Documentary takes you backstage with Bruce, E Street on the road

You know those tour contract riders that get published every now and then, revealing what big stars demand to have backstage? Wouldn’t it be nice to know if they’re really getting all those sometimes diva-like demands met, such as removing all brown M&Ms?

Last year ultimateclassicrock.com ran a piece on one such tour rider with Bruce Springsteen’s demands. According to the site, he requires chicken soup with tons of broth before the performance.

After the show he wants 16 cold, fresh shrimp “with homemade seafood sauce” and two bags of Rold Gold pretzels with “no substitutions.” Also, six hard-boiled eggs with yolks removed, a 16-ounce bottle of hand-squeezed lemon juice, cubed watermelon, peeled and sliced apples, etcetera. Oh, and no Budweiser, ever.

Wouldn’t it be cool to go backstage and see if those things are true?

Soon you sort of can. There’s a documentary coming out called “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band.” It will feature exclusive footage from E Street’s current tour, and it starts with January of last year when rehearsals were happening at Count Basie Center in Red Bank. Look for it this fall through Hulu and Disney+.

From a press release,

”Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band” opens a new door to Springsteen’s creative process for fans around the world, sharing fly-on-the-wall footage of band rehearsals and special moments backstage — as well as hearing from Springsteen himself.

These conversations follow Springsteen closely as he develops the story he wants to tell with this tour’s setlist — interspersed with rare archival clips of the E Street Band, underscoring themes of life, loss, mortality and community. In this way, it serves as an essential and never-before-seen chapter in an autobiographical series spanning Springsteen’s memoir 'Born to Run,' 'Springsteen on Broadway,' and the films 'Western Stars' and 'Letter to You.'

This will be far from the first documentary featuring Springsteen but because so much is behind the scenes and goes into the show planning and rehearsals it promises to be a fascinating look into his creative process.

You don’t produce the quality catalog of music Springsteen has for over half a century without a strong vision. I’ve watched videos where you can see Bruce thinking and the gears turning in his head until he finds the exact sound he’s searching for that no one else could hear. Then it becomes magic.

“Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band” doesn’t have an exact release date but it looks like the month will be October. Its director is Thom Zimny who has often collaborated with Bruce. The result should be a real treat for Springsteen fans. As you're watching look hard in the background for any cubed watermelon.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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