2003-07-26 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Scheduled: 19:30 Local Start Time ??:?? / End Time ??:??

Info & Setlist | Venue

Tonight's intro music is Sam Cooke's "Another Saturday Night". A short 23 song set opens with tour premiere "Adam Raised A Cain". "Mary's Place" includes "The Monkey Time", "Shout", "Another Saturday Night", and "Baby I've Been Missing You". "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" features the "Come A Little Bit Closer" introduction.

Intro to “Empty Sky”
“Good evening (crowd cheers) welcome, welcome…another beautiful New Jersey evening (crowd cheers) we were safe tonight… thank you, need, uh, need some quiet for this song, next songs, thank you…”

Intro to “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day”
“The man and his people…come on, Steve!…”

Middle of “Mary’s Place”
“(after sing-along) Are you ready for a house party? (crowd cheers) this is Saturday night (crowd cheers)(Clarence: “Yes it is”) yeah, that’s been confirmed…we are expecting a lot from this crowd (crowd cheers) that’s right…so when I say are you ready for a house party (crowd cheers) I expect to hear (crowd cheers) ‘cause there’s three things you need if you’re ready for a house party Jersey-style (crowd cheers) the music has got to be (Clarence: “Righteous”) righteous – you got to get your (Clarence: “Ass”) ass out of your seat (crowd cheers) and the third thing you’re gonna need is the greatest little house band in all the land (crowd cheers) have no mercy! (crowd cheers) ‘cause I wanna introduce to you on our stage, on the piano…ladies and gentlemen, the palpating, pathological, piano-pounding Professor Roy Bittan (crowd cheers) oh, all the way from Long Island (some cheers) anybody from Long Island out there? (some cheers) (chuckles) out of New York City, Sister Soozie Tyrell (crowd cheers) from the mean streets of Middletown, New Jersey (crowd cheers) Brother Steven Van Zandt (crowd cheers) out of Neptune, New Jersey, Mr. Garry W. Tallent (crowd cheers) all the way up north, from South Orange…do we have anybody from the Oranges here tonight? (some cheers) I won’t talk to you about the Minister of the big beat, the Secretary of syncopation, the man that brings the power hour after hour night after every night and star of Late Night (crowd: “Television”) Mighty Max Weinberg (crowd cheers) on the guitar, Secretary of heart and spirit, a man from Maryland, which is reasonably close to New Jersey (some cheers) the great Nils Lofgren (crowd cheers) on the organ Brother Dan Federici out of Flemington, New Jersey (crowd cheers) where we bought our first fur coats for 900 dollars at Flemington Furs…Bucky (?) where are you when we need you, baby?…and the far side of the stage, the First Lady of love – I’m searching for my baby…I wanna tell you about my honey baby sweetie child, on the guitar and vocals, out of Deal, New Jersey, Miss Patti Scialfa (crowd cheers) I’m a fool for you, baby…and last but not least (crowd cheers)(?)…on the saxophone (crowd cheers) Minister of soul, Secretary of the brotherhood, ladies and gentlemen, you wish you could be just like him but I’m sorry you cannot because under the sun there’s only one Clarence “Big Man” Clemons (crowd cheers) that’s the heart-stopping, pants-dropping, house-rocking, earth-shaking, booty-quaking, Viagra-taking, love-making, legendary E Street Band (crowd cheers) history-making as a matter of fact (Max hits the drums)…oh, that’s right…it’s another Saturday night…it’s another Saturday night now and I got nobody… alright, listen…ssshhh…I’ve been missing you…I’ve been missing you…I’ve been missing you…I’ve been missing you…”

Intro to “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”
“That is very weak ass encore applause, ladies and gentlemen (crowd cheers) you better redeem yourself right now (crowd cheers)…”

Middle of “Glory Days”
“Come on, Steve…we gotta keep rocking, baby (Steve: “I’m with you, baby”) are you with me, kid? (Steve: “I’m with you, baby”) is the band with me?…are the people with me? (crowd cheers) ‘cause I think it’s just about quitting time…I think it’s just about time to get on that Jersey Turnpike (crowd: “No”) and go home to a peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich and little TV…oh yeah, Steve, I’m talking Wonder Bread (Steve: “Can’t do it”) oh, yeah, baby (Steve: “Say it ain’t so”) (?)…’course it is Saturday night (crowd cheers) I’m saying it is Saturday night (crowd cheers) what I wanna know is if it ain’t quitting time, Mr. and Mrs. New Jersey, then what time is it ? (crowd cheers) what time? (crowd: “Boss-time”) what time? (crowd: “Boss-time”) what time? (crowd: “Boss-time”)…”

