Bruce Springsteen ‘on autopilot’ during New York show as fans left disappointed by The Boss

Bruce Springsteen fans were left disappointed by the quality of The Boss’ performance on the Land of Hope and Dreams tour in New York last night (May 11).

Springsteen‘s Madison Square Garden gig featured a similar setlist to the previous few shows on his North American tour, with a new song, Streets of Minneapolis, featuring alongside a cover of Bob Dylan and classic songs from his discography. Fans took to the r/BruceSpringsteen subreddit to share their thoughts on the recent tour and unchanged setlist. One fan asked: “Curious how this show compares to others from the tour. I was surprised that I got emotional several times. Bruce keeps it moving – nothing is drawn out which is good and bad. Some tunes seemed a little slower than normal. An amazing presentation overall. Seeing it again on Thursday.”

Another attendee replied: “Not my favourite setlist, but I appreciated the show overall. Feel like I only need to see it once.” A third person suggested that Springsteen had pushed himself too far on this tour and was now operating on autopilot.

They wrote: “Damn. Dare I say… I was disappointed compared to the other shows this tour? Tonight was number seven on the tour for me, and I felt like Bruce was on autopilot tonight. His voice seemed worn, and he had pretty minimal crowd interactions. Really nothing memorable or special from him, in my opinion.

“I even feel like Nils Lofgren, Stevie Van Zandt, and Tom Morello’s guitar solos were pretty average. I was in the pit, and yes, the crowd down there was fun, but that was the only highlight for me. Please tell me I’m crazy. I need a better perspective!”

A setlist for the Madison Square Garden show from New York can be found below.

• War (The Temptations cover with Tom Morello)
• Born in the U.S.A. (with Tom Morello)
• Death to My Hometown (with Tom Morello)
• Clampdown (The Clash cover with Tom Morello)
• No Surrender
• Darkness on the Edge of Town
• Streets of Minneapolis
• The Promised Land
• Two Hearts
• Hungry Heart
• Youngstown
• Murder Incorporated
• American Skin (41 Shots) (with Tom Morello)
• Long Walk Home (with Tom Morello)
• House of a Thousand Guitars
• My City of Ruins
• Because the Night (Patti Smith Group cover)
• Wrecking Ball
• The Rising
• The Ghost of Tom Joad (with Tom Morello)
• Badlands (with Tom Morello)
• Land of Hope and Dreams (with Tom Morello)
• American Land (with Tom Morello)
• Born to Run
• Dancing in the Dark
• Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out (with Tom Morello)
• Chimes of Freedom (Bob Dylan cover with Tom Morello)

Springsteen has performed Clampdown, a cover of The Clash, only a handful of times in his career. The Land of Hope and Dreams tour has featured the song as part of Springsteen’s set more than any other tour to date. Chimes of Freedom, a cover of Bob Dylan, also featured on this tour as it did on the European run of shows last year.

Springsteen and The E Street band are set to tour across the US between April and May, with dates in Arizona, New York, and Boston to come. In a statement issued in February, Springsteen shared the reason behind touring in the US at such a fraught political time. He said: “We are living through dark, disturbing and dangerous times, but do not despair — the cavalry is coming!

“Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band will be taking the stage this spring from Minneapolis to California to Texas to Washington, D.C. for the Land of Hope And Dreams American Tour. We will be rocking your town in celebration and in defense of America — American democracy, American freedom, our American Constitution and our sacred American dream — all of which are under attack by our wannabe king and his rogue government in Washington, D.C. Everyone, regardless of where you stand or what you believe in, is welcome — so come on out and join the United Free Republic of E Street Nation for an American spring of Rock ‘n’ Rebellion! I’ll see you there!”