Bruce Springsteen is one of the most iconic and beloved rock musicians of all time. Nicknamed “The Boss”, Springsteen rose to fame in the 1970s and still continues to fill stadiums and release new music today. When Springsteen goes on tour, his concerts are known for being long, high-energy performances often lasting over 3 hours. Naturally, fans are curious if there will be an opening act to kick off the show before Springsteen takes the stage. The answer varies depending on the tour.
History of Springsteen’s Opening Acts
Over his decades-long career, Springsteen has had various talented musicians open for him in concerts across the globe. Some notable opening acts he has had include U2, Phish, Pearl Jam, John Fogerty, and Arcade Fire. In many cases, Springsteen likes to highlight rising stars or bands with a similar Heartland rock style. Opening for Springsteen gives up-and-coming artists great exposure, allowing them to play their music in front of crowds of over 50,000 people in massive stadiums.
During Springsteen’s iconic Born in the U.S.A. Tour from 1984-1985, he notably did not have any direct opening act. This allowed him and the E Street Band to play especially long sets going over 30 songs. The Born in the U.S.A. Tour established Springsteen as a global superstar. He went from playing mid-level venues to selling out arenas and stadiums around the world. However, most Springsteen tours before and after this featured opening acts.
Recent Opening Acts
On Springsteen’s recent tours over the last decade, he has continued to include opening acts on the bill. Here are some of the most notable ones:
Wrecking Ball Tour (2012-2013)
– Main opening act: The Gaslight Anthem – An American rock band from New Jersey. Their sound has been influenced by Springsteen which made them an apt choice. They went on to play over 45 shows opening for The Boss on this tour.
High Hopes Tour (2014)
– Main opening act: The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – A California-based rock band with a bluesy, garage rock sound. They opened 30+ shows on the first leg of the High Hopes Tour.
– Other opening acts: The Hold Steady, Against Me!
The River Tour (2016-2017)
– Main opening act: Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers – Grushecky is a Pittsburgh-based American rock singer-songwriter who is a friend and longtime collaborator of Springsteen. The Houserockers opened for the North American leg of the tour.
– Other opening acts: E Street Band Members – During other legs Springsteen had members of his E Street Band open the show by performing short solo sets. People like Nils Lofgren and Soozie Tyrell got the honors.
Springsteen on Broadway (2017-2018)
For this historic Broadway residency at an intimate theater, there was no opening act. Springsteen performed the entire 2 hour + show himself each night telling stories and singing songs accompanied only by piano and guitar.
Does Springsteen Have an Opening Act on Current Tour?
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are currently on The 2023 Tour which began in February in the United States and will continue overseas until July.
So far, there has not been a consistent opening act on this tour. The shows have simply featured shorter sets directly from Springsteen and his band.
However, at a few stops there have been special guest openers. For example, at the tour launch in Tampa, FL, Springsteen brought out legendary singer-songwriter John Fogerty to open the show with a short set of Creedence Clearwater Revival classics like “Proud Mary” and “Fortunate Son”.
It seems Springsteen is choosing to have fellow icons and friends as surprise guests open on select nights rather than having one standard supporting act throughout the tour. Fans heading to upcoming shows in cities across the U.S. and Europe may want to arrive on time to potentially catch one-off performances from other special guests.
Why Springsteen May Not Need an Opening Act
At this stage in his career, Bruce Springsteen does not really need an opening act to attract fans or warmup the audience. His shows consistently sell out arenas and stadiums even if he does not have a supporting performer. Promoters know that Springsteen’s name and reputation alone will pack seats.
Springsteen and his legendary E Street Band can easily carry a 3+ hour show themselves. He has an exhaustive catalog of hits to choose from that span over 40 years. Springsteen is known for delivering marathon performances, leaving everything on stage and exhausting himself and the band. He prides himself on providing audiences their money’s worth without necessarily needing a hype man or opening act beforehand.
Of course when he does invite special guests like John Fogerty to open a show, it makes for an incredibly special night for fans. But Springsteen does not rely on an opening band to help sell tickets or set the mood. His concert experience stands on its own.
What to Expect at a Springsteen Concert
If you are attending an upcoming Springsteen concert, you can expect an epic marathon performance, even if no opening act is scheduled. Here are some tips for the show:
Length
Be prepared for a long night! Springsteen is known for his three+ hour concerts jam packed with hits old and new. There are no intermissions or breaks. The show just keeps rocking all night.