Intro to “My City of Ruins”
“Thank you…thank you very much (crowd cheers) alright…I wanna thank everybody for coming out to the show tonight, thank you (crowd cheers) I wanna thank all our New Jersey friends for…for these shows we’re doing here, we, uh…we appreciate the, uh, tremendous show of your support, thank you, means a lot to us (crowd cheers) got some friends here, wanna welcome the cast and crew of the Sopranos with us tonight (crowd cheers) welcome, welcome…we got some friends with us also tonight from the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, they’re always set up out there on the boardwalk, they can use your volunteer time or your donations, 40 percent of the folks they help are children, they’re here in New Jersey helping New Jersey’s struggling citizens, welcome Kathleen and the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, they’re out there on the frontline fighting a good fight (crowd cheers) and, uh…last but not least I wanna mention if you guys got some time on your hands on the weekend that, uh, downtown Asbury Park is, is, is coming together (crowd cheers) a lot of new art galleries and restaurants and clubs, if you have some time, they can use your support down there bringing Asbury Park back and, uh …I wanna dedicate this tonight to all our friends down there…”

Intro to “Land of Hope and Dreams”
“Thank you (crowd cheers) thank you…oh, this is where I make my public service announcement…we got people from all different, all different kinds of political beliefs come, come down to our show and I like it like that, we welcome everybody…there’s been a lot of questions raised recently about the forthrightness of the government and…I guess playing with the truth during wartime has been part of both Democratic and Republican administrations in the past and it’s always wrong…never more so when there’s real lives that are at stake, I think the question of whether we were misled into the war in Iraq isn’t really a liberal or a conservative question, it’s an American question (some cheers) protecting the democracy that we ask our sons and our daughters to die for is our sacred trust and demanding accountability from our leaders when their lives are on the line is our job as citizens (crowd cheers) that’s the American way…so may the truth will out, wanna send this out tonight as a prayer for the safety of our troops in Iraq and for the peace of the Iraqi people (crowd cheers) this is “Land of Hope and Dreams”…”

Intro to “Rosalita”
“In a little café on the other side of New Jersey (crowd cheers)…”

After “Dancing in the Dark”
“Thank you, New Jersey (crowd cheers) we love you (crowd cheers)…”

