In recent years, Bruce Springsteen’s influence on the indie-rock scene has grown increasingly evident, with acts like The Hold Steady and Arcade Fire not just citing the Boss as an influence, but, at times, sounding quite like the E Street Band.
That path goes both ways, of course, and Springsteen’s appreciation of indie and punk rock — particularly of the late-’70s and ’80s variety — has never been a secret, from his work with Patti Smith to covering Suicide’s “Dream Baby Dream” on his 2005 solo-acoustic tour.
At Thursday’s E Street show in Los Angeles, Springsteen turned his spotlight onto another longtime favorite, classic SoCal punk act Social Distortion — inviting frontman Mike Ness on stage to tear through Social D’s “Bad Luck” and Springsteen’s “The Rising.”
(Ness and the Boss have collaborated before; Springsteen guested on Ness’ 1998 solo debut Cheating at Solitaire, and Ness sat in with the E Street Band last May at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, N.J.)
There’s an excerpt of the performance posted on Springsteen’s official site (thanks to Addicted to Vinyl for the heads-up) that’s also reproduced below.
Video: Bruce Springsteen and Mike Ness, Los Angeles Sports Arena, 4/16/09
