Scheduled: 19:30 Local Start Time ??:?? / End Time ??:??
Info & Setlist | Venue
Four premieres as the sets start to develop: "Prove It All Night", "Incident On 57th Street", "Cadillac Ranch" and "Dancing In The Dark". "Town Called Heartbreak" is in a new, full band arrangement, which is used for the remainder of its performances on the tour. "Lonesome Day", "Darlington County", and "Waitin' On A Sunny Day" are each dropped for the first time on the tour.
incl. Rehearsals.
- 2023-03-16 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 2016-02-12 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 2012-03-29 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 2012-03-28 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 2007-10-06 Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 2007-10-05 Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 2005-10-17 Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 2004-10-01 Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 2002-10-06 First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 1999-09-25 First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 1999-09-21 First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 1999-09-20 First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 1999-09-15 First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 1999-09-13 First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA
© All credits to the original photographer. We do not monetize a photo in any way, but if you want your photo to be removed, let us know, and we will remove it.
Audience tape available on CDs 'A Reason To Begin Again' (Godfather) and 'Philadelphia Magic Night' (Crystal Cat), CDR 'Philadelphia Magic Special' (Asbury Park Discs), as well as DVD (NYCBC).
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Intro to “Night”
“Are you ready for the thriller in Philly round two? (crowd cheers)….“
Intro to “Radio Nowhere”
“Is there anybody alive out there? (crowd cheers) is there anybody alive out there? (crowd cheers)….“
Intro to “Magic”
“Thank you and good evening….alright….this is the title song from our new album….I wrote this about sort of living in this Orwellian moment in time when you can make what´s true seem like a lie and what´s a lie seem true so it´s not really about magic, it´s about tricks….“
Intro to “Livin´ In The Future”
“Woo!…we are so glad to be here in your city tonight…I´m so glad to be home….home in the City of Brotherly Love….this is a song called ´Livin´ In The Future´ but it´s about what´s happening now….along with all the things that we love about America - cheeseburgers, French fries, the Constitution (crowd cheers) Clarence ´Big Man´ Clemons (crowd cheers) how did the Phillies do last night?….they´re still hanging in? (some cheers) tonight give ´em a little (?)(crowd cheers)….along with all the things that we love about the place we live, in the last six years we´ve had to add to the American picture things like illegal wiretapping….an attack on our Constitution, a rollback of civil liberties, rendition….those are the things that ain´t supposed to be happening here that are happening here now….so we plan to do something about it right now….we´re gonna sing about it….as loud as we can…..“
Intro to “Incident On 57th Street”
“Woo!….red headed women!….“
Intro to “Girls In Their Summer Clothes”
“Thank you, Philly….woo!….that´s good, oh….I just wanna mention our friends from Philabundance up here, that´s the largest foodbank and food-rescueing program in the Delaware Valley, they provide food for folks in need in ten counties, community kitchens, children´s hunger initiative, if you see Philabundance on your way out, please give them a hand, they´re out there on the frontlines doing, doing good work….(music starts)….this is for the girls!….“
Intro to “Thundercrack”
“Oh yeah….this is a song that, uh, I wrote this all the way back at the Main Point and uh (crowd cheers) it only fit a hundred people, you couldn´t´ve been there (chuckles)….so I´m gonna send this one out to all our longtime supporters, of which we are particularly fond of (?) woo, are you ready, Steve?…´
(….)(makes a sound on his guitar during the guitarless part in ´All night, all night´-part, looks around, puts his hand over his mouth, looks around again) Who did that? [grins from ear to ear, puts his hands behind his back]….“
Intro to “American Land”
“Thank you, Philly, for coming out tonight….and last night….[counts the song in, everybody misses the cue] we´ll try it again….it´s gonna work this time, I promise….“
Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi. |
Anthony | Last night was my first Bruce concert. I feel very lucky to have been there and have never seen anything like that before. I have always been a fan, but thank god I have decided to finally go to a show. The Wachovia was awesome, the crowd the songs the energy. Bruce brought something special in the air for the Philly faithful and me even though it was my first time seeing him live could feel it… I can't wait to go again. |
Cal | I have seen Bruce several times now (always in Philly and Jersey) and he never disappoints - I felt that this was the best E Street Band show I have seen since the Reunion - The new album is great and his reworking of older gems like "Reason To Believe", "Night" and "Thundercrack" were outstanding - Keep it going boys and I look forward to seeing you this summer. |