^{Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi.}

Chris	Shorter than opening night show I saw but, if possible, more energy by both the band and the audience. Opening w/"Adam Raised a Caine" - what can you say but…unbelievable. And "Ties That Bind", "Two Hearts" and "Glory Days" had the crowd up. "Born to Run", "Badlands", "Promised Land", "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" and "Rosalita" of course were major highlights but one of my favorites, "Darlington County" was right up there, too. "Into The Fire" and other Rising Songs geared towards 9/11 were extremely moving and well received by the crowd and "Mary's Place" was even better this time than on opening night. Two songs that are growing on me after the 2 shows I've seen are "Waitin' On A Sunny Day" and "Dancin' In The Dark" - always liked them but something about how they come off as a concert song has given them a new "look" for me… I can't remember which song (shame on me) that Bruce, Nils and Little Steven all took a turn at brief solos, but all were on fire, to say the least. No special guests except for the fans (and my kids) who nailed every word of every song. (oh, yeah - unnamed members of the Sopranos were somewhere in the audience) and one moment worth mentioning was when the crowd, after Bruce dubbed them the "greatest house band in the land", began chanting "E Street Band, E Street Band". Perfect weather, 55,000+ fans and the greatest house band in the land was on fire.
Tom Cantillon	Night 6: Opening with Adam Raised the Cain was unbelievable. Intense, ferocious performance. Ties and Atlantic City were equally good. Darlington County helped to keep things rocking, but switching No Surrender earlier, rather than after Into the Fire, I felt did not work. My Hometown, expected, sort of brought things to a halt. Bruce needed something more powerful after Mary's Place, to feed off that energy-Backstreets, or something more grand like Incident. The nights he played Jungleland seemed to have worked the best so far. Tenth Ave. was a great way to kick off the encores — he should play that more often in encore set and drop Hungry Heart. On a different note, if people are going to go to the show and do nothing but complain the entire time about what he's playing-then just stay home! There are dozens of songs we'd all like to hear, but Bruce and band are still playing with a passion and intensity that far exceeds any other performer. Appreciate the shows — they're great and no better way to spend summer in Jersey. Also, why aren't people more into, Into the Fire? It's a song that so closely hits home and is a beautiful tribute to all the heroes on that fateful day. I love that song and when Bruce sings the last verse with the anguish in his voice, it's an overwhelming moment. Should not be a beer break song. Stay and pay tribute to the fallen and departed, they deserve it. And so does Bruce for having written such a beautiful song. It is one of the most soul-wrenching moments of the entire show and should not be so easily dismissed. So is My City of Ruins — great live song — leaves me with chills. Well, night 6 from the 6th row was pretty intense and a great show despite it's brevity. Favorite so far — 7/18 night three.
Same Ole Played Out Scenes	This was perhaps the most uninspired effort I have seen from Bruce since he was playing off Shayne Fontayne and being pelted with dice. What is up with this set list? He gets off to a rockin' start with "Adam Raised the Cain", and keeps it up pretty well with "Ties" and "Atlantic City", but do we really have to endure Worlds Apart anymore? This song should have been left of the mediocre Rising CD, and certainly has no place amongst the pantheon of Springsteen greats. With things like "Kitty's Back" and "Night" in the arsenal, he chooses to ram "My Hometown" and Tenth Ave down our throat. By the way, yesterday was my birthday; I turned 35, and I have a boy of my own now, and I STILL didn't want to hear My Hometown. Judging by the amount of people who were suddenly hit with 15 thousand simultaneous urges to take a wizz, I wasn't the only one who didn't need to hear it. And after the last tour, I don't need to hear two songs ever again live: "Tenth" and "Light of Day". Throw in "Glory Days" and "Darlington County" (which I liked up until about 9:30 last night), this show was a complete dud. I can sit through the opportunistic 9/11 BS, complete with its Sesame Street-like anthem "Waiting on a Sunny Day" ('Ice cream truck on a deserted street'???? C'mon!) I can listen to the limo liberal rant about Bush (who I happen to not care for as well,) I can put up with his being for the 'working man' schtick as he stuffs 1.8M per show (PER SHOW!!!) in his pocket while asking the very same working man to pony up about 220 bucks to take his wife to the show ($75 per ticket, 40 for a babysitter, 15 for parking and 30 more for 2 beers each) in the worst possible venue, (the good seats are 40-60 yards from the stage). But I CANNOT put up with all that and hear such a fluffy, mindless, run of the mill set list that was cut short and was at best terrible, and at worst, a complete bore. My run of Springsteen shows (now numbering over 40) is officially over. Save for the occasional Christmas Show, where I can see a REAL set list, I think I'll spend my money on things that helps the real blue collar troubadours.
Kyle Pucciarello	Finally a weekend show had arrived. Initially this was the only show that I didn't have, but I picked up two good tickets for half-off and decided that I really wanted to make it a perfect 10 for the Giants Stadium run. I brought with me on this night a friend who had never seen Bruce before but who had always wanted to. He wouldn't be disappointed. Opening with "Adam Raised a Cain" had to be the most energetic opening of the tour - absolutely incredible. The usual two-pack of "Rising" and "Lonesome Day" were followed with a wonderful "Ties that Bind" and the second surprise of the night, "Atlantic City." The way this song has transformed from an acoustic ballad on Springsteen's 1980 album "Nebraska" to the rocker it is now is one of Springsteen's great accomplishments in terms of reworking a song. "Empty Sky" and "Waitin'" were nice as always, and a great rendition of "Darlington County" kept the crowd going, the little crowd that was actually into the show. Although the show was sold out, the one problem with the Saturday show was that many seemed to be either too drunk to actually enjoy the show or were just casual fans there to talk and see just what the Boss had to offer live. This of course did not bode well for the hardcore fans, and it seemed to affect how Bruce finished out the rest of show. After the expected but always welcome "World's Apart" + "Badlands" duo, a surprise "Two Hearts" was played in the spot usually taken over by "Out in the Street" or "She's the One." Another surprise came in the fact that "No Surrender" was played next, and not saved for the final song of the main set. "Mary's Place" was followed with a very nice "My Hometown," which although may have brought the energy down after a rocking "MP," was still done wonderfully. The always great "Into the Fire" was followed by "The Promised Land," which ended the main set. So far so good on Saturday night. The first encore opened with "10th Avenue Freeze Out," a song that I had been waiting to hear for the entire stand and was very pleased to finally do so. The song was great, and a real pleasure over the elongated version from the Reunion Tour. "Glory Days" followed with "Born to Run" not far behind, and the first encore was complete. The second encore remained the same, with "Rosalita" again being the standout and still remaining one of the most enjoyable points of the show. But again, the lack of spontaneity in this second encore is something that continues to confuse me. Although the show was a little short, it was overshadowed with the fact that my friend had never experienced anything better than this, his first, Bruce concert. Seeing the smile on his face and listening to him sing the songs on the way home was enough to make this yet another special night.
Don Ochs	The Bruce Springsteen I love plays every show like his life depends on it. The Bruce Springsteen I saw at Giant's Stadium seemed to realize he was playing to the same comfortable, built-in audience that will support endless shows in the same place. Certainly the variations in the setlist were nice. I've always wanted to hear Kitty, and the Conan show raised my awareness of that song last year. And It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City takes me back a few years. Don't get me wrong, since I'll see Bruce more than once on a tour. But I really feel that Springsteen is resting on his laurels and is too comfortable with his built in followers. It feels as if he's playing more to a Star Trek convention than to a rock and roll crowd. Why should he challenge himself if he knows he has an audience who will see him at any price under any circumstance. Heck, why not just set up shop in Vegas and be like Elvis, Wayne Newton and Celine?
Kae	This was a day that would either destroy or fulfill a legend for me. It was my first ever Bruce show. In my defense, I'm only 16. Nevertheless, while the show wasn't the best (the setlist being a little lackluster, Giants Stadium being perhaps a little too impersonal a venue) I, unlike others who've submitted reports, did not fail to appreciate Bruce and the Band's effort. How can you? Why is James Brown the hardest working man in show biz? Anyone who's seen Bruce sliding across the stage, hopping up on that piano, running all over the place and — the best — doing that crazy mic stand/head stand thing — he obviously works the hardest! There is such a brotherhood amongst the band members. Like it's the coolest fraternity you could ever join. It's now October, after I've seen him at Shea, and I see now that the show wasn't the greatest — but it was worth it and it will always be dear to me as my first.

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