Springsteen, 76, then pivoted to condemnation, urging the audience inside the Count Basie Center for the Arts to stand against the Trump administration’s deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in American cities, particularly in Minneapolis.

From his scruffy days in Jersey Shore clubs to his streamlined "Tunnel of Love Express" tour that glides into Madison Square Garden Monday night, Bruce Springsteen has had a knack for tailoring his public image to suit the times.

The evening was a rock and blues extravaganza led by Joe Bonamassa and Slash, who brought along Bob Dylan guitarist Larry Campbell.