we’d thought about it a little longer, we’d have done something different.”
He added, “It was a mistake. Our batting average is usually very good, but we missed that one. Fans will call you on that stuff, as it should be.”

Last year, the big deal musically at the Super Bowl was the debut of Paula Abdul lip-synching a horrible song that appeared on Randy Jackson's upcoming album. It was synergy at its worst, the shoehorning of an astonishingly bad product into a place where it did not belong just to get more people to watch "American idol."
Be glad none of the stars of "Heroes" have albums coming out.
What would have been unthinkable when the Super Bowl was younger than XXIX, rock 'n' roll superstardom is being weaved into the day beyond the halftime show intended to get the country riled up about Bruce Springsteen's "Working on a Dream" and prepare many to purchase tickets to concerts, which go on sale the morning after the Steelers - let's hope - make it a half-dozen SB wins. Bruce's press conference can be seen here.
U2's newest single “Get On Your Boots” will be the soundtrack to NFL Network’s Super Bowl XLIII commercial that will run during the game.  The commercial will air only on Super Bowl Sunday.
The ad features Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden.The cinematographer is Claudio Miranda, who is up for an Oscar for his work on "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."
Meanwhile, Journey will playing in the pre-game ceremonies.
My set list guess for Springsteen and the E Street Band: "Badlands," "The Rising," "Working on a Dream," "Born to Run."
If I got to choose, well aware of the venue and the necessary atmosphere: "No Surrender," "Atlantic City," "Murder Incorporated," "Jungleland."

The first track on nearly all of Bruce Springsteen's albums grabs the listener by the throat and gets their attention. Setting the needle down on a Springsteen album for the first time has been a thrill for 30-odd years: You go in ready to listen.
Perhaps the most distressing element on his new album "Working on a Dream" is "Outlaw Pete," the eight minute tune that kicks off the disc. It is the worst album opener in Springsteen's career.
The song is a mess. The story meanders and makes little sense, several of the rhymes are childlike, the strings and lonesome harmonica sound come out of nowhere and the chorus of "Can you hear me" seems like a piece of a different song. The reviews are starting to come in and they’re running the gamut from pan to rave. Paste magazine’s blog deemed it “Springsteen going through the motions”…. “his worst album by far, a surprisingly inept blemish on what has been a consistently great career.” Rolling Stone, so far, has been the only periodical to wax enthusiastic about the disc, saying it’s “the richest of the three great rock albums Springsteen has made this decade with the E Street Band.” (They're flat out wrong).
The Washington Post is most in line with my take: “Full of lyrical missteps and half-realized ideas. The album doesn't go nearly as deep as you'd expect from one of rock's preeminent poets; Springsteen's lyrics tend to be overshadowed by the album's generally bright melodies and lush textures and sounds.”
Not enough is being made of how out-of-sync “Outlaw Pete” is with his career. As a fan, I set out to list the Boss' album openers - side one, track one on vinyl - in order of importance; I'd say the top five get five stars each and even the bottom five deserve three. (I left out the live albums and compilations).

