The first “Bruce Springsteen Symposium,” held in 2005 at Monmouth University, drew more than 300 educators, journalists, historians, musicologists and just plain fans interested in the music of Bruce Springsteen and “his influence on American culture.”
Four years later and the scholars will be back dissecting Bruce Springsteen’s music and influence, as the second “Glory Days: A Bruce Springsteen Symposium” is held from Sept. 25- 27 at Monmouth. There will be more than 130 paper presentations during the three days of the symposium, including one by my colleague, Mike Riley, entitled, “This Life and then the Next…” Immanent and Transcendent Images in Springsteen’s Eschatological Vision (with Apocalyptic Bonus Tracks).” What can I say? Mike’s a pretty deep guy….
There is also going to be a tribute to the late, great, E Street keyboardist Danny Federici, featuring Robert Santelli, president of The Grammy Museum (and a former writer for the Asbury Park Press), Vini “Mad Dog” Lopez, the first E Street drummer, and Carl “Tinker” West, who managed Springsteen’s biggest pre-E Street band, Steel Mill. Santelli will also be one of the panelists in a celebration of the Stone Pony scheduled for Sept. 24, the day before the symposium starts.
The musical events will be held in the evenings at the Stone Pony and will include performers by Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers, Gary “U.S.” Bonds, Willie Nile, Jo Bonnano & The Godsons of Soul and Boccigalupe and the Bad Boys. A special performance of “Songwriters by the Sea” will also be featured as part of the symposium, with Joe D’Urso, Lisa Lowell, Scott Kempner, Joe Rapolla and Jen Chapin presenting original songs and stories on Sept. 26 at Monmouth’s Pollak Theater.
The symposium will include a tour of Springsteen sites in Freehold and Asbury Party by Stan Goldstein and Jean Mikle the authors of “Rock & Roll Tour of The Jersey Shore.”
For more information or to register for the symposium, go to http://www.cpe.vt.edu/glorydays/.