Energy
Springsteen has incredible stamina and passion on stage, running, dancing, and leaping around the entire time. Despite being in his 70s, he moves around with more energy than artists a fraction of his age. The crowds are usually on their feet dancing and singing along all night with The Boss.
Song Selection
A Springsteen setlist can include anything from his 20+ album catalog. You will likely hear smash hits like “Born to Run”, “Dancing in the Dark” and “Born in the U.S.A.” but also deeper cuts and rare songs. Every show is different. He keeps his hardcore fans on their toes.
Special Guests
There is a chance Springsteen may bring out unannounced special guest performers, especially if the tour does not have an official opening act. At any given show, you might see members of the E Street Band do solo sets, or have legends like John Fogerty come out. Springsteen is known to make his concerts feel like epic events.
Connect with the Audience
During the show, Springsteen frequently addresses the crowd to tell stories, share thoughts, and connect with his fans between songs. Part of the magic of his shows is feeling like you are at a large party with friends rather than a distant stadium concert.
Setlist from Recent 2023 Tour Show (March 9 in Denver, CO)
To give an idea of the length, song selection, and performance order at Springsteen’s current shows, here is the complete setlist from his concert on March 9, 2023 in Denver, Colorado:
Act 1
1. No Surrender
2. Letter to You
3. The Promised Land
4. Out in the Street
5. Candy’s Room
6. She’s the One
7. I Wanna Be With You
8. The E Street Shuffle
9. Johnny 99
10. Last Man Standing
11. House of a Thousand Guitars
12. Backstreets
13. Because the Night
14. Brilliant Disguise
15. Thunder Road
Act 2
1. Burnin’ Train
2. Prove It All Night
3. Livin’ in the Future
4. The River
5. Point Blank
6. Working on the Highway
7. Downbound Train
8. I’m Goin’ Down
9. Glory Days
10. Dancing in the Dark
11. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
12. Born to Run
Encore:
1. Born in the U.S.A.
2. Bobby Jean
3. I’ll See You in My Dreams
Setlist Analysis
A few things stand out from looking at this recent setlist:
– Very long show, over 3 hours with no break
– Draws from many eras of Springsteen’s catalog
– Mix of smash hits and deeper album cuts
– High energy rockers balanced out with some more poignant ballads
– Crowd pleasers like “Dancing in the Dark” and “Born to Run” saved for end of main set
– Iconic songs like “Born in the U.S.A” and “Bobby Jean” used to close out encore
This set is representative of the diversity in song selection, performance order, and boundless energy Springsteen still delivers each night. It shows how he and the E Street Band can carry a full concert on their own without necessarily needing an opening act.
How Opening Acts for Springsteen Get Selected
When Springsteen does feature supporting acts on tour, how does he select them? There are a few key factors:
Up and Coming Acts
Springsteen enjoys shining a spotlight on new bands that are rising in popularity and building their careers. Opening for him gives unknown bands major exposure right away playing for tens of thousands of people a night.
Musical Style
Most acts he selects have a sound complementary to Springsteen’s heartland rock style. Gritty rock bands with some Americana influence tend to be a good fit. However, he sometimes goes in a different direction for contrast like opening with the pop-synth band Fun. in 2012.
Personal Relationships
Springsteen frequently opens shows with friends or previous collaborators. Fellow New Jersey musicians like The Gaslight Anthem or Joe Grushecky have opened when they already had a connection to Bruce. Having a personal relationship first leads to musical cohesiveness.
Geography
Springsteen aims to open with bands from the same region he’s playing that the local audiences will recognize. When touring Europe, he picks buzzworthy European acts. In America, he may choose newcomers from the very city he’s performing in that night to give them an extra special hometown show.
Manager and Label Input
Finally, Springsteen’s management team and record label may make suggestions or requests for certain up and coming bands they want to promote using his tour exposure. Ultimately Springsteen makes the final call, but professionals in the industry recommend acts to him as well.
