‘Road Diary’ offers unique glimpse into Bruce’s latest tour — and his own mortality

From an inside look to how the set list for 2023 tour was put together to the revealing look at the incredible love affair that Bruce Springsteen has all over Europe, there certainly appeared to be plenty of new material for even the biggest Bruce fans in the documentary “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” which premiered Sunday night at the Toronto International Film Festival.

These nuggets, combined with plenty of flashback footage from the band’s formative years, explain why the enthusiastic crowd had a half-dozen, thought-they-were-at-an-actual-concert big-applause moments.

But, like all of the music that was covered from the band’s 50-plus years of performing together, the more than 90-minute film had deeper meaning.

Thom Zimny, in his 14th film about Springsteen and the band, offered a glimpse into how a recognition of their own mortality is an underlying theme of the band’s latest tour, which started on Feb. 1, 2023, and is scheduled to go into the summer of 2025.

Springsteen, who attended the premiere with numerous members of the band, including Steven Van Zandt and Jon Landau, said as much himself in a quick on-stage discussion after the showing.

Springsteen talked about the incredible journey the band has taken — and how lucky he has been (and all of them have been) to be able to go on it.

“We have the only job in the world where the people you went to high school with, you’re still with (at 75),” he said.

Springsteen talked about the band growing together on stage and off — through marriages, divorces and, eventually, death.

The film offered a remembrance of two key bandmates, Danny Federici (who died in 2008) and Clarence Clemons (who passed in 2011).

It also revealed that Springsteen’s wife Patti Scialfa, is battling cancer, which has limited her participation on the tour.

But, it also showed the love the group shares to the present day.

There was a unique look into how the set list for 2023 tour was put together (mainly by Springsteen, but with input from others) in an effort to ensure it told the story.

There was insight into how the band not only had to shake the rust off the longest time between tours (six years), but do so while working in new members that helped create a bigger band.

There was a revelation of Springsteen’s immense popularity overseas. Barcelona, Spain, was noted as being the most passionate of tour spots, but concerts across Europe — in Italy, Germany, Norway and elsewhere — were shown to be electric, too. Any thought that the New Jersey shows couldn’t be touched for their energy certainly was challenged.

Most of all, the movie showed a complete look at the band’s evolution, with plenty of flashback pictures of the New Jersey club scene that certainly will spark memories of longtime fans.

That’s the way Landau saw it.

“It’s certainly the story of this most recent tour, but I also think it’s summational — it gives great insight and feeling as to what the entire history of the band and how it got to this particular point,” he said.

Landau said the clips of the band preparing for shows back then — and now — show both the obsessive nature of Springsteen, but his vision, too.

“Even in its earliest stages, there was a clarity of purpose behind every song, every record, every detail,” he said. “We joke in the film about how obsessive we were back then … what we were obsessing about is being true to some guiding light, some artistic purpose that centered the whole enterprise. It is why it has so much vitality after, not just the 50 years I’ve been involved, but with Bruce, going back to I think the first time he picked up a guitar, I think the vision was already there in its most incipient form.”

Near the end of the film, Springsteen turns to the camera and essentially says the goal is to tour forever.

“It’s too late to stop now,” he says.

And, to be clear, there’s no indication that the band has any intention of stopping.

Springsteen, however, said he also realizes that it can’t go on forever. He’s at peace with that, knowing how incredible it has been to spend a lifetime with so many people he met in high school — and knowing how incredible it is that they still get along in an industry where breakups are more common than hit songs.

“We have this enormous collective where everyone has their role and a chance to contribute and to own their place in the band,” he said. “This is what people want from their work. And I wish it on everyone.

“We don’t quite live in a world where everybody gets to feel that way about their jobs or the people they work with, but I sincerely wish that we did, because it’s an experience like none I’ve ever had in my life.

“If I went tomorrow, it’s okay. What a ride.”