15. Old Dan Tucker("Seeger Sessions")
Lots of yelping and mumbling, Pete Seeger's version on "American Favorite Ballads" contains more vitality and honesty, not to mention a more clear articulation of this party boy's story.
14. Radio Nowhere ("Magic")
OK as a single, the problem here is that it does not connect with the rest of the disc in a coherent fashion. It's a lot like "Dancing in the Dark," the weakest song on "Born in the USA" and its lead-off single. Fortunately it was tucked away in a bank of far superior songs.
13. Blinded by the Light ("Greetings From Asbury Park")
First song first album. He writes it with a rhyming dictionary in one hand and guitar in the other.
12. Better Days ("Better Days")
A ho-hum melody but I always enjoyed the end of the first verse: “I'm tired of waitin' for tomorrow to come/Or that train to come roarin' 'round the bend/I got a new suit of clothes a pretty red rose/And a woman I can call my friend.”
11. The E Street Shuffle ("The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle")
The congas, the brass, the false ending - they're all cool, but there might not be a Springsteen song that sounds more out of character than this one. It energized me in my youth so I feel bad putting it so low, but in terms of songwriting craft it has been surpassed.
10. Devils & Dust ("Devils & Dust")
One of the three best songs on his most recent all-downer disc. Descriptive, compact and well performed.
9. Nebraska ("Nebraska")
The opposite of "Devils." One of my favorite albums, but the title track is just a warmup for the brilliant songwriting that follows. For anyone wondering the difference between effective use of the harmonica to evoke a feeling of loneliness and superfluous use, compare the "Nebraska" to "Outlaw Pete."
8. The Ghost of Tom Joad("The Ghost of Tom Joad")
Time has been kind to this song, a tune that looks backward and yet proves prescient. My guess is it will continue to climb higher in the Springsteen canon as the years pass.
7. Born in the USA ("Born in the USA")
Probably the hardest tune to judge on the list as it carries so much baggage. Misinterpreted despite the directness of the lyric and rearranged for live performances to expose its biting nature, "Born" is now trapped by its dated arrangement.
6. Human Touch ("Human Touch")
That craving for connection is a subject he has expounded on ever since the collapse of his first marriage and “Human Touch” was filled with tales of a recovering romantic. As an album, “Human Touch” is one of those minor works pepper with strong songs, this being one of them.
5. Lonesome Day ("The Rising")
Bruce to the rescue. Concert performances of this tune have elevated its status over time and made it feel like an important part of his oeuvre. Of songs on “The Rising,” I’d place it in the middle of the pack, but in this list it goes pretty close to the top.
4. Badlands ("Darkness on the Edge of Town")
I’ll always prefer live versions to this recording but it still comes from a place of power. Emerging as it did from a lengthy period of silence, it had a visceral energy that demonstrated he could make a live record in the studio and have it be successful.
3. The Ties That Bind ("The River")
Tough Springsteen tells some woman she will not be as tough as he is and that their lives are permanently intertwined. Great melody, great playing by Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg.
2. Ain't Got You ("Tunnel of Love")
Structured like an old soul song - man has everything he could possibly want - riches, looks, possessions - but the girl remains elusive. He delivers it like a cross between Bo Diddley and an early rockabilly artist. It's short and to the point, a fine set-up for a collection of songs about the problems of romance.
1. Thunder Road ("Born to Run")
Escape and adventure with a brilliant production and arrangement. And when Springsteen would open his shows in '75 with just the piano and keep it at its ballad pace, it demonstrated how expertly crafted it was of a set of lyrics and how an artist can make two clear and concise statements with a single song, the studio version and the live version. A perfect single.

Bruce Springsteen has posted a note on his website regarding his Jan. 27 release "Workin' on a Dream."
The first song recorded for the album was "What Love Can Do," which he terms  a "love in the time of Bush" meditation.
The Boss reports that it "felt more like a first song of new record rather than something that would fit on Magic." Producer Brendan O'Brien encouraged Springsteen to start work on "Magic's" followup immediately.
Over the next week, Springsteen wrote "This Life," "My Lucky Day," "Life Itself," "Good Eye" and "Tomorrow Never Knows." (Ws he listening to the Beatles?)
"We found time to book sessions, get the band while it was hot off the road, write and record a new record, while giving our audience what I hope was some of the best E Street shows we've ever done."

  As predicted on Nov. 6, Bruce Springsteen's new album - titled "Working on a Dream" - will be released in between the inauguration of Barack Obama and the Super Bowl at which he and the E Street Band will perform.
The 14-track album will be released Jan. 27 on Columbia Records and will feature the title track for the film "The Wrestler" that is expected to get a decent Oscar push.
It is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O'Brien, who produced and mixed the album.
In a statement, Springsteen said, "Towards the end of recording 'Magic,' excited by the return to pop production sounds, I continued writing. When my friend producer Brendan O'Brien heard the new songs, he said, 'Let's keep going.' Over the course of the next year, that's just what we did, recording with the E Street Band during the breaks on last year's tour. I hope 'Working on a Dream' has caught the energy of the band fresh off the road from some of the most exciting shows we've ever done. All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end."

