Bono and Bruce Springsteen, performing together in 1987.
There has always been a strong bond between U2 and Bruce Springsteen. There are obvious similarities in their musical philosophies and, if you have any doubt, keep in mind that U2’s Bono inducted Springsteen into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, and Springsteen did the honors for U2 in 2005.
While Springsteen will share the stage with U2, minus Bono, tonight, he has occasionally performed with the entire band over the years. The first time he did it was in 1987, when he sang and played guitar on “Stand by Me” at a U2 concert at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia.
“I guess you guys know him,” said Bono when Springsteen took the stage. “Is he a local boy or something?”
Springsteen has performed the 1960 Ben E. King hit occasionally over the years, mostly at benefits and surprise small-club appearances, and never at a E Street Band concert.
Bono is wearing a sling in the clip below, by the way, because he had dislocated his arm when he fell off the stage at a previous tour stop in Washington, D.C.
New Jersey celebrated its 350th birthday from Sept. 2014 to Sept. 2015. And in the 350 Jersey Songs series, we marked the occasion by posting 350 songs — one a day, for almost a year — that have something to do with the state, its musical history, or both. The complete list is here.
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