The Music Mix has learned that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform as planned at the first of two Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary concerts in NYC this Thursday.
The band cancelled its Kansas City tour stop last night on short notice due to a death in the family. Later reports explained that Lenny Sullivan, Springsteen’s cousin and an assistant road manager for the band, had died unexpectedly at age 34 before the show. News of this sad loss traveled quickly through the Springsteen fan community; we at the Music Mix join in sending our most heartfelt condolences to the Boss.
Many wondered last night whether or not the band would play their next scheduled date, the Hall of Fame show. A spokesperson for the concerts tells the Music Mix that Springsteen and the E Street Band are, indeed, still set to perform. Surely no one would have blamed them if they’d wanted to take another night off, but it’s good to know they’re able to go on in the face of tragedy.
Were you planning to attend the Kansas City show, or will you be there at the Hall of Fame performance? Share your thoughts below.
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
More from EW’s Music Mix:
Bruce Springsteen on the Music Mix
Norah Jones’ “Chasing Pirates” video
Leonard Cohen at Madison Square Garden: The master at 75
‘Once’ more: The Swell Season’s Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Photo credit: Brian Hineline/Retna
Comments (1-30) of 30 Add your comment
Sorry for the Boss’ loss. KC is missing a great show. I reviewed the St. Louis show Sunday night and it was perhaps the show of the year.
My husband and I, with tickets in hand, rounded the corner near the Sprint Center and were stopped in our tracks by the cancellation sign. We arrived at 6:20, just minutes after it was cancelled. So sorry for Bruce, his family and the band.
I will add that, unlike many people who actually flew in from out of the country or drove from each of the costs, we only live 10 minutes from the arena.
May Lenny Sullivan’s soul “Rest In Peace” Bruce we are sorry to hear of your loss, and we understand the need to stop the show. You’ll be back and we can enjoy your great
music at a leter date. We Love You Man!
I just got back here in MN after spending 14 hours in the car and a night in Kansas City. I’m a little disappointed about the cancellation, but all my thoughts and prayers are with Bruce and the band and crew. We’ll be seeing Bruce further on up the road.
It’s really sad, as reported in the KC Star, a young 14 year old girl traveled from Alaska and her friend from Portland to attend last night. She was seat #20. Bless her heart. She’d been planning for 6 months to come. I hope the Boss can make it up to them and all the others we haven’t heard about who were inconvenienced. It’s unfortunate for everyone, all the way around.
Respectfully, the Springsteen fan community is far, far larger than one blog, and the range of emotion felt and expressed larger than that one blog. I don’t even think that blog believes it’s speaking for all of us.
Springsteen is amazing! Want to see him in concert.
ps who else is addicted to BAD ROMANCE by Lady Gaga? Infectious!
ME! I LOVE THAT SONG!
Oh, and yeah, my thoughts are with Bruce. Please come back to KC!
It’s a real shame for those fans inconvenienced by Lenny’s death. I do hope they are able to get over it. Perhaps Bruce can take some time from his grieving to console them.
Best wishes to Bruce and the whole family.
My best to Bruce and his family. Going to Hall of Fame show on Fri night. Clapton canceled, but excited to see Metallica and U2!
Sad for Springsteen’s loss; glad that he will be at the Rock Hall concert caus I’m goin! Its going to be an unbelievable show
We met another couple at the Power & Light District to eat before the concert where we heard the word broadcast about the cancelation. It was great to have a night out and listen to all of the Boss tunes pouring out, but we would rather see that 3 hr. live show everyone is raving about!! Wish show was rescheduled instead of ticket refund…
Prayers for Bruce and family.
I knew Lenny Sullivan in college. He truly passed before his time. Lenny, you will be missed.
We were in line for several hours last night, and because we won the lottery we were going to be in the pit for this one.
They took an unusually long time coming out to get the reformed line to take in. Then, shortly before 6, they came out with a megaphone and announced that due to a death in the immediate family, that the show was canceled. And that was that; they unceremoniously went back inside. At first it felt like some super odd joke. But after everyone stood in shocked silence for a minute, the crowd dispersed.
I will say that 99% of everyone took the news very well. I, like everyone else, was of course sad to hear the news, but you gotta take care of yourself first. If the band was close to Lenny, and it sounds like they were, it’s not fair to make them go onstage after hearing such harsh and sad news. Our thoughts are with the band and Lenny’s family today.
I was in line to get in the pit in KC after driving from Des Moines. Feel bad for Bruce and everyone affected. I went out with friends in the city and had a fun time anyway.