'Working on a Dream' Song Titles:

1. Outlaw Pete
2. My Lucky Day
3. Working On a Dream
4. Queen of the Supermarket
5. What Love Can Do
6. This Life
7. Good Eye
8. Tomorrow Never Knows
9. Life Itself
10. Kingdom of Days
11. Surprise, Surprise
12. The Last Carnival

Bonus tracks:
The Wrestler
A Night with the Jersey Devil

The altruist in me wants to believe that the next Bruce Springsteen album - or at least a single - will be in stores and online in time for the Jan. 20 inauguration of Barack Obama. That sounds like a perfect alignment, an organic connection between an artistic leader and a political one, especially when one considers that  the Boss debuted "Workin' on a Dream" at an Obama rally on Sunday.
But business tends to weigh heavier than sentiment in these matters and it's much more likely that the Springsteen album, recorded in Atlanta with Brendan O'Brien producing again, will be released in the sales cycle that includes his appearance at the Super Bowl on Feb. 1. Besides, Jan. 20 is a Tuesday and releasing the album on the day of the swearing-in ceremony would feel like an attempt to capitalize or steal thunder; Jan. 13 lands during one of music's most fallow periods of the year.
I'm circling Jan. 27 on my calendar for the album and I won't be surprised if Feb. 3 is the release date, following the lead of other performers -  Tom Petty, Prince and Janet Jackson - who used the halftime show as a platform for a new release and/or tour announcement.
"Workin' on a Dream" sounds tailor made for Obama and a young generation inspired by the president elect. If ever a single should be rush released, this is the one. We need to hear songs of hope on the radio.

By Stuart Levine

On his website, Bruce Springsteen has offered up a video download of "A Night of the Jersey Devil" as a Halloween surprise.

It's an homage to the creature that supposedly has lurked in the Pine Barrens section of New Jersey for hundreds of years. Springsteen's head arises from the swamps and then the Garden Stater goes straight into preacher-mode. Definitely worth a look-see.

Springsteen also posted that the usual spooky display in front of his house that has annually drawn hundreds of visitors wouldn't happen this year. He wrote:

"So as not to inconvenience you this Halloween, due to 'catastrophic success' (read: too many visitors for the neighborhood to handle) and concern for the safety of kids and parents! we won't be having our usual Halloween display this year in Rumson."

As for other Springsteen news, he's been rather low-key during this presidential campaign in comparison to 2004. A staunch Democrat, he recently played a few acoustic numbers at a voter registration drive near Philadelphia, but has chosen to avoid big benefits in arena-sized halls.

Imagine if Columbia Records taped every Bruce Springsteen show and every time they had a collection of four "special" performances they released a new bundle. The fanatics - the ones who keep the bootleg world flourishing and don't mind the sound of someone taking a cell phone call during "My Hometown" - would likely pony up for quality soundboard recordings. If the digital release Columbia has planned for July 15 of four "Magic" performances is the start of a project, it could be a new mondel for the quickly dying live album. If it is a one-shot, it serves its purpose as a fund-raiser, but a void in live recordings remains.
It was only a few years ago that concert promoters were waxing enthusiastically about CDs of shows that could be sold, burned and distributed as a patrons left a venue. That business appears to have disappeared overnight or else been relegated to fan clubs; the thirst ofr recordings by artists known for their live shwos remains.
The beauty of the Springsteen set are the selections:
1. "Always A Friend" (performed with Alejandro Escovedo)
Recording Date: 04/14/2008 (Houston, Texas)
2. "The Ghost of Tom Joad" (performed with Tom Morello)
Recording Date: 04/07/2008 (Anaheim, California)
3. "Turn Turn Turn" (performed with Roger McGuinn)
Recording Date: 04/23/2008 (Orlando, Florida)
4. "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" (Danny Federici's final performance
with the E Street Band)
Recording Date: 03/20/2008 (Indianapolis, Indiana)

They are obvious one-time-only performances. The Boss' case, like few others, can deliver those "event moments" without special guests and do it simply through song selection. Great as he and the  E Street Band have been playing "She's the One" on this tour, conversations among fans about the shows centers on the songs that make it into the set for one night. That's the type of "Magic" worth capturing in multiple volumes.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's "Magic Tour Highlights" will be available on July 15 via all digital download stores. On sales of these downloads, the artists, songwriters and music publishers are waiving all of their royalties, and Columbia Records is donating all of its net profits to the Danny Federici Melanoma Fund. The iTunes Store is donating their first year's net profits as well.

Story By Matt Kivel

To celebrate Suicide co-founder Alan Vega's 70th birthday, UK-based label Blast First (Petite) will release a year long, monthly, series of Limited Edition 10" Vinyl E.P's. and downloads as well as a Limited run (3000 copies only) Suicide 6-CD Box Set entitled "Live 1977/78." The box set culls a number of rare tracks from early New York performances and their first European tour supporting both The Clash and Elvis Costello - it comes out this month.

