Bruce Springsteen set the record straight regarding rumors of his potential retirement from touring. At a recent concert at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, The Boss proclaimed, “We’ve been around 50 f**king years and we ain’t quitting!”
“We ain’t doing no farewell tour bulls**t! Jesus Christ! No farewell tour for the E Street Band!” Springsteen said, per videos from the event that circulated on social media.
“Hell no . . . Farewell to what? Thousands of people screaming your name? Yeah, I wanna quit that,” the “Born to Run” singer jested. “That’s it. That’s all it takes,” he added in response to the cheering crowd. “I ain’t goin’ anywhere.”
Last September, the 74-year-old New Jersey musician postponed a number of shows in order to receive treatment for peptic ulcer disease (PUD), a fairly common condition in which sores accumulate in the lining of the stomach or upper part of the small intestine. Springsteen at the time wrote on his website that he and the E Street Band were “heartbroken” to take a pause. “Thank you for your understanding and support. We’ve been having a blast at our U.S. shows and we’re looking forward to more great times. We’ll be back soon,” the statement added.
The rest of Springsteen’s North American tour will run through November, before pivoting to Europe next summer to complete previously postponed shows, as noted by Entertainment Weekly.