Bruce Springsteen secretly performed a thank-you concert for President Obama's staff

(Image credit: Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

published 19 January 2017

Not everyone gets privately serenaded by Bruce Springsteen when they leave their job, but not everyone worked in the Barack Obama White House, either. The Boss reportedly performed a secret, 15-song acoustic concert for 250 members of Obama's staff last week as a thank you for their work, Rolling Stone reports.

One fan in the audience relayed an account of the concert to Backstreets:

It was a dream of a setlist. Bruce opened with a very brief note of thanks to the president and the staff who were being honored before launching into "Working on the Highway." That opener led into an incredible "Growin' Up" for a lively start, but not much of the set was so upbeat, with haunting readings of songs like "My Hometown," "My Father's House," and "Devils & Dust." The mood in the room the whole night — both reception and concert — was not exactly somber, but it wasn't festive, either. It was elegiac, I'd say. There was a clear sense of something ending, both with the conclusion of an adventure for the staff and the silent presence of the coming political transition. Bruce's demeanor was definitely in line with that overall vibe. [Backstreets]

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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