Steven Van Zandt will perform at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, Dec. 23.
In a show being booked as a “Holiday Homecoming,” Little Steven and his Disciples of Soul will perform at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, Dec. 23, with tickets going on sale Oct. 27 at noon.
This is not a knock against the band, which is brilliant in its own right, and should not be missed, but one does have to wonder if a Bruce Springsteen appearance is a possibility. Steven Van Zandt’s old friend and longtime Boss did make guest appearances, after all, at all three Jersey shows the band has done this year: in April at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, in May at The Basie, and in September at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel.
Dec. 23 is a Saturday, and “Springsteen on Broadway” runs from Tuesdays through Saturdays. BUT “Springsteen on Broadway” begins at 2 p.m. on Dec. 23, presumably in order to give people time to begin their holiday preparations. (The only other early starting time for “Springsteen on Broadway” is 3 p.m. for the Nov. 26 show; this is the run’s only Sunday date, scheduled to compensate for the show that Springsteen won’t be doing on Thanksgiving day).
Of course, this doesn’t guarantee that Springsteen will perform at the Red Bank show, which is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. But it does make that a possibility.
Springsteen joined the band for “It’s Been a Long Time” at all three shows, as well as “Bye Bye Johnny” (at the Paramount), “Tenth Avenue Freeze-out” (at the Basie and PNC), and “I Don’t Want to Go Home” and “Can I Get a Witness” (both at the Basie).
Van Zandt, a member of the Basie’s board of trustees, is also scheduled to host an “Underground Garage” show at the theater on Oct. 29, featuring Lucinda Williams, Jesse Malin and The Woggles.
