It’s Been A Long Time: Little Steven Back at The Pony With Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
Past and present collided at Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ annual Fourth of July weekend appearance Saturday night at the Stone Pony, complete with moving tributes to several deceased fixtures of the Shore scene and a rare guest appearance by E Street’s own Little Steven Van Zandt.
The Jukes led off the night (broadcast live on Sirius XM radio) with a performance of Steven’s seminal Men Without Women album. After a brief introduction from Southside Johnny, the sold-out crowd was treated to a performance of the classic Disciples of Soul album that featured many of the original participants, including Stan Harrison, Ed Manion, Mark Pender and La Bamba (clad in original Disciples jacket), as well as two of the original three Jukettes, Soozie Tyrell and Lisa Lowell.
Men Without Women Comes Alive
From “Lyin’ in a Bed of Fire” to “I’ve Been Waiting,” Southside Johnny, the Jukes and guests tackle the Little Steven classic Saturday night. Perhaps not since Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ storied Memorial Day Weekend shows back in 1976 has a Stone Pony show been so hotly anticipated as tomorrow night…
Tango Till You Sore!
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On April 24 the Two River Theater in Red Bank will host some real New Jersey greats: Southside Johnny and LaBamba’s Big Band. They’ll be performing songs from their long-awaited CD, Grapefruit Moon: The Songs of Tom Waits. Don’t miss a rare chance to see this fantastic collaboration live, in what’s likely the perfect venue (where Springsteen taped his VH1 Storytellers special) for intimacy and acoustics. Tickets on sale now!
Source: Backstreets.com
Back at the Basie
BACK AT THE BASIE WITH BANDIERA, BONDS, BON JOVI, & MR. GRINCH – DEC. 22. 2008: Springsteen drops in to wish Red Bank crowd a Merry Christmas, Baby!
It’s all cold down along the beach… the wind’s whipping down the boardwalk… and it’s freezing in Red Bank, where Bruce showed up tonight to bring some extra warmth to the newly renovated Count Basie Theatre. Just as in 2006, with no area holiday shows of his own, Springsteen chose to join in the festivities at Bobby Bandiera’s Hope Concert.
On the bill with Bandiera’s Jersey Shore Rock-N-Soul Revue were Tim McLoone and the Shirleys, Brian Fallon, Nicole Atkins, Gary U.S. Bonds, Southside Johnny, and Jon Bon Jovi; Springsteen’s surprise appearance came at the end of the night, as he joined the house band and a few of the bill-toppers for a few Christmas songs, two classic covers, and one of his own.
The night’s format had crossover between artist’s sets: Gary U.S. Bonds (after notably performing Bruce’s “Action in the Street”) was joined by Southside Johnny for “This Little Girl” to segue into Southside’s set; Johnny was joined on his last song by Jon Bon Jovi for “This Time It’s For Real.” When it came to Bon Jovi’s last song, out came Springsteen to back him up on “Run Run Rudolph,” playing lead guitar and hollering backup on the final chorus.
“Happy holidays!” said Bruce, otherwise a man of few words tonight. (Leave the quotables to Southside: “I’d wish you a merry Christmas, but it would be out of character” and “I get so sentimental, I have to drink myself into oblivion.”) Springsteen opened his own set with a doubleshot of his holiday B-sides, “Merry Christmas, Baby” followed by “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” Southside — “Mr. Grinch” — joined in on the latter, and LaBamba came downstage to take Clarence’s part, “you better be good for goodness’ sake.” (LaBamba and Mark Pender brought the horn section headcount to eight for Bruce’s set.)
After Bruce went it alone on “634-5789,” Bon Jovi came back out to split the vocals on “Tenth Avenue.” And a final encore, as Springsteen was joined by Southside, singing lead, and Bonds for a rousing “Havin’ a Party.” Weather outside: frightful. Inside: plenty hot.
Source: BACKSTREETS.COM



