Bruce Springsteen showed up unannounced at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park Saturday night, and thrilled the packed crowd by jamming for two hours with friends Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers, as well as Eddie Manion.
When word got out that Springsteen was expected to walk out onto the stage at the sold-out house, a crowd started forming on the sidewalk outside.
“It was probably one of the best nights of my life,” said Maryellen Purcell of Fair Haven, who got in by scoring a $25 ticket from her friend Lydia Diassi.
On Saturday night, as ticket holders listened to the Billy Walton band warm-up the crowd, the venue buzzed with word that Bruce was backstage. Looking around, Purcell noted the crowd was older than she expected. “I have to say I was one of the youngest people there,” said Purcell, who is 52.
When Bruce appeared on stage with Grushecky, she moved closer to the stage. “I weaseled my way up there. I’d say I was six feet from the stage,” she said.
For Purcell, the highlight of the evening was hearing Springsteen tell stories. Like the one about the time he and bandmate Little Stevie rented an apartment in Asbury Park, and how Bruce left the water running on a pile of dirty dishes for so long it overflowed the sink and got them kicked out.
“He played a lot of songs and let the crowd sing along with him in the chorus. It looked like he was having such as great time,” she said. Classic rock songs like “Pink Cadillac” and “Because the Night” were crowd-pleasers. There was a lot of affection from the crowd, which Bruce reflected back from the stage.  “He definitely was back in his hometown.”
After the concert ended with “Light of Day” and Bruce said good night, Purcell rejoined her husband, Rich, and friend Lydia, with husband Tim, outside the Wonder Bar, where the crowd wanted to hear about the concert.
“We just hung out, recounting the night, even though I was soaking wet,” she said.
The set included 15 songs, according to the fan site Backstreets.com, listed below.
Never Be Enough Time
Adam Raised a Cain
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Racing in the Street ’78
Chain Smokin’
Talking to the King
Save My Love
Frankie Fell in Love
Atlantic City
Pumping Iron
Code of Silence
Because the Night
The Promised Land
Pink Cadillac
Light of Day
