There was palpable excitement at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, home of The Boss Bruce Springsteen, on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, as E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg brought his jukebox show to the venue where they cut their teeth decades ago.
You can't blame the fans for getting their hopes up that Springsteen may appear. After all, Springsteen was at a symposium in Long Branch earlier in the day, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Born to Run, so we knew he was close.
The stars felt aligned. Even a guy in the men's room at the Stone Pony boldly declared to everyone he “confirmed” that The Boss was joining “Mighty” Max on stage. The ever-reliable bathroom source was proven wrong, though, in fairness, he gave himself the perfect out; he claimed the weather — which caused the originally indoor, then outdoor concert to be brought back inside, causing it to be split into two (and then three) shows — would be the only thing stopping Springsteen from appearing.
If not Bruce Springsteen, which E Street Band member showed up to Max Weinberg's Asbury Park show?
Well, Springsteen did not show up, at least to the 7:30 show, and I don't think he made it to the later ones either. Instead, Garry Tallent came out to perform “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.”
You can't be disappointed over something that was never promised, though Weinberg was still happy to invoke The Boss' name during stories. It wouldn't be surprising if the Stone Pony knew what they were doing.
It certainly all seemed too perfect — it was too much of a layup for Springsteen to show up. Over half of the attendees sported their Springsteen tour T-shirts, ranging from his early years to his recent European Land of Hope and Dreams Tour in 2025.
Besides his no-show, it was a relatively Springsteen-less night. It's somewhat surprising, given Springsteen's ties to Asbury Park. They did play “Glory Days,” a tradition for Weinberg, to conclude the show.
Weinberg did play the crowd one last time before the show's final song. He asked if anyone wanted to be pulled on stage by Springsteen a la Courtney Cox in “Dancing in the Dark.” The crowd went wild before Weinberg humbled them.
That wasn't his last tease. He followed that up by asking if anyone had dreamt of playing an instrument on stage with Springsteen and the E Street Band. Once again, he had the audience in his hand. “That also is not gonna happen,” he said, disappointing the crowd.
How was the rest of the show?
Otherwise, it was a fun night. Weinberg has a lot of personality, and it shows when he's the frontman (he frequently reminded the audience and his band whose name was on the bass drum).
When playing to tens of thousands in a stadium, the drummer can get lost. Some are immune to this; drummers like John Bonham and Tré Cool are spectacles. Weinberg, while more subdued, is clear as ever, thanks to the Stone Pony's small interior. The speakers are right above the crowd, so every cymbal crash hits you in the face.
If nothing else, it gives you a greater appreciation for the musicians. Weinberg is placed front and center on stage, and he could likely see every facial expression of the crowd members.
He plays with an intensity that is hard to fabricate. There were times you could feel he was looking through your soul; meanwhile, he was just extremely concentrated on keeping the beat.
Drummers tend to get “no respect,” as Weinberg said in his best Rodney Dangerfield impression. You won't be able to deny him respect after the show. Weinberg's show feels like it's supposed to beat some respect into you on behalf of all drummers.
The show's setlist
As for the setlist, the jukebox element may have been overstated. Offhand, there were maybe three requests: “Good Times Bad Times,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” and “American Girl.”
Their Rolling Stones covers were the highlight. “Sympathy for the Devil” was complete with the congas and maracas during the introduction. Earlier in the night, they did “Rocks Off,” which is apparently guitarist and singer Bob Burger's “favorite” Stones song. It's not an easy one to play, and they nail the dizzying euphoria of the chorus.
Weinberg also took time to honor the late Brian Wilson. He previously drummed for the Beach Boys, a dream come true for a fan of the group like Weinberg.
Other highlights include rousing renditions of “Gloria,” “Don't Stop Believin',” and “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.” They brought out Law & Order star Jill Hennessy for a rendition of “Son of a Preacher Man.” While that would be an uninspired karaoke pick, Hennessy knocked it out of the park.
It's more static than something billed as a jukebox would suggest, but Weinberg and Co. pack the setlist with hits from a simpler time.
Even without Springsteen, it's worth checking out Weinberg's shows. It's a good time, and a change of pace from a Springsteen show. His mission? To bring people back to the “Glory Days” of the '60s and '70s.
