This story originally appeared in the Asbury Park Press on April 6, 2001. Renee Memoli of Middletown waited outside Jack’s Music Shoppe in Red Bank from 9 p.m. Monday until midnight to be the first customer to buy Bruce Springsteen’s newest release.
“It’s so exciting just because he’s an artist so close to us,” Memoli said.
Springsteen was indeed very close by, because 15 minutes after Memoli left the store, the Jersey Shore’s most beloved musician appeared at the Broad Street store.
With a crowd of more than 200 packed into the music store, fans lined the counter to purchase the Columbia Records release, “Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Live In New York City.”
The new, double-CD was recorded during Springsteen’s June 29 and July 1 concerts at Madison Square Garden.
Jack’s Music Shoppe had 600 copies of the live CD for shoppers when it opened its doors Monday night. However, when the leader of the E Street Band appeared at the rear of the record shop, the crowd surged toward him.
Fans anxious to catch a glimpse of Springsteen climbed on CD racks and stair railings as they eagerly awaited the rocker’s autograph.
“There’s so much adrenaline,” said Mark Mcternan, of Keyport. “I never thought I’d be this lucky.”
Also considering himself lucky was Jerry Dalessio, of Middletown. He had journeyed all the way from East Rutherford, where he had just watched the New Jersey Devils hockey game to pick up the CD.
“I’ve been a fan since `Born in the U.S.A.’ This is fantastic,” Dalessio said.
Throughout the midnight hour, the crowd often chanted “Bruce” and joked with the Boss.
“He (Springsteen) made everybody happy,” said Jack’s Music Shoppe salesman, Chris Dargis. “He is a very friendly guy.”
Dargis said that the midnight appearance wasn’t the first time the Boss had visited Jack’s Music Shoppe. Springsteen, who grew up in Freehold and lives in Rumson, has come into the store to ask “what’s hip and what’s hot,” explained Dargis.
“We weren’t prepared for this,” he said. “He (Springsteen) didn’t have to (make an appearance), and this was a surprise for all of us.”
The store initiated its midnight sale at 11:30 p.m., when it raffled off promotional hats, T-shirts, banners and a framed lithograph of the new album cover, among other Springsteen memorabilia.
Within an hour of the first sale being rung up, the crowd had emptied the two display cases of all its CDs.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bruce Springsteen surprises fans, Red Bank, 2001
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
