Bruce Springsteen and E Street at MSG: 'Jungleland' tour debut, Paul McCartney in audience
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No foolin’, Bruce Springsteen had a “special” surprise April 1 for New York City -- and a Beatle was in on the fun.
Springsteen and the E Street Band performed the current tour debut of the classic “Jungleland” during their show Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
“We got something special for New York City,” said Springsteen prior to the song.
The opening strains of Soozie Tyrell’s violin on the “Jungleland” intro lit up the crowd, who were a bit winded after singing along to the previous song, “Badlands.”
The epic urban drama, released on the 1975 “Born to Run” album, was riveting on Saturday. Especially poignant was Jake Clemons’ extended saxophone solo. He’s the nephew of the late Clarence Clemons, who originally performed the part. The gravitas of the moment, especially at Madison Square Garden, did not seem lost on the younger Clemons, who looked up to the heavens after the solo, wiped his eyes and hugged Springsteen mid-song.
The “Jungleland” performance, which also included Steven Van Zandt’s regal guitar solo, worked well with the show’s overall theme -- mortality and rocking hard into that good night. Springsteen and the band played 27 songs in just under three hours, clocking in at two hours and 57 minutes.
Saturday’s concert delivered the goods and then some, with lots of energy and ace musicianship from the 18-member band.
More: 'My Hometown': Tour the Jersey Shore spots that Bruce Springsteen made famous
Beatles legend Paul McCartney seemed to enjoy the show. He was seen on a fan video singing along to the Boss’ “Glory Days” toward the end of the concert. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and former New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist were also in the area where McCartney sat and they sang along, too. The video was shared on the Spring-Nuts social media.
Saturday’s show began a two-week run in the New York and New Jersey area that includes the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Monday, April 3; two at the new UBS Arena in Belmont Park, N.Y., on Sunday, April 9, and Tuesday, April 11; and the Prudential Center in Newark on Friday, April 14, which ends the U.S. arena leg.
The band then heads to Europe to play stadiums before returning to North America for stadium and arena shows, which includes Aug. 30, Sept. 1 and 3 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
More: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band rock Philadelphia after illness hiatus
Bruce Springsteen setlist at MSG
No Surrender
Ghosts
Prove It All Night
Letter to You
The Promised Land
Out in the Street
Candy's Room
Kitty's Back
Nightshift
Trapped
The E Street Shuffle
Johnny 99
Last Man Standing
Backstreets
Because the Night
She's the One
Wrecking Ball
The Rising
Badlands
Jungleland
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: Springsteen and E Street at MSG: No foolin', Paul McCartney at show