Bruce Springsteen wraps up benefit concert stand

Fronting a rotating assemblage of New Jersey musical royalty, Bruce Springsteen performed the second of a pair of surprise holiday shows at Asbury Park's Convention Hall on Monday (12/18).

The shows, announced just last Tuesday, brought Springsteen's 1999-2000 tour activity full circle, as the E Street Band reunion tour was launched with a similar two-show stand at the same venue in March of 1999.

Sunday and Monday's concerts were built around the core lineup of Springsteen, E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg and the Max Weinberg 7, Springsteen's wife Patti Scialfa, and back-up singers Soozie Tyrell and Lisa Lowell. Advertised "friends" included the rest of the E Street Band, local favorites Southside Johnny and Bobby Bandiera, and on Sunday, Springsteen manager Jon Landau on guitar, according to eyewitness reports.

On message boards and mailing lists, longtime Springsteen followers lauded the rare performance of 70's-era staples "Rosalita," "For You," "E Street Shuffle" and the jazzy "Kitty's Back," the latter of which hasn't surfaced in a Springsteen set since 1978. The shows also featured a new song, reportedly titled "My City of Ruins," and the live debut of another 70's-era song titled "So Young and In Love," which emerged from the recording vaults via Springsteen's 1998 rarities collection, "Tracks."

Springsteen used the center third of the set, which remained the same both nights, to showcase the vocalists that shared the stage with him. Patti Scialfa, Southside Johnny, Little Steven and Nils Lofgren each took turns at the microphone, performing their own material backed by the Max Weinberg 7.

Ticket auctions run by the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce raised nearly $63,000, which, on top of regular ticket proceeds, will be divided among eight local charities.

[Editor's note 12/20: Readers note that although "So Young and In Love" was never known to be performed live in its current form, an early version of the song, then referred to as "A Love So Fine" was performed at some 1975 concerts.]

Set List, both nights (source: Backstreets.com):