Curt | See my review from Friday night's Philly show and multiply it by 10!!! I thought Saturday's show had more sustained energy because of better song selection and and the order of material. Paying was better and kept the audience on its feet through entire show with the exception of the slower numbers. As with any Springsteen performance on his last night in Philly, he threw in some surprises, the biggest being Incident on 57th Street during the middle of the show!! The show started stronger when they blasted in to Night as the opening number, followed by Radio Nowhere and then Prove It All Night!! This 1,2,3 punch set the tone for the rest of the evening. He followed his hard rockin' version of Reason to Believe with Ties that Bind, a number I haven't heard him do in awhile - crowd loved it! Cadillac Ranch almost blew the roof off the Wachovia Center! As with Friday night, I think the best performance of his new material was with Long Walk Home, a song that builds in intensity and is performed with passion by the entire band. Promised Land and Badlands provided the inspiration and sense of revival that you can only get with a Bruce show. Girls in Summer Clothes I think will be a BIG hit for him, grows on me every time I hear it. A big highlight was Clarence, Nils, Bruce and Suzie jammin' hard together during Thundercrack. After Born to Run, kept the lights on and spiced up the encore with the hard rocking version of Dancing in the Dark. Finished again with the stompin' American Land that got the crowd in a frenzy. A GREAT weekend of Bruce and the E Street Band! Oh, Clarence's little hat adjustments right before his sax solos are a great touch too!! |
Dave | If having to listen to a sneaked-in Patti song will get you incident on 57th street, then it's all worth it. Last night's show blew the place away as the band started hitting on all cylinders from the onset. |
Kevin Mac | GOOD NIGHT, IT'S ALLLL~RIGHT JANE. And this was a good night to be in Philadelphia. I can't believe they are this solid this soon. The classic songs were killer, the gems pulled out of the bag were beyond words, and the new songs were'the new songs. You can tell he gave much thought to the pacing of the set list, knowing that to (us!) the crowd, the Magic entries could not stand up against the classics, but they could stand with them if you put them in the right place. He kind of eased us down to them, time and again. Other notes on the setlist - there was not a lot of talking, going tightly from song to song. No stories; a quick band intro at the end. There were a couple of quick politico comments, but not much. A special theme ran through the classics - lots of saxophone-heavy songs, as well as a big helping of harmonica. The big man, looking good, got a workout. I walked in wary, mindful of the start of The Rising Tour - which didn't get off to a great start with only 22 songs (11 from The Rising album - ugh) and very few if any changes during the first few shows. But then, suddenly and without warning - At 8:25 large "calliope" at least I think that's what it's called - rises from the back of the stage - as the lights go down. The calliope is churning out the melody of the Seeger Session tune. Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze (what is the Boss trying to tell us?) as the band mates take their places on the dark dark stage. As we await the opening of Radio No No! Still in the dark, we get the JACK HAMMER/MACHINE GUN opening of ?Night??then the blaring SAX as the stage is lit - and IT'S ON. 1. NIGHT. Bedlam. The energy meter is already in the red. Then - "Is there anybody alive out there?! Is there anybody REALLY alive out there!?!?!?" 2. RADIO NOWHERE. This radio has POW-ER. Then - One. Two. One Two Three Four. 3. The hammer drops on PROVE IT ALL NIGHT. As good as you've ever heard it. After those three, what's next? The Band and the Boss were feeling the love from the beginning, and giving it right back. The man once said "This is Philly. We expect excellence". Neither side was letting the other down at this point. After that, a series of energy highs and lows. As I said, you can tell he puts a lot of thought into the pacing, and the roller coaster ride he takes us on. 4 & 5. GYPSY BIKER and MAGIC. The new songs are good, but they are not balls to the wall, and they don't stand much of a chance against the first three. My very untrained ear still heard what I can best call a - different voice, a softer one used for all of the Magic songs sung after RN. But - we're only slowing down before we pick back up. Before MAGIC, he says, in reference to the White House, the song is not really about magic - it's about "tricks". 6, 7 & 8. He takes us back to the top of the mountain. Another incredible hat-trick. REASON TO BELIEVE. I had read from the earlier reviews that this was the highlight of the show, and - this was the highlight of the show (at least until a certain Incident). It was reworked with lots of blues, lots of harmonica. Ya gotta hear it. From there, we were off to the 80's (TIES) and then back to the 70's (SHE'S THE ONE) - and these three were almost as strong as the first three. So far - WOW. 9 & 10. LIVING IN THE FUTURE. He liked singing this one. Catchy tune, strong message, and he walked right up to the camera and stuck his face in it to make certain points ("My faith's been TORN asunder"), as if he was on a direct feed to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The Sha Na Na Na's at the end of the song eased into the harmonica