Photos provided by Rob DeMartin

In what felt like the timeframe of a finger snap, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band sold out every show on a global run supporting not only the entirely original, pandemic-era release, “Letter To You,” but also a brand new, soulful covers collection, “Only The Strong Survive.”

Though the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will be in Chicago for two nights at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, August 9 and Friday, August 11, the intimate by comparison Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee may have given Midwesterners a more ideal environment to hear a supersized helping of hits, deep tracks and current cuts.

Tickets weren’t cheap, including the ones behind the stage, but The Boss and his buddies, pictured on a previous date in provided photos, gave everyone their money’s worth thanks to a whopping two-hour-and-forty-minute sweat fest, which found its fearless leader coming across much younger than his 73 years.

Even so, as Springsteen vulnerability acknowledged in a folksy, solo acoustic standout, “Last Man Standing,” mortality may be inevitably looming around the corner, but that doesn’t mean he’s won’t go down without a fight, or to quote a later battle cry, “c’mon and take your best shot/let me see what you got/ bring on your wrecking ball.”

In between, the working man’s hero and arguably the world’s best bar band barreled through notables “No Surrender,” “Prove It All Night” and “The Promised Land,” while keeping the most ardent appreciators on their toes with “Candy’s Room,” “Kitty’s Back” and the tour debut of “Death To My Hometown.”

Despite the darker reflection, the essence of New Jersey circa the 1970s came into razor sharp focus for “The E Street Shuffle,” “Backstreets,” “Because The Night” and “Badlands,” leading into a lengthy encore.

The houselights flipped on as Springsteen baptized faithful by the glow of “Born To Run,” lifers screamed along to “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” any age relived some “Glory Days,” followed by “Dancing In The Dark” and an introduction of the entire line-up, which included core guitarists Nils Lofgren and Steven Van Zandt, bassist Gary Tallent, piano man Roy Bittan and drummer Max Weinberg, though vocalist Patti Scialfa was not present.

Photos of late organ/accordion player Danny Federici and saxophonist Clarence Clemons (whose nephew Jake proficiently followed in his footsteps) flashed upon the screen during “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” while Springsteen left the no frills stage to lap the arena floor and The E Street Band stormed through the classic as if their lives actually depended upon it.

For additional information on Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, visit BruceSpringsteen.net.

Upcoming concert highlights at Fiserv Forum include Reba (Mar. 17); Future (Mar. 26); Shinedown (Apr. 29); Hogfest (May 4); Lizzo (May 16) and Shania Twain (Oct. 31). For additional details, visit FiservForum.com.

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