BREAKING NEWS: Bruce Springsteen leans into ‘Darkness’ during 2nd night in…..

Seeing Bruce Springsteen live is a tradition in my family that has spanned over half a century. My father started attending his shows in the early 1970s, back when Max Weinberg had yet to join the band and well before the “Born in the U.S.A.” album made Springsteen a household name.

Even now, in his 70s, Springsteen continues to deliver incredible performances. During his second night at PPG Paints Arena, he played many familiar songs but also introduced some changes. The show opened with the energetic hi-hat cymbals of Max Weinberg on “Candy’s Room,” followed by a powerful rendition of “Adam Raised A Cain,” both tracks from the “Darkness on the Edge of Town” album, which featured prominently in Sunday’s setlist.

The E Street Band has always been a formidable group with its three guitars and two keyboards, but the current lineup includes a horn section, fiddler Soozie Tyrell, percussionist Anthony Almonte, saxophonist Jake Clemons, and four female backup singers. This expanded ensemble turns the concert into a rock ’n’ roll revival, with Springsteen playing the role of rock reverend, maintaining high energy throughout the three-hour performance without a break.

After starting with two tracks from “Darkness,” the band moved on to more recent songs, including “Ghost” from 2020 and “Death to My Hometown” from the 2012 album “Wrecking Ball,” before returning to “Darkness” with the title track, “The Promised Land,” and “Spirit in the Night.”

My father attended Springsteen’s shows when he was just a young, up-and-coming rocker, performing at the old Stanley Theater. I’ve accompanied him to several concerts, but this was the first time my son joined us, marking three generations of Boss fans. (Though, it might be too soon to declare my son a fan, as his main takeaway was, “Man, this is really loud, Dad.” He wasn’t wrong—arena rock is still tough on the ears despite advancements in audio technology.)

The middle section of the show was similar to Thursday’s performance, featuring the hard-hitting “Youngstown,” a funked-up “E Street Shuffle” followed by an even funkier cover of the Commodores’ “Nightshift,” and a stripped-down acoustic version of “Last Man Standing.” However, instead of returning to “Darkness” with “Racing in the Streets,” the audience at PPG was treated to a lively, celebratory rendition of “Mary’s Place.”