Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band may be considered among the greatest live rock acts, but they’re still human. At their most recent concert, which took place in Philadelphia on Friday, August 23, Springsteen and guitarist Steven Van Zandt were caught cracking up during a performance of “Two Hearts” after apparently messing up the lyrics to the 1980 tune.
As seen in a fan-shot video, Springsteen and Van Zandt shared a mic throughout the performance, belting out the song together. After Bruce sang the first line of the bridge section that follows the second chorus, he suddenly stopped, while Van Zandt looked at him with a confused expression. Springsteen quickly began singing again, and the two both proceeded to smile and laugh throughout the rest of the performance.
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Van Zandt later admitted that the band had stumbled during the song in a post on his X page. One fan who saw the Philadelphia concert posted a comment that described the show as “one of the most joyful musical experiences of my life.” He then asked Little Steven, “[W]hat the heck were you guys laughing at during Two Hearts?”
Van Zandt answered, “We f—ed it up! You witnessed a very rare E Street train wreck. No idea how it happened. Very unusual. Very weird. But fun!”
Other Fans React to Van Zandt’s Admission About the Onstage Flub
Little Steven confession inspired a variety of fans to post their reactions in the comment section of the X post.
One fan wrote, “Agree! It was fun watching you and Bruce trying to recover. Great show!”
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A second commented, “That was classic. You guys figured it out and made it work! It seemed like you were on different verses? Reminded me of Bruce forgetting some of the words to Spirit in the Night years ago. Probably happens more than anyone realizes? Great night, Stevie.”
A third fan shared, “I actually really enjoy seeing you guys laughing & giggling on stage. Errors really don’t matter/register to the 1,000s of peeps there. We are just basking in how joyous and wonderful it is to be part of the occasion. I recognise how lucky I am to be able to see the [E Street Band] live.”
More About “Two Hearts” and the August 23 Philadelphia Show
“Two Hearts” originally appeared on Springsteen’s classic 1980 double album The River. According to Setlist.fm, the August 23 show marked the ninth time Springsteen and the E Street Band played the song live 2024.
“Two Hearts” was one of 30 songs played at the Philadelphia show. The set also included two tunes that Bruce and the group hadn’t performed live since 2016—“My Love Will Not Let You Down” and “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day.”
About Springsteen’s Upcoming Tour Plans
Springsteen and the E Street Band are in the middle of the second U.S. leg of their 2024 world tour. Their next show is scheduled for September 7 in Washington, D.C. The trek is mapped out through a September 15 performance at the Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
That will be followed by a Canadian outing that runs from an October 31 concert in Montreal through a November 22 show in Vancouver, British Columbia. Visit BruceSpringsteen.net to check out his full itinerary.
Tickets for Springsteen’s concerts are available via a variety of outlets, including StubHub.
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