The Boss is back in Oz (maybe)

[OZCUBAN]

Bruce Springsteen Australian tour rumours are born to run and run

Clearly, tramps like us, baby we were born to run on speculation.

As we near the simultaneous release of a Bruce Springsteen autobiography, called Born To Run, and an accompanying album, called Chapter and Verse, which includes unheard songs from his pre-fame bands, the underlying talk here has been about an Australian tour.

Bruce Springsteen reaches out at Allphones Arena in Sydney on the 2014 tour. Will he return there in 2017? Photo: Getty Images

Not that one has been announced. But rumours, as they say, are rife.

It was sparked by "idle" – but was it really? – talk from promoter Michael Gudinski, who brought Springsteen and his E Street Band out for his past two tours in 2013 and 2014. Those tours' financial and fan-satisfying success more than making up for another promoter's disastrous tour in 2003.

Gudinski told a Melbourne radio station that early next year would see not just a "massive February and March of rock" but "the biggest run of concerts you've seen in Melbourne ever".

Along with talk of Guns n' Roses, Paul McCartney and Adele coming at that time, the Springsteen rumour was given impetus by Gudinski, who was responding to memories of the now semi-legendary E Street Band show at Hanging Rock in 2013 – which the American loved said Gudinski – revealing that he'd been at some of the European shows on the current E Street Band tour but didn't want to "break the story".

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"Let me tell you, let me tell you, he finished the tour at Hanging Rock, and um, pretty hard to come to Hanging Rock in early February without doing the rest of Australia so we'll see what happens in the next few days."

Well, didn't that set the hares running?

Except of course that this was said on August 3 and a "few days" has turned into more than a month without more. Was it all talk? Was subsequent information about it being all outdoor shows similarly just hot air? Will we have to settle for the book which, according to a Vanity Fair profile is detailed and frank, including about his bouts with depression which left him "crushed", surgery which threatened to curtail his singing and his foray into politics?

Here's a summary of the best speculation/information on the tour I've got.

A January/February tour is on, maybe to be announced on or soon after the album and book release on September 23 and September 27 respectively. Only ill health or some serious falling out between Gudinski and Springsteen management would derail this.

There will be outdoor shows – definitely Hanging Rock, maybe the Hunter Valley, where he played in 2014 and probably AAMI Park in Melbourne – but also arena shows. That most likely means venues such as the newly/awfully named Qudos Bank Arena (formerly Allphones, one time Superdome), in Sydney.

Perth and Adelaide, who had their first shows on the 2014 tour, will miss out.

A show at Hanging Rock will have a big name or two on the undercard. Last time it was Jimmy Barnes; this time there's talk of Cold Chisel (possible) and the reforming Midnight Oil (unlikely).

The support act on the rest of the shows looks like it will be the reformed Jet. (Will they "Springsteen up" their songs? Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Mary?)

As with the European shows, the Australian tour will be regular, mixed setlist shows rather than being built around the album, The River, which was the basis of the American concerts earlier this year.

One thing that isn't a rumour but a guarantee: if he comes we should not expect short shows. Many shows in Europe recently approached four hours (his longest show recorded was in Helsinki in 2012 at four hours and five minutes) and his longest ever American show happened in August 2016, a minute over four hours.

Of course this could all be wrong. Let's see.

[OZCUBAN]

view in browser       THEY'RE BACK! We're thrilled to announce the highly anticipated return of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band to Australia and New Zealand! Last on our shores in 2014 for a sold out run of shows, the summer of 2017 will see Bruce and his legendary band undertake one of their biggest tours here to date, visiting Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Hanging Rock, Hunter Valley, Brisbane, Auckland and – for the very first time – Christchurch. TOUR DATES Wed 25 Jan •  PERTH • Perth Arena Mon 30 Jan • ADELAIDE • Entertainment Centre  Thu 02 Feb • MELBOURNE • AAMI Park Tue 07 Feb • SYDNEY • Qudos Bank Arena Sat 11 Feb • MT MACEDON • Hanging Rock Tue 14 Feb • BRISBANE • Entertainment Centre Sat 18 Feb • HUNTER VALLEY • Hope Estate Tue 21 Feb • CHRISTCHURCH • AMI Stadium Sat 25 Feb • AUCKLAND • Mt Smart Stadium All shows - All Ages VISIT TOUR PAGE In further exciting news - and perhaps evidence that no one can say no to Bruce - one of Australia's most successful rock bands of all time, Jet, will be reforming to hit the road with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, appearing as very special guests in Melbourne, Hanging Rock, Hunter Valley, Christchurch and Auckland. Guitar legend Diesel will appear as special guest in Hanging Rock and Hunter Valley, while performing in Christchurch and Auckland alongside Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and Jet will be local Kiwi favourite Marlon Williams & the Yarra Benders.   FRONTIER MEMBERS PRE-SALE Frontier Members pre-sale runs from Tuesday 20 September Start times vary per show, visit frontiertouring.com/brucespringsteen for details The pre-sale e-card will be emailed on Friday 16 September to Frontier Members who have selected the Rock and/or Rock (Classic Hits) genre preference(s). If you would like to receive the pre-sale e-card, make sure you have selected at least one of these genre preferences. Click here to view/update your Frontier Members preferences. You can also view all your personalised pre-sale information in the red MY PRE-SALE INFO section of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's tour page. Make sure you and your friends are signed up as Frontier Members before 11.59pmAEST on Thu 15 Sep to get all the information emailed to you. SIGN UP AS A FRONTIER MEMBER Tickets go on sale to the general public from Friday 23 September Start times vary per show WATCH: Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark

[Smoke6]

One of the BEST shows I have ever seen.  You get your money's worth with the Boss.  Miss the Big Man Clarence though.  Hope he comes our way in the Midwest.

[PigFish]

I get about as much excitement out of this as I do Starbucks coffee... (Sorry Ken). -LOL

-Piggy