The Boss may be a superstar within New Jersey, however, one bar owner on the Jersey Shore isn’t his No. 1 fan in the current political climate.
A Bruce Springsteen cover band, No Surrender, was set to perform at Riv’s Toms River Hub in Toms River, New Jersey this week, however, the bar owner called-off the performance. According to NJ.com, the owner, Tony Rivoli, said that the performance on May 30 would be “too risky at the moment,” and even texted bassist Guy Fleming, noting that his establishment’s customer base is “red and won’t stand for [Springsteen’s] bullshit.”
In a last attempt to save the show, the group’s frontman Brad Hobicorn suggested to Rivoli that the group could play under their old name, Asbury Fever, and play a set of rock covers, rather than just Springsteen’s songs. However, Rivoli refuted the idea, as he would not pay $2,500 for a non-Springsteen show.
Hobicorn told NJ.com that “this is not political for us at all.”
“We’re just a band that’s trying to make some money and people rely on it financially,” Hobicorn said. “We’re the ones really getting hurt.”
Rivoli reportedly texted Hobicorn, saying that while he wanted to do the Springsteen tribute and could have promoted it well on social media, “now because Bruce can’t keep his mouth shut we’re screwed.”
While the gig could have gone on as planned, the band said they felt “negative vibes about the whole thing” and were now concerned about their safety. Instead, they’ve opted to play at Headliner Oasis in Neptune Township on the same night — just 30 minutes away. The group’s upcoming dates can be found here.
| READ: Bruce Springsteen Slams President Trump, Pleas to ‘Let Freedom Ring’ in England Tour Opener |
Rivoli’s concerns follow Springsteen’s remarks regarding President Donald Trump while overseas on the European leg of his tour with the E Street Band. He turned Co-op Live’s stage into a pulpit against authoritarianism, calling Trump “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous” and urged fans to “raise your voices” for democracy.
“The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock-and-roll in dangerous times,” Springsteen told the packed arena moments before launching into “Land of Hope and Dreams.” “In my home, the America I love … is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration. Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American spirit to rise with us.”
In very Trump-like fashion, the president vowed on Truth Social that he would seek federal investigations into not only Springsteen, but any other celebrities who campaigned for the then-Democratic nominee Kamala Harris during the 2024 election.
| READ: Trump Escalates Springsteen Feud, Threatens Probes of Harris-Supporting Artists |
He called Springsteen “highly overrated” and a “pushy obnoxious jerk” and issuing what some have interpreted as a veiled threat – that he “ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the country…. Then we’ll all see how it goes for him!”
Springsteen isn’t alone; he also took to Truth Social to mock global superstar Taylor Swift, writing, “Has anyone noticed that, since I said ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,’ she’s no longer ‘HOT?’”