The forthcoming E.P. releases will contain three Vega songs each - one performed by an established recording artist, one by an up-and-coming artist, and one rarity from the Suicide/Vega archives. Bruce Springsteen covers "Dream Baby Dream" on the first E.P. release, scheduled for July 28.   

Established artists included are:

Bruce Springsteen, Primal Scream, Peaches, Grinderman (feat. Nick Cave), Spiritualised, The Horrors, Sunn 0))+Pansonic, Julian Cope, Lydia Lunch, Vincent Gallo, LIARS, & The Klaxons.

Up-And-Comers:

Beat The Devil/Shilpa Ray, No Bra, HTRK, X-Vectors, Nik Void (ex Kaito) , Effi Briest, S.C.U.M, Stephen Burroughs (ex Head Of David).

Springsteen Live Performing "Dream Baby Dream"

The eulogy Bruce Springsteen delivered at the funeral of E Street Band keyboardist Danny Federici and a video tribute have been posted at Springsteen's Website.
Part of the Boss' speech at the April 21 funeral:
There was the time Danny quit the band during a rough period at Max's Kansas City, explaining to me that he was leaving to fix televisions. I asked him to think about that and come back later.
Or Danny, in the band rental car, bouncing off several parked cars after a night of entertainment, smashing out the windshield with his head but saved from severe injury by the huge hard cowboy hat he bought in Texas on our last Western swing.
Or Danny, leaving a large marijuana plant on the front seat of his car in a tow away zone. The car was promptly towed. He said, "Bruce, I'm going to go down and report that it was stolen." I said, "I'm not sure that's a good idea." Down he went and straight into the slammer without passing go.
Or Danny, the only member of the E Street Band to be physically thrown out of the Stone Pony. Considering all the money we made them, that wasn't easy to do.
Or Danny receiving and surviving a "cautionary assault" from an enraged but restrained "Big Man" Clarence Clemons while they were living together and Danny finally drove the "Big Man" over the big top.
Or Danny assisting me in removing my foot from his stereo speaker after being the only band member ever to drive me into a violent rage.
And through it all, Danny played his beautiful, soulful B3 organ for me and our love grew. And continued to grow. Life is funny like that. He was my homeboy, and great, and for that you make considerations... And he was much more tolerant of my failures than I was of his.
... Offstage, Danny couldn't recite a lyric or a chord progression for one of my songs. Onstage, his ears opened up. He listened, he felt, he played, finding the perfect hole and placement for a chord or a flurry of notes. This style created a tremendous feeling of spontaneity in our ensemble playing."
... A few weeks back we ended up onstage in Indianapolis for what would be the last time. Before we went on I asked him what he wanted to play and he said, "Sandy." He wanted to strap on the accordion and revisit the boardwalk of our youth during the summer nights when we'd walk along the boards with all the time in the world.

  "I stayed a step away from partisan politics because I felt it was always important to have an independent voice. I wanted my fans to feel like they could trust that. But you build up credibility. ... And I think there comes a time when you feel, all right, I've built this up and it's time to spend some of this. And I think this is one of the most critical elections of my adult life, certainly. Very basic questions of American identity are at issue. Who we are. What do we stand for? When do we fight? As a nation, over the past four years, we've drifted away from, I think, very mainstream American values."
That quote comes from Bruce Springsteen. It was not, however, part of his statement Wednesday endorsing Barack Obama for president - it is the words he spoke to Ted Koppel four years ago when he made his first-ever endorsement of a political candidate, John Kerry.
In that interview, Springsteen was keen to say he was not suggesting an "anyone but Bush" strategy, although the tenor of his language suggested a disappointment in the running of  the country  rather than an endorsement of an individual. Although he would eventually perform at a Kerry rally in Ohio and allow Kerry to use "No Surrender" as a theme song, his endorsement was nowhere near as forceful as the words he used to support the Obama candidacy.
"He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next president," Springsteen wrote on his website. "He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where '...nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone.' "
Prior to getting behind candidates, Springsteen was a stickler for staying on point, whether it be joblessness, the environment, veterans affairs or his most enduring cause, hunger. (Local food banks have had collection stations at his concerts since the early 1980s and he always alerts his audience that they are present). Post-Katrina, he made his first performance ever at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, a political statement unto itself and, like many of his points and causes, strictly American.
Springsteen has six performances in the South between April 18 and 30 which, oddly enough, would make a North Carolina appearance for Obama more practical than one in Pennsylvania. The Boss performs in Charlotte and Greensboro on April 27 and 28; the state's primary is May 6. Pennsylvania, seen as crucial state to win, holds its  primary April 22. Springsteen has the first three weeks of May unscheduled, but is touring Europe from May 22 to July 20.

