Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Bruce Springsteen @ LA Sports Arena , 10/29
()
The Boss has been my favorite my whole life, the soundtrack to my life if you will. Born to Northeasterners and brought up in the eighties, I knew that Bruce was it. I even wrote my fifth grade Social Studies report on him after we were assigned to choose an “Amazing Americans”. My teacher didn’t get it.
That’s why last night was so special for me, seeing Bruce in concert is an experience everyone, whether they’re fans or not should have, because THAT is what a rock and roll concert is about – appreciating your fans by giving them more than their moneys worth, and making them feel inspired for days after.
Springsteen, now pushing sixty years old and his loyal and talented E Street Band all senior citizens as well, played the Sports Arena last night. His performance made me forget about the insane traffic and closed parking lots on the way, it made me forget about my terrible seats and the long line to go pee. Really, it made me forget about everything bad that ever happened in the entire world ever. EVER.
Support for LAist comes from
Exploding on stage with “Radio Nowhere” a song off his new album Magic, everyone was out of their seats and stayed that way the majority of the show. Magic is a great record, harkening back to his early days of romantic stories about working class folks, but now Bruce has the authority to get a little political on us which he did with “Living in the Future” another track off Magic. Bruce knows his fans and knows what they want and throughout the over two hour performance mixed it up with new songs off Magic and old classics like “She’s the One”, “Candy’s Room” and one of the highlights of the night – a nostalgic and powerful rendition of “Backstreets”. Bruce didn’t leave out “Lonesome Day” and a fist pumping, chills on your arms, version of “The Rising” off the The Rising album, written in response to 9/11. Patti Scialfa, his wife and member of the band, joined Bruce for a duet and the E Streeters were all on the top of their game, especially Stevie Van Zandt, singing into Bruce’s mike with him and squirming around on stage per usual. The first closing was to “Badlands” and then came the encore which included “Girls in Their Summer Clothes” one of the prettiest songs off Magic, his staple “Born to Run” and perfectly 80’s sounding “Dancing in the Dark” which had everyone doing their best Courtney Cox impression. Ok fine, maybe that was just me.
What is comes down to is this- Bruce IS an “Amazing American” like my fifth grade teacher assigned – he’s the epitome of patriotism. He loves America, enough to write songs about political and social change, and of course play a mind blowing show night after night for all of us. He’s playing a second show tonight and although it is sold out, word on the street is that Craigslist has been posting some pretty cheap prices. It’s worth it!
Bruuuuuuuuuuce!
Setlist after the jump
Radio Nowhere
No Surrender
Lonesome Day
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason to Believe
Candy's Room
She's the One
Livin' in the Future
The Promised Land
Town Called Heartbreak
Backstreets
Working on the Highway
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
* * *
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Thundercrack
Born to Run
Dancing in the Dark
American Land
photo by jon bando via flickr
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Isolated showers can still hit the L.A. area until Friday as remnants from the tropical storm move out. -
First aspiring spectators must register online, then later in 2026 there will be a series of drawings. -
It's thanks to Tropical Storm Mario, so also be ready for heat and humidity, and possibly thunder and lightning. -
![A Black woman sits at a dais with a flag in the background. A name placard in front of her reads: Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kell[um].](https://scpr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5425437/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6298x3897+0+0/resize/640x396!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscpr-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F00%2Febed9a7a4fbd9e5ba12997e51d59%2Fgettyimages-1258669633.jpg)
L.A. County investigators have launched a probe into allegations about Va Lecia Adams Kellum and people she hired at the L.A. Homeless Services Authority. -
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass suspended a state law allowing duplexes, calling more housing unsafe. But in Altadena, L.A. County leaders say these projects could be key for rebuilding. -
This measure on the Nov. 4, 2025, California ballot is part of a larger battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year.
![A Black woman sits at a dais with a flag in the background. A name placard in front of her reads: Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kell[um].](https://scpr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/45c201e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6298x3894+0+0/resize/786x486!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscpr-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F00%2Febed9a7a4fbd9e5ba12997e51d59%2Fgettyimages-1258669633.jpg)
Best of LAist