Bruce Springsteen made a surprise appearance at Bleachers’ performance during the Shadow of the City Festival at Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park on Friday night. The legendary rocker took the stage to perform two tracks with Bleachers frontman Jack Antonoff, delivering performances of “Jersey Girl” and “Chinatown” to an enthusiastic crowd.
During the show, Antonoff reflected on the significance of performing in his hometown, sharing memories of playing at local venues as a teenager and expressing gratitude for the support of his community and collaborators. The rendition of “Jersey Girl,” originally written by Tom Waits in 1980, proved particularly resonant with the audience, as Springsteen has long championed the New Jersey classic throughout his career.
The collaboration between Springsteen and Antonoff extended to “Chinatown,” a track from Bleachers’ third studio album that the two artists originally recorded together. This marked a reunion for the pair, whose last live performance of the song together occurred in 2020 at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. Antonoff previously described working with Springsteen as “the honor of a lifetime,” crediting the musician with inspiring him to recognize the value of his regional roots.
Originally reported by Rollingstone →
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