A “Tunnel of Love” ticket booth stage prop … the guitar featured on the cover of “Born to Run” … Clarence Clemons’ saxophone.
All this and more will be at Bruce Springsteen Live! — a traveling exhibit that opens Friday at the Grammy Museum Experience at the Prudential Center in Newark. The exhibit will run through March 20, 2022.
The exhibit, put on in partnership with the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University, will feature iconic artifacts, live performance footage, instruments and stage costumes, exclusive interviews, concert posters and photography, as well as unique interactive displays to immerse fans in Springsteen and the E Street Band’s creative process.
Tickets, ranging in price from $7-$10, are available for purchase here. The exhibit will be open Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m., on non-event days and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on event days.
Mark Conklin, director of artist relations and programming at the Grammy Museum Experience, said the facility was thrilled to reopen with a New Jersey legend.
“As we reopen the doors to our museum and so many of us return to the workplace, it only seemed fitting that we would look to ‘The Boss’ to lead the way,” he said. “No musical artist has captured the spirit and resiliency of New Jerseyans in song better than Bruce Springsteen, so we couldn’t imagine a more appropriate exhibit at this moment.”
Bruce Springsteen Live! is meant to provide fans with an intimate look into Springsteen’s creative process, shedding light on how he became — and remains — one of the greatest live performers in rock ’n’ roll history.
The exhibit explores the evolution of Springsteen through the decades and grants exclusive backstage access to Springsteen and the E Street Band’s legendary performances.
Notable artifacts and interactive displays include:
- “Tunnel of Love” Ticket Booth Stage Prop: From the 1988 Tunnel of Love Tour, this iconic ticket booth symbolized the audience’s admittance to the onstage narrative of the roller coaster of love, loyalty, commitment and faith.
- Stage Clothing: Outfits and accessories from Springsteen and members of the E Street Band.
- Signed Human Rights Tour Itinerary: From the 1988 six-week benefit world tour, raising funds for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 40th anniversary of its sponsor, Amnesty International, this itinerary commemorates the powerful collaboration of music and activism, featuring the signatures of the tour’s various performers that include Springsteen, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, Youssou N’ Dour and more.
- “Born to Run” Esquire Guitar: As a staple of Springsteen’s career, the modified Fender guitar was featured on the album covers of “Live 1975/85” (1986), “Human Touch” (1992), “Wrecking Ball” (2012) and, most notably, “Born to Run” (1975).
- Clarence Clemons’ Saxophone: Nicknamed “The Big Man,” the legendary saxophonist played alongside Springsteen for 40 years. Upon Clemons’ death in 2011, the iconic instrument was passed on to his nephew Jake Clemons, who, since 2012, continues to use it in performance as the newest member of the E Street Band.
- Create Your Encore Interactive: Springsteen is known for his encores — this interactive kiosk will allow visitors to view his handwritten set lists and create their own encores to compare against Springsteen’s original.
“We are honored to work with the Grammy Museum on this unique Bruce Springsteen exhibit,” said co-curator Eileen Chapman, director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music. “Opening it here in New Jersey makes it extra special; since so many of Springsteen’s greatest shows happened here.”
