Bruce Springsteen Played Secret White House Concert for Obama Staffers

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Bruce Springsteen staged a secret acoustic concert at the White House January 12th to reward President Barack Obama's staff for their hard work over the past eight years, Backstreets revealed Wednesday.

The 15-song set took place in front of approximately 250 staffers in the White House's East Room, where two months earlier Springsteen was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The set list for the unique performance leaned towards the singer's more political works, and Springsteen frequently discussed politics and Obama's impact between each song.

Before "Born in the U.S.A.," Springsteen called the 1984 hit single a "protest song" and lamented that the track had been misinterpreted in the past, and it would continue to be misinterpreted in the future, Backstreets reports. He also played a triptych of "home" songs, "My Hometown," "My Father's House" and "Long Walk Home."

Springsteen also dedicated "Tougher Than the Rest," which also featured Patti Scialfa, to the Obamas for all they endured during their time in the White House. The concert concluded with the one-two punch of "Dancing in the Dark" and the optimistic "Land of Hope and Dreams."

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/springsteen-played-secret-white-house-gig-for-obama-staff-w461748?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=daily&utm_campaign=011917_11

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. Meanwhile Trump can't convince a Springsteen cover band to play for him. nt

[barbtries]

6. yes.

the irony is rich.

[mainstreetonce]

2. Shouldn't have been a secret.

Let Trump twitter his envy.

[mcar]

3. I'm jealous

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

4. For Bruce freaks like me, here's a report from one who was there.

From the Greasy Lake Bruce discussion board.

Bruce did a private show at the White House 1/12

January 12 / The White House, East Room / Washington, DC
Notes: Two days after Barack Obama's farewell address to the nation, Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree Bruce Springsteen returned to the White House's East Room to give a farewell of his own to the President and his staff, with a 15-song acoustic performance. Patti Scialfa was there as well and contributed vocals to two songs. The set was crafted to be highly thematic, Springsteen meeting the moment by drawing from more albums than you can count on both hands. His choices ranged from trusty classics "Thunder Road" and "The Promised Land" to rarities like "My Father's House" and "The Wish." A longtime Backstreets reader was there in the East Room and reports for us.

The event, which feels like a fever dream now, was a thank you for current White House staff with a full eight years in the Obama Administration. We lined up at the southeast gate, behind the Treasury building, and they started letting us in a little after 7pm. There was a lovely reception in the State Dining Room for an hour or so. The vibe in the room, and all night, was very familial. The crowd consisted of people who had worked together for years (I'd estimate 200 or 250 in attendance), and it was nice to see many happy reunions and farewell hugs. There were no special celebrity guests or anything — just staff folk and their significant others. No sign of the President until later. After about an hour, the doors to the East Room were opened, and we filed in to take our seats in rows.

Read the rest of this post at Greasy Lake discussion board.

[Hekate]

5. How absolutely wonderful. I want that soundtrack!!!!!

What a grand gesture it was to do that.

[Hekate]

7. The setlist, from the Rolling Stone article

Bruce Springsteen White House setlist (via Backstreets):

"Working on the Highway"
"Growin' Up"
"My Hometown"
"My Father's House"
"The Wish"
"Thunder Road"
"The Promised Land"
"Born in the U.S.A."
"Devils & Dust"
"Tougher Than the Rest" (with Patti Scialfa)
"If I Should Fall Behind" (with Patti Scialfa)
"The Ghost of Tom Joad"
"Long Walk Home"
"Dancing in the Dark"
"Land of Hope and Dreams"