Who said Bruce is one-dimensional? One week he kicks serious butt with Joe Grushecky, and a few weeks later, on April 4, he'll be performing from the Rodgers and Hammerstein songbook at a benefit for John Steinbeck's widow Elaine Steinbeck at the Bay Street Theater in New York. If you don't know who Rodgers and Hammestein are, they were the production team behind such musical classics as Oklahoma and Annie Get Your Gun. The reason for the show to be centered around this kind of tunes is that John Steinbeck once was the stage manager for Oklahoma on Broadway. Read more

   

Finally some action again. Last night (Monday) Bruce took the stage with Joe Grushecky at Nick's Fat City in Pittsburgh. He came on more than an hour into the show, but allegedly jammed for two. You have to look elsewhere for a set list, but he did play on songs like "Murder Incorporated", "Ramord", "Light of Day" and "Brown Eyed Girl". There's a rumor that this was just the first in a series of guest appearances by Bruce on Grushecky's current tour, and that the "October Assault" of 1995 will be repeated, only this time it will be a "March Assault". Perhaps this is a bit far-fetched, but one can only hope Bruce wants to get back in shape for a tour of his own as was the case in 1995. Rumor does suggest that something may be imminent. In other news, Bruce is mentioned in connection with yet another tribute album, this time in honor of Woody Guthrie. The album will be a live album from the Guthrie tribute concert that Bruce participated in back in September 1996, and the Bruce tracks will most likely be "Tom Joad" (Guthrie's "Tom Joad" that is) and "Car Car". The album is set for release in the summer and is the initiative of Ani DiFranco. Read more

   

Bruce didn't relax for long after the Basie show a week ago. Last night, Friday, he performed at Tradewinds with Steve Earle for six songs: "Sweet Virginia", "Dead Flowers", "Guitar Town", "I Ain't Ever Satisfied", "Johnny Come Lately", the two first-mentioned being by the Rolling Stones. This is the first time these two stars have performed together and it's definitely a stellar combination. Steve Earle is writing about many of the same things as Bruce and is a great live performer. Read more

   

According to all accounts last night's show was a killer. All artists were clearly "on" and seemed to have the time of their lives. You can find a report from the Asbury Park Press here. No set list has been reported yet (at least not one we have access to), but it would be a good guess that the show went pretty much as rehearsed. Bruce did play both "Backstreets", "Born to Run", "Tenth Avenue", and even added an unrehearsed "Thunder Road" to close the show Read more

   

Rehearsals for the Patric King Benefit tomorrow night (Saturday), took place on Thursday night. Bruce, Bon Jovi, Little Steven, Max Weinberg, Bobby Bandiera, Southside Johnny, Clarence Clemons and others were on stage and went through a long set list featuring the artists' own songs along with cover versions of others. The Bruce songs performed were the following: "Two Hearts", "10th Avenue Freeze-Out", "The Promised Land", "Bobby Jean", "Backstreets", "Badlands" and "Born to Run". Bruce also shared the mike on several others. Altogether, certainly an interesting choice of songs. If "Backstreets" is played at the concert tomorrow it will be its first public airing since the Tunnel of Love Express Tour in 1988. Read more

   

According to ICE Magazine Bruce will contribute a track to the upcoming Pete Seeger tribute album. The track is "We Shall Overcome", and Bruce allegedly put a big production behind it using a 9-piece band including Patti Scialfa and Soozie Tyrell. The album, which will be a double, is due on March 17. Read more

   

Did Bruce have an album rejected by his record company? So the word goes in the rumor mill. According to this, Sony wasn't thrilled at all when Bruce turned up with The Ghost of Tom Joad Vol. II instead of a fullblown rock album and potential seller. Remember, this is just a rumor, but if it's true it might be really serious. The record company restricting Bruce's artistic freedom can only lead to one thing: one pissed Bruce! Followed by a breakup. Unfortunately, it may also seriously delay any new album. In other news, Bruce is a very likely participant in an upcoming benefit for the family of police sergeant Patric King, who was killed last year. The show is the initiative of Jon Bon Jovi who has invited many Jersey musicians to perform, including Bruce. It will take place on January 31 at Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, N.J. Tickets are soldout Read more

   

Bruce has performed on at least three occasions in December. First on the 7th at the Kennedy Centre Honors which was a tribute to Bob Dylan. Here Bruce did a rather rough version of "The Times They Are a-Changin'". Snippets of the performance have been shown on various news broadcasts, but the whole thing will be aired on December 26th on CBS. The next time Bruce appeared on a public stage was at a Joe Grushecky show on December 13 at Cheers. Bruce played on two songs "Homestead" and "Never Be Enough Time". Allegedly his participation was very subdued. He only played acoustic guitar and actually sat on a stool. The third time was three days later, only this time it wasn't at a public stage, but at his own Christmas party where he helped the house band (fronted by Bobby Bandiera) on lots of rocking Christmas tunes. Yeah, we would have liked to be there too, but we couldn't make it. Which was probably just as well, because we weren't invited. By the way, as a matter of form, even though you all have probably known this a long time... Bruce did not show up at the Hungerthon benefit. Surprise! Read more

   

On November 20, many of the artists that appeared on the double release One Step Up/Two Steps Back will perform together at Beacon Theatre in New York for a benefit for the World Hunger Year. The concert, which is also called Hungerthon 97, at the same time looks like it's going to be a tribute to Bruce Springsteen. The night will feature such names as Southside Johnny, Nils Lofgren and the Max Weinberg Seven. Bruce himself has also been invited to perform, but no word yet as to whether he'll show up. Tickets cost a $100, and all buyers will get a free copy of One Step Up/Two Steps Back. Read more

   

Bruce is going to contribute "Streets of Philadelphia" to the upcoming Diana tribute double CD which is set for release on December 1. Apart from Bruce the participiants are all the obvious: Sting, Elton John, Eric Clapton plus many others. So unless you want to support the good cause or just have to listen to two hours of tearjerkers, this is one you can easily skip. Apart from that there are no real news. Still rumors of November shows at Paramount Theatre in Asbury though. Bruce allegedly booked the venue, but is undecided as to whether or not he wants to use it. Or rather, the decicion is still a secret. Read more