Enjoy these images of Bruce and the legendary E-Street band from the past 20 years. Be sure to have a peek at the two included from Madison Square Garden for a particularly fond memory and story from a small (by Springsteen standards) 2 night engagement in the Big Apple.

October 18,  2007 . I was in NYC to deliver a talk at the Photo Plus Expo at the Javits Center for a couple days. Getting paid to travel to and be put up in Manhattan, for disseminating knowledge apparently unique to me, was humbling and a high point to date in my career.

Being a Bruce fan, it was not lost on me that his tour and mine would cross paths in Midtown Manhattan. Both of us delivering our best for two performances only!  Those were, for me, two more than I’d ever done but Bruce had sold-out record number of runs at MSG to the tune of double digit night runs there. So two was a tough ticket to say the least.

I have a lanyard with many passes accumulated over the years from photographing and sometimes just being a special guest. I call them my “magic passes” as they have done magical things for me. I’ll leave it at that.

Well that night, there was no stopping me from seeing Bruce give his sermon on the mount at the hallowed grounds across the Hudson from his home Jersey. He owned this place and I couldn’t be denied, especially with my being just blocks away.

I gained entrance with a nose-bleed ticket I procured through a fan site, at face value no less! Rules of the game amongst true blue Bruce fans. The magic passes got me backstage to the production office where a small crew were surprising chill and hanging out. I asked if they might have a spare to trade, an upgrade to a fellow “industry guy” perhaps. “How many?” a gentleman asked. “Just me.” “Take that one there” he replied, as if they just leave ripping good tickets lying about. Well this one belonged to him, Jerry Fox, the production manager. It was for a family member who couldn’t make it. Nice for me!

Well the seat, as you can see, didn’t suck. Right by Clarence Clemons behind the soundboard. I met the other 5 of his crew that I sat with. As the Colorado Rockies were waiting to play the Red Sox who are decidedly hated by New Yorkers, in the upcoming World Series,  I was immediately “in” and didn’t buy a beer all night. And I mean all night! We went to Mustang Harry’s after where they continued to show me New York City love until the wee hours of the next morning. Definitely a night to remember!