The 1988 tour that made Bruce Springsteen want to drop his anthem: “It’s going to be something else”

On his 1988 Tunnel of Love Express Tour, Bruce Springsteen grew frustrated with audiences expecting the same familiar hits and wanted to make his concerts less predictable. He said he aimed to leave fans feeling that the show could be “something else”, giving himself room to bring new material and ideas to the stage.

The tour marked a shift towards songs from the Tunnel of Love album, with its drum machines and synthesisers, although major hits such as ‘Born in the USA’, ‘Dancing in the Dark’ and ‘Born to Run’ remained in the set. Springsteen’s effort to avoid formulaic performances has continued, with favourites sometimes dropped when they risk feeling stale.