I went to the St louis concert and had a blast. So we were heading back to Cedar Falls on monday and decided to get a double dip of the boss and headed west to KC. We got a hotel and tickets within a half an hour and made it to KC by 4. we got there just as the lotttery was ending for the people who could be in the pit. We ended up being chosen to be in there. It would have been my first time seeing the e-street band that close. I hope to see them again soon. My heart goes out to the roadies and the Boss who knew Lenny.
It would have been my first Bruce Concert. I was so excited! I have been listening to my Dad’s records all month. Too sad.
Too bad about Lenny. He was working with Bruce for 10 years. I’m going to the concert on Thurs and again on Nov 8th. I’m relieved he’s still playing. Can’t wait. Already have seen 5 shows this year. Just can’t get enough!
Flew in from Denver on the 26th to see Bruce and E-Street in KC with my 18 yr old son (I’ve seen him 21 times over the yrs-My son 4 times) and a friend of his who had never seen Bruce. When we heard the sad news I must have gone through a dozen different emotions (some of them selfish) but the overriding sentiment was sadness for Bruce and his family. I wish them all well and will pray for them. Also will be looking to the next opportunity to see Bruce and the “Legendary…E-Street Band”!!
Condolences to Bruce, his family and the rest of the crew. That said, it says a lot when 20,000 people put a lot of effort into making a Monday night show and the talent refuses to reschedule. I’m not talking next week, but adding a show at the end of the tour or sometime in December, the arena’s schedule is nearly wide-open. For someone who has such a rapport with the fans and a reputation as a class act, this should be a no-brainer!
It was nice to see everyone’s comments in understanding why Bruce cancelled the KC show. Sometimes people don’t see past their own selfishness. Lenny had a lot of friends, myself included, who will miss him terribly.
All our prayers are with Bruce and his family during this time of loss and sadness.
We plan to be in Cleveland on the 10th for the show at the ‘Q’.
My friends and I drove to St. Louis Sunday and got into the pit to see a great show. Drove home to KC and would have been in the pit again. Very disappointed, but Bruce will make it up to us. Rest in peace, Lenny.
How did you get in the pit? Did you have to stand in line for hours?
I took leave to fly in from DC to take my mom to the show for her birthday. We were about 10 mins out from Sprint Center when we heard the cancellation announcement on 101 The Fox. Would’ve been our first Springsteen experience, but we certainly understand the reasons for canceling the show. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bruce, the band, and his family. Hope to see you soon.
I am so sorry for all the people in KC who were [lanning to attend the concert. My prayers go out to Bruce and his family and the band for their loss of their beloved Lenny. St. Louis was a great show and for the first time we went out of our own city and traveled to Chicago to see him a month ago. The sound was so crisp in Chicago–an unbelievable concert. I hope to be closer at the next one. It seems we are always in the nose bleed section! But someone has to sit there right?? My husband and I saw Bruce at the Fox in St. Louis in 1975 and were in the 7th row!
Our thoughts are with Bruce and his family. Couldn’t believe what had happened.. RIP Lenny…Come back soon Bruce.
Why is no one talking about how this 36 yr old man died? I’m not going to repeat stuff I’ve heard here in KC about the circumstances of his death, but if the rumors are true I am more than dissappointed at missing a long planned for good time on my birthday- I am just truly saddened at human nature and wonder why oh why can’t some people ever learn.
Blessings and light to Lenny, his friends and family.
We were in Kansas City Monday night … My girlfriend and I left San Francisco by plane at 11:45am Monday morning; arriving at 5:15pm – got our rental car – drove to the Crowne Plaza downtown; just four blocks from the Sprint Center … checked in at the front desk and got our room keys … and were just about to walk to the concert hall when we were told by one of the hotel managers that there was a rumour that the 7:30pm E Street concert had been cancelled.
It had …
Dealing with our disbelief, we still had a good time walking around downtown Kansas City and taking in the vibe and “Bruce Music” in the Power & Light District … the eventual top off to the evening was that I was mistaken by the staff of a local legendary BBQ restaurant to be Bruce Springsteen! The waiters, who had heard about the show being cancelled, were taking bets back in the kitchen; and literally looking at pictures on the internet to compare if “The Boss” was actually sitting in one of their booths having a late dinner.
He was not …
Left Kansas City at 8:55am Tuesday morning and got back to San Francisco at 10:30am.
Things happen in life we can not control or foresee.
We hope to catch another date before the end of the tour.