opening of a VERY strong rendition of Promised Land. OK, take a breath. TOWN CALLED HEARTBREAK. Well, I was taught that if you don't have anything good to say - it was the first time I heard it, and I've read since that it was a new and improved version but - I like Patti, but nothing by or about her is made for the front of the stage. Sorry. But - we go right from the bottom to the gentle top of the show - Incident on 57th St. This was a true diamond for us. And they played it and he sang like they do it every night. Ahh- those Romantic Young Boys! And then- as if that weren't enough - a pause on stage before the next song - looked like an audible, but I'm not sure and I don't care. Just when you were at the highest point, you're going higher to the electric start of CADILLAC RANCH. As the great New York philosopher once said: Holy Cow! From there - where do you go from there? One shortcoming. I expected THE LAST TO DIE to be stronger, much like RN, but it was held back, especially with that 'Magic' voice. BADLANDS was on the money, but not the epic version of the Reunion Tour, BUT STILL THE MOST FEROCIOUS LIVE SONG EVER. It closes the set. The encores were strong, building from the melodic but bittersweet SUMMER CLOTHES through a long THUNDERCRACK (they were having fun up there!) into lights on for B2R. A rocking DANCING IN THE DARK picked up where it left off at the end of the Reunion Tour ("Heyyyy Baaaybeee") and the show closed with the #1 Seeger Song (although I thing Bruce wrote most of this one) AMERCIAN LAND. I think, with this song, he is tossing a "Thanks" to those who are fans of all his endeavors. Whew. 10:40 Of course, we waited, arrogant enough to think that he will do one more for Philly - maybe the next time around? Wow - sorry this was so long, but I was trying to give you an idea of what you have to look forward to. This tour was worth the wait. |
Lisa | OH MY GOD!! IT WAS AMAZING. From the first second the crowds energy and love for this band was intoxicating. Bruce gets better with every breath he takes. Prove it all night!!! Incident on 57th st., what a treat!! My throat hurts this morning from singing. Cadillac Ranch was superb Lights on… Born to Run…Ahhh Every second was perfect. |
Philly Clete | This was an unusually warm, sunny, beautiful October Saturday. A pre-show Bruce tailgate was imperative. Everything was aligned for a special show. It was just that. Being a seasoned Bruce veteran, I told my fellow tailgaters to look for a "bonus song" before 'Radio Nowhere'. A bonus song at the beginning of the show is a sign of what is to follow. Bruce opened the show with 'Night', a "bonus" song before 'Radio Nowhere'. Not only was I feeling a bit psychic, but I was ecstatic. After all, this was Philly, this was night #2 after a "standard" setlist, and we had just heard a "bonus" opening song - wow! In all, Bruce paid SEVEN different songs from the night before! 'Prove It All Night' came after 'Radio'. Wildness ensued in the crowd. 'Reason To Believe' continued to shine, with the crowd into it even more than at Philly night #1. After 'The Promised Land', Patti headlined 'Town Called Heartbreak'. I really enjoyed this song (a very nice arrangement showcasing Danny on the organ). I might be in the minority. An automatic bathroom song, only the speedy wipers returned in time for the beginning of 'Incident'. Always a Philly favorite, it was beautiful. The band nailed it. I think that Bruce must have appreciated the audience response to 'Incident', so he audibled 'Cadillac Ranch'. My daughter, Holly, who has been wishing to see this performed live for years, finally got her wish. It was rollicking, raucous, messy, and GREAT. At one point, Bruce announced a solo from Steve, who was not prepared. He quickly ramped up to speed, and the party song continued. As the band was beginning the chorus in the middle of the song, Bruce said "Let the people do it" - and we did. Huge highlight - Bruce had everyone up and dancing. BTW: the setlist had 'Sunny Day' in this spot. This show was both intense and fun - Philly shows are nothing if not fun. Bruce is always so relaxed here, and it shows. Tonight, when Bruce broke into 'Thundercrack', the crowd went even more nuts than night one. Singing, chanting, dancing in the crowd everywhere you looked. At one point during the song, while Bruce and the audience were trading "all night" chants, someone hit a stray guitar note. Bruce made the most of it by yelling "who did that?" - and looking at each band member. I'm not sure who it was. In the middle (if there is a middle to this song) Bruce, Nils and Suzie were at stage front jamming for an eternity. By this point the crowd had been worked into a frenzy (I checked the YouTube video to confirm this). The frenzy never stopped until the show ended - it was so great to be a part of the experience. At the end of the song Bruce simply said, "Thanks, Philly" After 'Born To Run', with house light still on came the rocking version of 'Dancing In The Dark', replacing 'Sunny' from the prior night. This was a great switch, as it kept the frenzy going. 'American Land' finished the show. The crowd energy never stopped, even though the majority of concertgoers had never heard this song before. A fabulous show filled with highlights and special "Philly" trademarks. As I ALWAYS say, I am so lucky to be from Philadelphia, home of Bruce Springsteen's greatest shows. |
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