Christchurch has had a rough six years since the February 2011 earthquake, with aftershocks and rebuilding delays, droughts and this week's wild Port Hills fires.
But rock superstar and musical hero of the working class Bruce Springsteen is heading to the Garden City for the first time to play a show on February 21 - the eve of the six-year anniversary of the devastating February 22, 2011 earthquake.
In the aftermath of the quake, his song 'My City Of Ruins' became an unofficial anthem for the city, so it's sure to be an emotive show, Frontier Touring says.
With his legendary E Street Band, Springsteen is also playing Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday February 25. Tickets for Auckland are still available, but the Christchurch show, at AMI Stadium, has sold out.
On Thursday at his show in Brisbane, Bruce called a teen up on stage to play the song 'Growin' Up' with him. Springsteen saw the young man holding a sign saying: "Missed school, in the sh*t now, can I play Growin' Up with you?"
The young guy shot up to the stage, was given a guitar and launched into the song from Greetings From Asbury Park with Springsteen.
At the beginning of the month, Springsteen made headlines for remarks at his Melbourne show.
"We stand before you embarrassed Americans tonight," he said of himself and the E Street Band to the thousands-strong crowd - ostensibly referring to recent events in US politics.
The Boss made a reference to President Donald Trump's phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull when he played - a cover of The Orlons' 1965 hit 'Don't Hang Up'.
Australian rockers Jet are reuniting to play support, and Christchurch's own troubadour Marlon Williams with the Yarra Benders will be special guests.
For an idea of what they'll play, here's the setlist from Thursday's Brisbane show:
- 'New York City Serenade'
- 'Working on a Dream'
- 'Roll of the Dice'
- 'Jole Blon' (Harry Choates cover)
- 'Long Time Comin''
- 'Growin' Up'
- 'Out in the Street'
- 'No Surrender'
- 'Hungry Heart'
- 'Mary's Place'
- 'Fire'
- 'Follow That Dream' (Elvis Presley cover)
- 'The River'
- 'American Skin (41 Shots)'
- 'The Promised Land'
- 'Downbound Train'
- 'I'm on Fire'
- 'Because the Night'
- 'She's the One'
- 'Badlands'
- 'Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)'
Encore:
- 'Jungleland' (fan request)
- 'Born to Run'
- 'Dancing in the Dark'
- 'Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out'
- 'Shout' (The Isley Brothers cover)
- 'Thunder Road'
Newshub.
