A couple of years ago an organization in New Jersey tried to get Bruce to run for senate. Now a new petition will attempt to have Bruce perform at Giants Stadium on September 1, the same day the Republican is scheduled to hold their convention to officially nominate President Bush for a second term. The promoter of the draft campaign, Andrew Rasiej, says he hopes Bruce will lead the music industry in coming together to perform a "concert for change". Go to www.draftbruce.com to read more and sign the petition. Read more

   

For people outside the US who can't pick up the various TV shows where Patti Scialfa is promoting her new album, you can now watch her performance on the Today Show from Tuesday by opening this link. The clip also contains an interview with Patti and briefly shows Bruce in the background. Read more

   

Patti Scialfa made her first solo TV appearance since 1993 last night on the David Letterman Show performing a song from her new album, 23rd Street Lullaby, which was released today. In the audience and accompanying her to and from the Ed Sullivan Theater, you could see a certain Bruce Springsteen. Check the pictures here. This morning Patti could be seen on the TV screen again when she made an appearance on the Today Show. If you want to keep up to date with her activities don't forget to check the official Patti Scialfa website where you can also hear excerpts from 23rd Street Lullaby. Read more

   

If you have an extra $15,000 lying around you can be the proud owner of a Springsteen signed reissue 1952 Fender guitar. The guitar is being auctioned off on www.charityfolks.com, and the money from the auction will benefit Doubletake Magazine. The auction can be seen here. Read more

   

In an unusual step Bruce has openly gone out and supported the anti-Bush forces in the American election. Yesterday the news section on his official website at www.brucespringsteen.net was graced with a complete transcript of a speech held by former Democratic vice-president Al Gore and a word of support by Bruce himself. It should come as no surprise that Bruce doesn't agree very much with President Bush, but it's the first time during this election campaign he has so offiically and bluntly chosen sides and thereby taken the risk to alienate many of his fans. Read more

   

Though the Palace may have been torn down - that much is certain - according to the asburypark.net, the Tillie face will be cut out from the walls and saved. How and when this is going to happen is not clear, but go read the article yourself. Read more

   

A new magazine devoted to the "search for intelligent nightlife" has seen the light of day in New Jersey. Focused not least on Asbury Park and other Jersey Shore entertainment centers, Upstage magazine is a guide to music, theatre, film, dance, art, and more, but you will also find articles and columns by some of the most respected writers on Jersey Shore cultural life like Bob Makin and Gary Wien. The magazine is connected to the Jersey Shore Music Association and in the current issue talks about the association's plans to revive the Upstage Club where Bruce hung out in the very early Seventies. Check out the new magazine at www.upstagemagazine.com. Read more

   

Clarence "Big Man" Clemons seems to be long past his celibat days. Last Saturday he married Chinese citizen Dr. Meng Yanhong in a ceremony in China. Clarence's new wife has actually lived in Dublin up till now, but is now applying for residence permit in the United States. Dr. Meng Yanhong is Clarence's third wife. In the early Eighties he also went though a religious period that included celebacy, something he talked about on the Howard Stern show around 1993. Only time will show if the new connection to China will lead Bruce to expand his usual touring pattern to that part of the world. Read more

   

From June 16 to August 29 the Newark Museum will host the Troubadour of the Highway exhibition. The exhibition was organized by Colleen Sheehy in 2002 and has been shown in Minnesota, Detroit and Seattle. It mostly consists of photos of Bruce and the highways that inspired much of his work. Among the photo artists who contributed pictures to the exhibit, you will find Annie Leibowitz, Lynn Goldsmith, Pam Springsteen, Frank Stefanko, and several others. If you live in the area, don't miss it. Read more. Read more

   

This morning workers began demolishing Palace Amusements in Asbury Park. The building has been a landmark in Asbury Park in most of a century, but in recent years it has been in danger of collapsing. The fact that it hasn't been torn down until now is actually a surprise, but owes not least to the Save Tillie organization which has been trying to save the building or at least the Tillie face that embelished the front of the building. Neither has been achieved, and as of today the thousands of Springsteen fans who visit Asbury Park every year will no longer be greeted by the smiling face and the neon green walls. A sad day indeed.
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