The E Street Shuffle Unplugged- Edgar’s Pub, September 15, 2011

On Thursday night, The E Street Shuffle Unplugged debuted at Edgar’s Pub, with guitarist Ryan Loughlin and myself performing as a duo in a stripped-down acoustic setting. In sharp contrast to the usual raucous party which is the full band, electric E Street Shuffle, this incarnation presented the other side of Springsteen’s music, highlighting the quieter, stark material. Songs such as “Janey Don’t You Lose Heart,” “Reason to Believe,” “Point Blank,” “The River,” “Downbound Train,” “Open All Night,” “Johnny 99,” “Brilliant Disguise” and “Darkness on the Edge of Town” were able to take center stage for a change in this intimate environment. The hits weren’t completely absent however, with stripped-down versions of “Hungry Heart,” “Born to Run,” “Badlands” and “Rosalita” all making appearances. The show also featured several non-Springsteen covers of songs by the likes of Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, Pearl Jam, U2, R.E.M. and Bob Dylan, which is something that we never do with the full band. Future E Street Shuffle Unplugged performances will feature various smaller configurations of the band and the dates will be posted on the website. Anyone looking to enjoy a mellow, fun night out during the week featuring some deeper cuts from the Springsteen catalogue should come check out one of our acoustic gigs. Thanks!
-SL