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Springsteen's Opening-Leg of Summer Concerts Marks a Year of "Rising" and the Continued Rebirth of Asbury Park, New Jersey A SoundPress.net Feature Article by Richard Lynch, Laura Lynch and Pat Cacioppo There is an old-saying that goes if it rains immediately after you've completed a task then a great accomplishment has been achieved. As Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band finished the last song in their opening-leg of seven concerts at Giants Stadium on Sunday, July 27, 2003, the skies opened-up.  The first seven of 10 nights to rock took place in July, 2003! What officially began a year ago with the release of the The Rising CD and a special appearance on the Today Show from Asbury Park, has culminated in a grand U.S. and world tour, and an actual rising with real-social impact — the resurrection and rebirth of the shore-town of Asbury Park, New Jersey.
 It all began with the CD release party at The Stone Pony! The seven night stand was the homecoming for Springsteen and the E Street Band and the party set-up outside the stadium, complete with a boardwalk and carnival rides, sand castles and beach volleyball, brought a piece a Springsteen's early Jersey-shore stomping grounds to the heart of the swamps of Jersey. Real fans and critical observers could also recognize the scene as a literal biography of Springsteen's life, complete with the friends, organizations and communities that Springsteen has cared about and supported over the years.  Springsteen fans gathered and hung-out the night before The Today Show! Every night during the Springsteen show encores, Bruce took a seat behind Roy Bittan's piano and thanked the audience in attendance for their support over the last 30 years before playing the closing track from The Rising, 'My City of Ruins'. He also requested that fans take a trip down to Asbury Park, the city the song was written for, to take a look at the community that is remarkably springing back to life. Springsteen advised the crowd to take some time and visit on a weekend to see all the shops, restaurants and art galleries that are opening up in the town that he made famous on his first album, Greetings from Asbury Park, New Jersey. He also took the time to give a shout-out to the Community Foodbank of New Jersey whose volunteers were on hand every night raising funds to help the hungry.  Bruce and the band greeted the thousands in attendance after the Today Show triumph! Springsteen's actions go much further than writing a good song and requesting that people visit the city. This year, fans who heed his advice and actually spend some dough at selected shops and merchants in Asbury Park, can win tickets and backstage passes to meet Springsteen and the E Street Band at the band's Giants Stadium finale on August 31, 2003, through two contests that will run through August 30, 2003. More information on these contests is available at AsburyPark.net. Springsteen organized a less publicized version of this commerce in action plan last year when approximately 1000 fans visited Asbury Park to receive merchant passes. Fans who bought items or food at three different establishments won the right to see a Springsteen and the E Street Band rehearsal concert at the very intimate Convention Hall for only twenty dollars — money that benefitted several Asbury Park community organizations.  Jobanano (left) and Bocciagalupe's (right) bands each opened the shows during the seven-night stand! Bruce Springsteen has been a long-time supporter of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Bruce has donated tickets and memorabilia to the FoodBank who in turned raffled these valuable items to raise funds for the never-ending fight against hunger. In the past, Springsteen has asked his fans to bring dry and canned goods to his concerts for the FoodBank.  Sand castle building was part of the pre-show activities! During the most recent Rising tour at Giants Stadium a Ferris wheel was set up at the boardwalk. For a small donation fans could ride on the Ferris wheel with its great view of the New York City skyline. All monies went to the FoodBank. In addition, hardworking volunteers were stationed around the boardwalk collecting funds for the organization.  Opening night, viewed from the FoodBank Ferris Wheel, was a media spectacle! The Community Foodbank of New Jersey's mission is to feed the hungry and reduce food waste. Using their own fleet of trucks, the FoodBank is able to pick up large-scale donations of edible food that does not meet appearance standards from hundreds of New Jersey-based corporations and then distribute it to charities that feed the needy. The FoodBank is the state's largest provider of donated groceries. They ship up to 24 million pounds of food annually. Through the work of dedicated volunteers the Foodbank is able to distribute $11 worth of food for every $1 spent. For more information please visit www.njfoodbank.org.  The Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce was on-hand promoting the city's comeback! Bruce is also doing his part to promote the New Jersey independent music scene and a large stage was set up in the boardwalk area at Giants Stadium. Every night before the Bruce shows, talented bands from New Jersey — and many long-time Springsteen friends and associates — had the opportunity to play for his audience. Opening night featured Boccigalupe and The Badboys, an energetic group from Asbury Park. This band has everything, sizzling guitars, strong bass lines, powerful percussion, dazzling horns and cool keys provided by Bocci on the B3 organ. The band is tight and captured the crowd's attention with their first notes. Another well-respected shore band, Jobonanno and the Godsons of Soul, also graced the boardwalk stage performing covers and songs from their new CD, Turn Up the Heat. A diversity of music was featured over the course of seven nights including the crowd pleasing Matt Witte's New Blood Revival and No Discipline, a reggae ensemble.  Fans gathered at the Medowlands Arena during opening night of the Rising Tour! These shows were a great opportunity for independent artists to showcase their music. There are many talented bands in New Jersey and Springsteen is letting his fans know about other great groups from his home state.  A similar scene is seen at Giants Stadium on opening night of The Summer Tour. As for the Bruce concerts, our on-the-scene reporter Pat Cacioppo was at all the shows, and she had the following to say about the band's performance. What more can be said about Bruce Springsteen that hasn't already been said over his 30 year career? Working-class hero, consummate performer, handsome, charismatic, poet of his generation, passionate and true... been there, said that. But think of this... after 30 years all of the above can still be said... Bruce is well, still "the boss" and the E-Street Band his humble & dedicated employees. Having attended all seven nights of the July leg of the Giants Stadium shows in New Jersey, (and personally achieving the "seeing Bruce over 50 times" milestone), in all honesty I can say very few, if any, can match his live energy. Where does it come from??? Only the higher powers know. But night after night it's there and it never ceases to amaze. Multiple generations from the same family, all sitting together, all knowing every song... it's a wonderful thing to witness. On a few of the nights the rains came with reckless abandon, as summer rains do. The crowd fed off of it, and so did Bruce — it put no "damper" on the situation, (no pun intended!!) — it was like being baptized in the church of rock and roll!!!  Merchants on Cookman Avenue acknowledge Bruce's efforts in returning the city to its glory days. The majority reveled in 'Born to Run' and 'Rosalita' ('Rosalita' every night!!!) And then for the faithful, the rare gems — 'Meeting Across the River', 'Something in the Night', 'Streets of Fire', 'Downbound Train', 'Adam Raised a Cain', 'Spirits in the Night' (hi mad dog!!!). I mean what more can one ask for?? The only thing that could disappoint is losing some of the pure sweetness of the E Street Band's sound to the vast cauldron that is Giants Stadium... but that could easily be dealt with. The only thing left to say is that Bruce is still the greatest, bring on August and "let it rain, let it rain, let it rain."  Come on, rise up - Asbury Park is really rising from the ashes! Related Links: For more information on Bruce Springsteen and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- Bruce Springsteen | Boccigalupe | Jobonanno | Asbury Park C.O.C. | AsburyPark.net | FoodBank of NJ
(Originally Published on July 27, 2003) |
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