Revenue Generated as Springsteen’s Opening Act
Just how much can an opening band earn playing a full tour with Springsteen? Let’s consider some hypothetical scenarios:
Stadium Tour (60 shows)
If an act scored the opening spot for a major 60 show Springsteen stadium tour they could potentially earn:
– Average Springsteen ticket price = $150
– Average attendance = 45,000 fans
– Total gross revenue per show = $6,750,000
– Assume opening act gets 10% of gross revenue per show
– So the opening act makes approximately $675,000 per show
– Over 60 shows = $40,500,000 total
Obviously this is a very prosperous scenario if an upstart band can land such an extensive touring spot right out of the gate. Even a shorter 20 show run at smaller venues could earn an opener $5 – 10 million.
One Off Shows
For established bands or guests playing just 1 or 2 opening nights on a tour, they won’t see paydays quite as grand. The pay for these spot dates would be a smaller fixed fee likely in the mid 5-figures for major artists, or the low 5-figures for smaller artists. Still a nice bonus paycheck for acts who typically headline their own tours.
Springsteen can deliver huge exposure and earnings upside even for newcomers playing just a handful of opening slots. It’s an invaluable opportunity to gain new fans on tour with The Boss.
Most Suitable 2023 Opening Acts for Springsteen
If Springsteen wanted to add a consistent opening band for the remaining dates on his 2023 tour, who are some artists that would make sense? Here are a few recommendations:
Marcus King
A fast-rising 26 year old blues rock guitarist from South Carolina drawing comparisons to Stevie Ray Vaughan. His debut album “El Dorado” was nominated for a Best Rock Album Grammy in 2020. King’s high energy live shows and Southern rock guitar prowess would warm up crowds for Springsteen well.
Orville Peck
The mysterious masked Canadian country singer would bring an indie/alt-country sound Springsteen fans may enjoy before the headliner takes the stage. Peck’s recently released his 2nd album “Bronco” to critical acclaim and has quickly built a cult following with his unique look, voice, and style.
The War On Drugs
This Philadelphia-based band has described their sound as “Springsteen meets synth”. Their atmospheric rock style that blends Americana songwriting with dreamy synths would mesh nicely into a Springsteen set. The War on Drugs broke through to mainstream success with their 2017 Grammy winning album “A Deeper Understanding”.
Maggie Rogers
Rogers is a rising 28 year old singer-songwriter known for her infectious pop/folk anthems. She adds a dose of fun energy that would get the crowd excited for Springsteen. Rogers became an overnight sensation after a video went viral of Pharrell Williams giving an emotional masterclass response to her song “Alaska”. She’s since released a major label debut and headlined arenas herself.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
This Denver-based soul/R&B group broke out in 2015 with their massive hit “S.O.B” and have been building momentum ever since. Their vintage sound heavily inspired by 60s/70s Stax Records and early rock n’ roll would make them work well as an opener for Springsteen and E Street Band’s old school rock vibes.
Past Opening Acts Say Touring with Springsteen was Career Highlight
For any artist, being asked to open for Springsteen is an incredible career milestone. Past supporting acts have called it a surreal honor. Here are some quotes:
The Gaslight Anthem lead singer Brian Fallon
On playing 45+ shows opening Springsteen’s 2012 Wrecking Ball Tour:
“It was an absolute gift…the chance to be on tour with someone you looked up to your whole life was the greatest feeling ever.”
Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready
On opening a string of shows on Springsteen’s 2003 Rising Tour:
“You can’t get any bigger than Bruce Springsteen…Just being on the same stage that he commanding is an amazing feeling. It’s a highlight not just of Pearl Jam’s career but my career. Like ‘I got to jam with that dude!’”
Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio
On opening for Springsteen in 1999 & 2009:
“It was one of those moments where you have to pinch yourself and ask if it’s real…Bruce has been one of my biggest heroes for as long as I can remember. It was incredible.”
Clearly being asked by Springsteen himself to join a tour is a surreal moment and true badge of honor these artists will never forget. Their quotes show just how meaningful and special it is.
Conclusion
Bruce Springsteen has collaborated with everyone from U2 to Pearl Jam to open his tours over the decades. While in 2023 he is mostly performing his marathon concerts without a direct supporting act, he is still drawing powerhouse special guests like John Fogerty. Springsteen does not necessarily need an opening band to excite the crowd himself after 50 years on stage. But when he does choose an opener, it’s a career and financial boon delivering them bucket list moments and mass exposure right out of the gate. Any artist with the grit, energy, and songwriting to even partially match Springsteen’s appeal would be lucky to earn his stamp of approval as tourmate. Joining “The Boss” on stage ensures your career will be forever boss too.
