But the buzz isn’t just about the music. Fans are grappling with eye-watering ticket prices, courtesy of Ticketmaster’s opaque dynamic pricing algorithms. The frustration is real, but so is the admiration. The devotion to Springsteen is undiminished, and one video from a 2012 performance offers a perfect reminder why.
In the clip, Springsteen invites a young girl onstage to sing a few verses of Waitin’ on a Sunny Day—a gesture he reportedly made a habit of during his tours. The child’s grandparents, posting under the handle Mfernkes, recall the moment with pride: “We were lucky that he picked our granddaughter and we were very proud of her performance.” Rightly so—what a defining childhood memory.
Another commenter, 42awww, captured the emotion perfectly: “This must be one of the most precious moments of your life!! When she looks back 20 years from now… and Bruce, the epic of class.” Many others chimed in with praise for Springsteen’s warmth, his generosity, and the deeply human connection he fosters with fans—young and old.
Still, the shine of those moments can’t entirely mask the frustration surrounding ticket costs. The iconic Backstreets fanzine, a fan-driven publication that’s been running since 1980, has shuttered in protest. While their parting words were clear—Springsteen isn’t the villain here—the blame rests squarely on Ticketmaster’s near-total grip on the live music industry.
Since merging with Live Nation in 2010, Ticketmaster has become the Goliath of event ticketing, controlling roughly 70% of the U.S. market, according to CNBC. With a stranglehold on both venues and ticket sales, the company can hike prices in lockstep with demand. For fans of mega-acts like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Springsteen, the result is the same: heartbreak at the checkout page.
Add in the post-pandemic hunger for live music, and it’s a perfect storm—one that artists and fans alike are struggling to weather. The good news? The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has Ticketmaster in its sights, holding hearings on the company’s monopoly power. Whether real change follows remains to be seen.
