Bruce Springsteen resumes tour after postponing dates due to ‘monster’ peptic ulcer disease
He’s ready to get back on the “Thunder Road.”
Bruce Springsteen was greeted with thunderous applause as he resumed his long-awaited tour Tuesday.
The musician, 74, appeared to be in good spirits as he took the stage at the Footprint Center in Phoenix for the first time since September. The “Born to Run” singer said he was postponing his shows at the time amid his battle with peptic ulcer disease.
“Phoenix, first I want to apologize if there was any discomfort because we had to move the show last time,” Springsteen told the crowd toward the end of the show, per the Associated Press. “I hope we didn’t inconvenience you too much.”
The nearly three-hour show featured all of the Boss’ greatest hits and his equally talented E Street Band — minus Springsteen’s wife, Patti Scialfa, who serves as an extra singer and guitarist.
Springsteen announced the worldwide tour in May 2022, making it the group’s first international outing since 2017 and first US tour since 2016.
However, in March, the “Glory Days” crooner was forced to postpone three shows in Albany “due to illness.”
The following month, both Springsteen and Scialfa, 70, tested positive for COVID-19 and were forced to recuperate.
In August, he announced mere hours from showtime that he would be postponing the two shows that were set to take place in Philadelphia after he reportedly had “taken ill.”
The following month, he said that he was “being treated for symptoms of peptic ulcer disease.”
“Over here on E Street, we’re heartbroken to have to postpone these shows,” read a statement on his Instagram on Sept. 27. “We’ve been having a blast at our US shows and we’re looking forward to more great times. We’ll be back soon. Love and God bless all, Bruce.”
Later that month, Springsteen canceled his remaining 2023 tour dates.
“Bruce Springsteen has continued to recover steadily from peptic ulcer disease over the past few weeks and will continue treatment through the rest of the year on doctor’s advice,” an Instagram post read. “With this in mind, and out of an abundance of caution, all remaining 2023 tour dates for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be postponed until 2024.” He later called the health scare a “monster.”
The 20-time Grammy winner — who recently lost his mother after a battle with Alzheimer’s — issued a statement thanking well-wishers.
“Can’t wait to see you all next year,” he noted.
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Springsteen’s guitarist, Steven Van Zandt, said in November that Springsteen was in “great shape” and that the entire group was excited to get back on the road.
“We’re gonna come back stronger than ever in March,” Van Zandt, 72, told People during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in November. “It was a very, very intense first six months of the tour — maybe our most intense ever.
“And so we’re gonna come back with that same intensity, and it’s gonna be great,” Van Zandt added.
And it seems like they made good on that promise.
Springsteen’s renewed tour is set to span nine months, hitting 17 countries across 52 dates before ending in Vancouver Nov. 22.
One of the dates includes an appearance at the Sea.Hear.Now Festival in his hometown of Asbury Park, New Jersey, on Sept. 15.
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