POSTED BY STUART LEVINE

Following Bruce Springsteen’s pair of Anaheim shows this week at the Honda Center, many fans were chatting up how these concerts felt much more off the cuff and extemporaneous than the two played at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in late October.

Looking back at Springsteen’s Southern California performances dating back to the mid-’70s, it’s tough to say if the second leg of a tour is traditionally a time for Springsteen to open things up, but it certainly was the case this time around.

The Oct. 30 pre-Halloween show — marked by Springsteen’s arrival on stage via a coffin — saw only four song changes in the set list from the previous night (“The Ties That Bind” in the “No Surrender” slot, “Night” for “Candy’s Room,” “Tunnel of Love” for “Backstreets” and “Kitty’s Back” for “Thundercrack” in the encore).

Shift to Anaheim six months later, and for night two, about a third of the set list offered different material from night one. Songs heard on Monday — “Light of Day,” “Trapped,” “Working on the Highway,” “The Devil’s Arcade, “The Rising,” “Girls in Their Summer Clothes,” “Rosalita,” “Ramrod” — were replaced by “Thunder Road” (as a stunning opener), “Atlantic City,” “Candy’s Room,” “Prove It All Night,” “Brilliant Disguise,” the rarely played “Meeting Across the River,” “Jungleland” and “Dancing in the Dark.”

Unlike at the Sports Arena, he acknowledged the change of new material Tuesday, asking the crowd who was there the night before and letting them know he’d be adding some fresh tunes for the repeat customers.

For both the current “Magic” tour and “The Rising” tour back in 2002-03, Springsteen was very much on message for the first legs, not wanting to differentiate the set too much from night to night — be it in L.A. or anywhere else.

That wasn’t always the case, however, when Springsteen came to L.A. Back in 1984, when he and the band arrived in town for seven nights at the Sports Arena to promote “Born in the USA,” Springsteen, who hadn’t toured for the stark “Nebraska” album, was trumpeting anti-Reagan themes for much of the night. Yet the only message the audience may have taken home was how long could this guy play without dropping dead of exhaustion? A 33-song set with an intermission was common, as were a handful of changes in the set list.

(All except for the four-song package of “Cover Me,” “Dancing in the Dark,” “Hungry Heart” and “Cadillac Ranch,” which were the post-intermission standards to open the second set almost every night.)

That changed on the second leg a year later when he arrived for four nights at the cavernous L.A. Coliseum to close out the tour, which had grown into industrial-strength size at that point. Of course, it can be much more difficult to call last-second audibles in a stadium because of lighting and other logistical circumstances.

The same was true of the second leg of “The Rising” tour, when Springsteen played a single night at Dodger Stadium and other ballparks around the country. The shows in each town didn’t vary all that much compared to years past.

As the tour continues into Europe this summer and then stadiums in America soon thereafter, it’s tough to say how much Springsteen and his E Streeters will toy with the set list.

Which brings us back to Anaheim. The Honda Center shows were prime examples of man who, while acknowledging his “Magic” message, didn’t let his political views get in the way of a good time for all.

Bruce Springsteen arrives in California Friday after playing one of the most varied set lists of his "Magic" tour on Monday in Vancouver, B.C.
Opener was one of his masterpieces,"Atlantic City," making its tour debut; the mega-obscure "None But the Brave" also appeared in a show for the first time. "Trapped" and "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out" were performed for only the second time and "Rosalita" made its fourth appearance on the leg.
For the first 15 shows on the second leg of the tour, Springsteen has stuck with three blocks of songs that get played every night."Radio Nowhere," "Lonesome Day," "Gypsy Biker" and "Reason to Believe" are up front; "She's the One," "Livin' in the Future" and "The Promised Land" are in the middle; and "Devil's Arcade," "Last to Die," "Long Walk Home" and "Badlands" close out the night. "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" starts the encore and "American Land" signals the show is about to end.
But with about 25 songs making it into each night's set list, he has come up with a number of ways to make each night special: 27 tunes have been played at only one of the first 15 gigs. And plenty have had just a handful of performances: "Tenth Avenue," "Trapped, "Lost in the Flood," "Candy's Room," "Incident on 57th Street," the Detroit medley, "Be True," "Ties That Bind" and "Loose Ends" have received two performances each; "Adam Raised a Cain," "Thunder Road" and "Backstreets" (three each); "Rosalita," "Darkness on the Edge of Town" and "Kitty's Back" (four each).  B-sides that have been played: "Janey Don't You Lose Heart" and "Rendezvous."   
With 67 different songs already making it into the sets, the game to play is what might next debut at the California shows, Friday in Sacramento, Saturday in San Jose and Monday and Tuesday in Anaheim. Here's a look was what Springsteen and the E Street band have not played since starting the second leg in Hartford, Conn., on Feb. 28.

