Photo: Bill Kelly

Pent-up anticipation was a theme of Sunday’s final musical offerings during Sea.Hear.Now, the Festival’s 2024 gathering in Ashbury Park, N.J. The thrill of a stacked list of talent–which included funk/soul masters Kool & the Gang, soft and breathy vocals from Norah Jones, and later on, final sets from Trey Anastasio Band, The Gaslight Anthem, and Bruce Springsteen–culled folks to select stages, eager for live entertainment. As a musical representative from The Garden State, Springsteen made rounds before his event closing delivery, sitting in with Anastasio and, later, The Gaslight Anthem. 

For the Boss’s initial advent, Anastasio preluded his arrival by telling the story of his first time seeing the legendary rock and roller perform, mentioning his New Jersey upbringing, adding one of his first concerts was Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s performance on Nov. 1, 1978. Following up after “Push On ‘Till the Day” by addressing the audience. Anastasio said,  “So if you’re wondering where I got the idea to play like we were just playing, the whole show was like that. And I am incredibly honored right now. When we were backstage, we asked Bruce if he would come out and play with us, and he said ‘yes.’”

To be expected, a wail of elongated “Bruuuuce” came from the audience as Springsteen himself arrived on stage. With smiles spread across their faces, Springsteen gave an obligatory “How we doing,” at which point Anastasio’s joy could not be contained, revealing a full-spread Cheshire cat smile. The two guitarists, backed by TAB, delivered one from The Boss’ archive, pulling “Kitty’s Back” from his second album, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle, according to Setlist.FM, yesterday’s rendition represented the first 2024 play after its last live play on Sept. 3, 2023.

After closing his time with TAB, Springsteen kept the sit-in rolling. He showed up to The Gaslight Anthem’ set [reportedly at the request of photographer Danny Clinch] performing their opening numbers, the title track off their 2023 LP, History Books, and follow-up “American Slang.” Later on, bassist Karina Rykman sat in with The Gaslight Anthem. In a similar move to Summerstage in late August, she added a take on Billie Eilish’s “ocean eyes” and ensuing number, “The ‘59 Sound.”

Following a plethora of warm-ups, Springsteen, now joined by his own E Street Band, arrived for their Sea.Hear.Now. frame featured special moments such as the first “Blinded by the Light” and “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street” since 2017. The group also dusted off “Thundercrack,” last played in 2016, and the same vein as the aptly titled “4th of July, Ashbury Park (Sandy),” another that had not been played for nearly eight years. Later, Springsteen’s wife and member of the band, Patti Scialfa, made her first on-stage appearance since receiving a cancer diagnosis and stepping away from the stage, turning up for a fitting take on “Tougher Than The Rest.”

Other memorable moments from the festival weekend prior to Sunday’s close out included Robert Randolph’s sitting in with The Revivalists on fan favorite “I Wish I Knew You.” Also happening in the area, Clinch hosted members of Guster, Adam Gardner, and Ryan Miller for a pop-up show at his Asbury Park studio. 

Scroll down to watch one of the most talked about moments from yesterday’s closeout: TAB X Springsteen. 

Trey Anastasio Band 

Asbury Park Oceanfront – Asbury Park, N.J. [Sea.Hear.Now]

Sept. 15, 2024 

Set: Mozambique, Cayman Review, Push On ‘Till the Day, Kitty’s Back+, The Moma Dance, Olivia, Sand, Everything’s Right, First Tube 

Notes:

+ With Bruce Springsteen