10 p.m. at The Horseshoe
Boss fans, unite! It feels like a rock 'n' roll, E-Street lovin' temple here as people crowd at the bar and in front of the stage just yearning for a Springsteen sighting. The legendary venue is packed and rocker Jesse Malin's show – he's the actual headliner tonight – is sold out. It's the best shake at one last Boss sighting, fans say, and the possibility he'll leap onstage with a guitar and jam with Malin, a long-time buddy.
Ottawa-based rock outfit Clothes Make the Man are tying up, their driving rock coursing through the think anticipation in the legendary Shoe. Earlier today, I heard Springsteen had already headed back to Jersey. But promoters at the Shoe have been cagey about this Malin show – Springsteen has been a surprise guest at some of his gigs before and they've said the odds are good that he'll appear (of course they'll say that). Tickets for tonight's gig have been going for over $100 on Craigslist - even I had to talk to a guy who talked to another guy to make sure I was on the guest list. Will Springsteen appear? "If you missed it, you'd be kicking yourself," says Ron, a fan I met tonight. He and friends Susan and Jill got their tickets on Ticketmaster on Monday after hearing the rumours. Jill says she's seen Springsteen "tons of times" and she has a drumstick from one of the concerts.
There's no sign of the Boss just yet – true, it's early. And it's a crapshoot either way. But devoted fans like Ron, Susan and Jill aren't willing to miss a beat.
