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Ithaca resident David Levine first saw Bruce Springsteen perform live in 1979 at Cornell University, which is when he became a “Springsteen fan.” Over four decades later, David made the hour-long trip to Syracuse with his wife Deb Levine to see Springsteen in action once again.

“This is my first Springsteen concert,” Deb said. “It took me a long time because he just seemed too popular to me, but over the years, as I listened to David’s music, I’ve learned to love Springsteen too.”

David and Deb joined thousands of attendees who saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform at the JMA Wireless Dome Thursday after their original performance was delayed for approximately eight months. Springsteen and the E Street Band originally scheduled their show for September 7 but delayed it due to Springsteen needing to be treated for symptoms of peptic ulcer disease.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Springsteen wrote on Sept. 6 he was canceling all scheduled September performances of Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, leaving SU alumni and Springsteen fans waiting in hopes he would return.

Springsteen, who last played in the then-Carrier Dome in November 1992, returned to Syracuse along with the E Street Band to perform hits from albums like “Born in the U.S.A.” and “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.”, among others.

Springsteen’s performance Thursday marked the sixth time he has played in the Syracuse area, including his third time at the Dome. David, who witnessed his second Springsteen performance Thursday, said he was excited about being able to grow up with him and see “who he’s become.”

“If you’re someone who’s serious about music, he’s someone who has endured the test of time. My stepbrothers and now my nephews and nieces still follow The Beatles and The Doors, and a lot of musicians who I grew up with. Springsteen to me is someone who’s going to be around in 50 or 100 years,” David said.

Ticket sales for the new date of the concert were great, according to Pete Sala, SU’s vice president, chief campus facilities officer and managing director of the JMA Wireless Dome. Over 30,000 tickets were sold for the Sept. 7 concert.

Cassandra Roshu | Photo Editor

Springsteen and band member Stevie Van Zandt frequently take the same microphone throughout the performance. Van Zandt’s role in E Street Band includes guitar, vocals, and mandolin.

“We’re actually selling more tickets than what we had sold for the last show. So they’re very, very happy,” Sala said. “This has been a great selling show.”

Kaija Dockter, an employee at SUNY ESF and a volunteer for the concert, said she met one fan who traveled from New Brunswick, Canada, to attend his 71st Springsteen concert.

Another three fans — Sue T., Lisa T. and Brian M., who all wish to be referenced by their first name and first letter of their last name — expressed how Springsteen’s performance this time around was “pretty big” for them.

“Everyone talks about Taylor Swift going through phases in her career. I mean, start with Springsteen,” Brian M. said. “Look at the journey of his albums, the key messages that are quite different, but similar, in each of those albums.”

One unnamed concertgoer — who witnessed his fifth Springsteen performance on Thursday — first saw him in concert at Soldier Field in Chicago during the mid-1980s.

He said the concert would be a great experience because it was the first time as a father that he brought his son to a concert of any kind.

“Believe in yourself, believe in the American dream, and never fail to help other people,” the concert attendee said. “I really believe those are his messages, that when good overcomes evil, no matter what the circumstances are, no matter what the world is like, there is hope.”

Springsteen and The E Street Band will perform next in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday and will begin a tour across Europe starting with a May 5 concert in Cardiff, Wales.

Even for SU students who have never seen Springsteen perform before, Deb said the concert was worth it because Springsteen is more than just a great musician.

“I’d say give him a try. I didn’t like him at first, and I learned to love him,” Deb said.

Editor-in-chief Anish Vasudevan contributed reporting for this story.

Published on April 18, 2024 at 11:19 pm

Contact Dominic: dcchiapp@syr.edu | @DominicChiappo2