Lawrence Kirsch has published "For You," a book of fans' stories regarding their experiences with Bruce Springsteen and his music, memories of concerts and hours spent listening to particular records. Accompanied by hundreds of photos, the stories hit on the typical facets of fanaticism - the quest for connection, the pinpoint clear recollections of first-time experiences and the life-enriching quality of poignant songs. Only 2,000 copies of the book are being printed.
Having read just a small sampling of the letters, naturally the stories involving mortality were the most moving, like this one from Roy Opochinski of Toms River, N.J.:

When Bruce Springsteen announced the opening of his "Magic" tour, all the dates were laid out with a big TBD in Los Angeles on Oct. 28. The second leg, however, is being released in dribs and drabs. First he announced a St. Paul, Minn., show on March 16. Now comes word that he will play the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on April 7 and Philips Arena in Atlanta on April 25. Tickets for Anaheim show go on sale Saturday.

Heading into Los Angeles,  Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are at a baker's dozen moment. Not only have they performed 13 shows since their Oct. 2 kickoff, 13 tunes have made it into every evening's set list. Two songs - "Lonesome Day" and "Girls in their Summer Clothes" - have been given different nights off  to keep their tallies at 12.
From the new album, Springsteen has performed nightly "Radio Nowhere," "Magic," "Livin' in the Future," "Devil's Arcade," "Last to Die" and "Long Walk Home." He has yet to perform "You'll Be Comin' Down," "I'll Work for Your Love" and the hidden track, "Terry's Song." "You're Own Worst Enemy" has been performed three times.
In preparation for Springsteen's two shows at L.A.'s Sports Arena on Monday and Tuesday, here's a breakdown of the shows by the numbers and bit of what to expect.
A musical triptych in the middle of the show featuring "She's the One," "Livin' in the Future" and "The Promised Land" and a closing of the main set with "Last to Die," "Long Walk Home" and "Badlands."
A main set of about 18 songs and a four-song encore that will include "Born to Run" and "American Land."
Springsteen has performed 49 different songs on the tour, 10 of which have been performed once and eight of which have been played only twice. At the last show, Friday in Oakland, Springsteen premiered three tunes: "Two Hearts," "Racing in the Street" and "Working on the Highway."
From the catalog,  Springsteen has played three of the 15 tunes from the last E Street Band album,  "The Rising." The rest:
"Born to Run": 7
"Darkness on the Edge of Town": 7
"Born in the U.S.A.": 5
"The River": 4
"Tunnel of Love": 3
"Greetings From Asbury Park": 2
"Nebraska": 2
"The Wild, the Innocent...": 1
The only cover came in Toronto in which he was joined by Arcade Fire to perform that band's "Keep the Car Running."
Set lists of all Springsteen shows appear on backstreets.com.

The first of two nights at Madison Square Garden sparkled thanks to a spectacular rendition of "She's the One" and a smart meshing of the material from the new album, "Magic," with guitar-driven monolithic pieces from "Born to Run" and the "Darkness on the Edge of Town" warhorses. On Oct. 17, Sprigsteen and the E Streeters performed:
Radio Nowhere / Ties That Bind / Lonesome Day / Gypsy Biker / Magic / Reason to Believe / Adam Raised a Cain / She's the One / Livin' in the Future / The Promised Land / Brilliant Disguise / Backstree ts / Darlington County / Devil's Arcade / The Rising / Last to Die / Long Walk Home / Badlands / Girls in Their Summer Clothes / Thundercrack / Born to Run / Dancing in the Dark / American Land

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band opened their "Magic" tour Tuesday in Hartford, Conn. Songs were pulled from eight Springsteen albums and the second solo disc by his wife, Patti Scialfa. Set list revealed a striking balance of material from various eras.

