Bruce Springsteen gets his own day in New Jersey; wraps first leg of U.S. tour

Bruce Springsteen gets his own day in New Jersey; wraps first leg of U.S. tour
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Bruce Springsteen is being honored by his native New Jersey.

Governor Phil Murphy has declared The Boss’ birthday, September 23, will officially be known as Bruce Springsteen Day in the Garden State.

In announcing the news, Murphy noted, “Bruce Springsteen is one of the most iconic and influential musicians – and New Jerseyans – of all time, period.”

The declaration came a day after Springsteen and The E Street Band wrapped the first leg of their North American tour at New Jersey’s Prudential Center, with a set that featured two special songs.

Bruce opened the night with the Lucky Town track “Local Hero,” appropriate for a man playing his home state. The performance marked the first time he played the song on this tour, and the first time it’s been played since 2013.

Springsteen also added a cover of the Tom Waits classic “Jersey Girl,” another tour debut. Previously, Bruce hadn’t played the track with the E Street Band since 2016.

While the Prudential show was the final concert of this leg, Bruce will be back in the States for another set of shows kicking off August 9 and 10 in Chicago, with dates confirmed through December. But up next, he and the band head over to Europe for a run beginning April 28 in Barcelona, Spain.

A full list of tour dates can be found at BruceSpringsteen.net.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.