Springsteen Brings Western Stars Songs to a Public Stage for the First Time in Seven Years

Bruce Springsteen played songs from Western Stars in public on Monday evening, 9 November, for the first time since the album came out in 2019. The show was at David Geffen Hall in New York City, at a benefit concert called Stand Up For Heroes. A benefit concert is a show held to raise money for a cause.

According to Rolling Stone, Springsteen had not performed any songs from the album at a public concert in the seven years since its release. This time he sang "Hello Sunshine" and "Moonlight Motel" during an acoustic set. The set also included "I'll Work for Your Love" and "Dancing in the Dark."

The event is organised by the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which supports veterans and their families. Over the past 20 years, the show has raised $123 million for them, Rolling Stone reported. The rest of the bill included Josh Johnson, Hasan Minhaj, Jon Stewart, Alex Warren and the Resilient.

The album has a public history of its own. In April 2019, Springsteen played all of Western Stars in a barn on his farm in New Jersey. That performance was recorded for a concert film and a soundtrack album, both titled Western Stars. Earlier, he had also sung "Stones," "Hello Sunshine" and "Moonlight Motel" at a private jam session at Danny Clinch's Transparent Clinch Gallery in Asbury Park, New Jersey. That session was not open to the public.

What stands out about Monday is the setting. A charity night in a large concert hall put these songs in front of a general audience, many of whom will have known the album only from records and streaming. For the veterans' charity, the evening was about the money raised. For the songs, it was a rare chance to hear them in a room full of strangers.

Springsteen's set was one part of a longer programme. The organisers have run the event for two decades, and the total of $123 million is the figure they have given for that period.