Radio Nowhere / Ties That Bind / Lonesome Day / Gypsy Biker / Magic / Reason To Believe / Night / She’s the One / Livin in the Future / Promised Land / Town Called Heartbreak (Duet with Patti Scialfa) /  Darkness on the Edge of Town / Darlington County / Devil’s Arcade / The Rising / Last To Die / Long Walk Home / Badlands / Girls in their Summer Clothes /  Thundercrack
/  Born to Run /  Waiting on a Sunny Day / American Land

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band delivered 21 songs in two hours Monday at the Asbury Park, N.J.,  Convention Hall.
The AP reported that Springsteen unveiled six songs and got political in introducing "Livin' in the Future," referring to terrorist suspects and "illegal wiretapping." "This is about the things you didn't think could happen," Springsteen said.
"Born to Run," "No Surrender," "Promised Land," "She's the One," "Night," "The Rising," "Candy's Room,"  "The Promised Land" and "Thundercrack" were all part of the show. Band closed with  "American Land."
Pointblankmag reported that Springsteen did seven songs from "Magic," including
"Radio Nowhere" and  "Gypsy Biker." Site also noted that  "Badlands", "Hungry Heart" and "Thunder Road" were not in the set.
Shows, as usual, are billed  as two benefit rehearsals; tour's offical start is on the day of the album's release, Oct. 2, in Hartford, Conn.
A third rehearsal concert will be staged Friday at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J.. Tickets, $100, go on sale at noon today (Sept. 25).
Springsteen turned 58 on Sunday.

It's now official: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's L.A. performance will be at the Sports Arena on Oct. 29. But don't hold your breath for a second show to be added  on the 28th. Monster Massive, an all-night Halloween techno concert that begins on the 27th is scheduled to end at 4:30 in the morning on the 28th. It is highly unlikely that the building would be willing to schedule a load-out and load-in so close together, not to mention the staffing nightmare.
Springsteen has had some memorable nights at the Sports Arena, which became an also-ran when the Forum was built in 1969. (It was the one place the Grateful Dead would play in L.A.)
Twenty seven years ago, Springsteen brought "The River" tour to the Sports Arena. On Oct. 30, 1980, he and the E Streeters played:
Born To Run /  Prove It All Night /  Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out /  Darkness On The Edge Of Town / Factory /  Independence Day /  Jackson Cage /  Two Hearts /  The Promised Land / Out In The Street /  Racing In The Street /  The River /  Badlands /  Thunder Road / Cadillac Ranch /  Fire / Hungry Heart /  Sherry Darling /  I Wanna Marry You /  Ties That Bind /  Wreck On The Highway / Stolen Car / Point Blank / Crush On You /  Ramrod /  You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch) /  Drive All Night /  Rosalita /  I'm A Rocker /  Jungleland /  Detroit medley

On sales don't begin until Saturday for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's tour, but the scalpers are already out in force, even offering specific seats. StubHub has plenty listed -- up to $4,400 at the Garden and a mere $530 in Albany - and one site that Pollstar found is listing tickets for sale at Staples Center. Thing is, Springsteen has yet to announce where he will play in Los Angeles. (The date is Oct.28). 

Q Magazine has polled 50 recording artists, among them Michael Stipe, John Legend and the leader of Travis, to create a list of "Perfect Songs." (Since Leonard Cohen wrote "Hallelujah," they actually mean perfect records).
The winners, in no particular order:

Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve
Blowin' In The Wind - Bob Dylan
Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
Life On Mars - David Bowie
Perfect Day - Lou Reed
Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday
Strawberry Fields Forever - Beatles
Sympathy For The Devil - Rolling Stones

A few of the indidviduals provide their picks here while Q provides the videos.
Personally, I'll agree with Blowin' In The Wind, Born To Run, God Only Knows and Hallelujah and throw in Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, John Coltrane's Naima, Paul Simon's Graceland, Thelonious Monk's 1947 version of 'Round Midnight, R.E.M.'s Nightswimming, Otis Redding's I've Been Loving You Too Long, NRBQ's Riding in My Car and Junior Murvin's Police and Thieves. Naturally, the list changes depending on the day.

