Get Up With Bruce
Boss to play 'Today' in July
By RICHARD HUFF
Daily News TV Editor
BC's "Today" will take a rare one-day road trip down
the Jersey Shore for an even rarer live television
performance by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street
Band.
Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band member Steven Van
Zandt
"Today" producers will move the entire three-hour
program to Springsteen's old stamping ground in Asbury
Park on July 30, to coincide with the release of the
Jersey-bred rocker's first studio album with the E
Streeters since 1984.
Details are still being worked out, but plans call for
Springsteen to perform at least four songs, and chat
with show hosts Matt Lauer and Katie Couric, who,
along with Al Roker, will be in Asbury Park.
It's the first time "Today" producers have moved the
entire show for a concert performance. To that end, it
will be one of only a handful of live TV performances
ever for Springsteen. He last appeared live on the
post-Sept. 11 benefit telethon. Before that, he was on
"Saturday Night Live" in the early '90s, though not
with the E Street Band.
Since launching the "Today" outdoor concert series
seven years ago, show producers have frequently asked
Springsteen to appear, though until now, they were
unsuccessful. "Today" staffers have also wanted to do
a beach-themed show. With Springsteen's new album on
the way, they're able to do both.
Springsteen's spokeswoman did not return a call
yesterday. A "Today" spokeswoman had no comment.
Where "Today" will set up is uncertain. Springsteen
has held near-annual Christmas benefit shows at
Convention Hall, adjacent to the beach, and there's
also the Paramount Theater, which regularly holds
concerts.
But no matter where the event is held, it's sure to
draw a huge crowd of Springsteen loyalists. In the
past, when "Today" has held concerts in Rockefeller
Plaza, several thousand people have turned up to see
such acts as Ricky Martin and Britney Spears.
"Today's" Springsteen concert will follow by several
hours a record-release party being thrown by Red Bank
retailer Jack's Music at the Stone Pony, a seaside bar
in Asbury Park that Springsteen made famous.
More than 300 people - including Springsteen - turned
out at Jack's at midnight in April 2001 to mark the
release his "Live in NYC" CD, leading store manager
Chris Van Orden to seek more space this time around.
"We're expecting a lot more people," Van Orden told
the Daily News. "Our store will not be able to handle
it. We're expecting three times as many people to show
up."
In fact, with a "Today" performance by the band
planned somewhere in the vicinity of the Stone Pony
the next morning, the is-Springsteen-going-to-show
rumor mill is likely to drive up attendance at Van
Orden's event.
"If people think he's going to show, what am I going to do with 1,000 people out the door?" said Van Orden.
"We needed a bigger venue."