The news has been out there for a week and it has even confounded some scribes. The vinyl edition of Bruce Springsteen's "Magic" will be released Sept. 25, one week ahead of the CD and the digital edition.
Where many retailers and fans complain that vinyl editions follow the release of a CD, by moving up the Springsteen album, the release date falls within the eligibility window for the 50th annual Grammy Awards.
Imagine, though, if Columbia stumbles into something here. Vinyl continues to grow in popularity despite the consistently high prices.Imagine a world, though, that would allow a fan to purchase a vinyl record for about $15 and a for a couple bucks more, provide them access to the digital edition of the album.
The Springsteen faithful who still own vinyl copies of "Born to Run," "Darkness on the Edge of Town" and "The River" might well want both, but have no interest in shelling out 20 to 30 bucks for the benefit of sound quality and portability. Might there be some sort of new-fangled business model hiding in there, especially for indie rockers with vinyl-loving fans? Makes more sense than previous vinyl-computer links.

The PR folks for amazon.com must be using Borat to take dictation.
Naturally, the online retailer is excited that it has the exclusive rights to Bruce Springsteen's first video from "Magic," which the dot-com will begin streaming on Tuesday. Problem is, they think the song is called "Road to Nowhere." As any self-respecting Springsteen fan knows, the tune is "Radio Nowhere."
Amazon.com will webcast the video for 24 hours while takign pre-orders for the disc at $9.99.
Later in the month, on Sept. 28,  Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform live on NBC's "Today" show at Rockefeller Plaza.
Five years ago,  Springsteen and the E Streeters performed on "Today," but the show made the trek down to Asbury Park, NJ. 

The website for the Guardian newspaper is offering a free download of the first single from Bruce Springsteen's upcoming "Magic" album, "Radio Nowhere." The newspaper's blogging critic calls the single "a masterpiece." iTunes has it free as well.
Tour has been announced as well, with opening nght in Hartford, Conn.For all the dates.

Rolling Stone is reporting that an overzealous member of Ticketmaster's team inadvertently posted the dates of Bruce Springsteen's "Magic" tour. Fans of the Boss might want to get out a pencil and write down the following:

10/2, 10/3 Hartford
10/5, 10/6 Philly
10/9, 10/10 E. Rutherford, N.J.
10/14, 10/15 NYC
10/21 Chicago
10/22 St. Paul, Minn.
10/26 Oakland
10/28, 10/29 LA (Forum)
11/4 Cleveland
11/5 Detroit
11/11, 11/12 Washington
11/18, 11/19 Boston

Columbia Records has chosen to pit Bruce Springsteen against the return of Matchbox Twenty, Annie Lennox and Faith Hill's catalog rather than go up against the commercial juggernauts Rascal Flatts, James Blunt and the Foo Fighters.
But by choosing an Oct. 2 release date rather than Sept. 25, the first Springsteen and the E Street Band album in five years lands outside this year''s Grammy eligibility period. Even unheard, the album, with the rather dull title of "Magic," would be a prime contender for rock and general awards.
But I figure the Springsteen camp isn't about to let that happen.

Bruce Springsteen and Pete Seeger have recorded the folk classic "Hobo's Lullaby" for "Give US Your Poor," a multi-artist CD devoted to fighting homelessness.Appleseed Recordings will release the disc Sept. 25.
All but two of the tracks ("Here and Now" by Mark Erelli and "1,000 Miles Away" by Jewel) are exclusives.Several of the artists collaborated with currently or previously homeless musicians.
The other tracks: "Land of 10,000 Homeless - Minnesota" – audio documentary set to music; "Show Me the Way" – Jon Bon Jovi & Mighty Sam McClain; "Baby Don't Let Me Go Homeless" – Keb Mo & Eagle Park Slim; "There Is No Good Reason" – Natalie Merchant & Friends; "So Lonely" – Sonya Kitchell; "Becky's Tune" – Michelle Shocked and Michael Sullivan; "Walking the Dog" – Bonnie Raitt & Weepin' Willie Robinson; "My Name Is Not 'Those People'" (spoken, with music) – Danny Glover; "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" – Madeleine Peyroux; "Portable Man" – Del Goldfarb & John Sebastian; "Boll Weevil" – Dan Zanes & Kyla Middleton; "Ink Falling (Father Outside)" – Buffalo Tom; "Stranger Blues" – Sweet Honey in the Rock; "Impossible Boulevard" (spoken excerpt, with music) – Tim Robbins; "Feels Like Home" – Mario Frangoulis; "When We Left Minneapolis (spoken, with music)" – Danny Glover.