Blood on Blood perform Springsteen's "Nebraska" // Jono Wright

Nebraska is the sixth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on September 30, 1982, by Columbia Records. Springsteen recorded the songs as demos on a 4-track recorder, intending to re-record them with the E Street Band, but decided to release them as they were. Nebraska remains one of the most highly regarded albums in his catalogue, and was ranked number 150 in Rolling Stone's 2020 edition of its "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list.

The songs on Nebraska deal with ordinary, down-on-their-luck blue-collar characters who face a challenge or a turning point in their lives. The songs also address the subject of outsiders, criminals and mass murderers with little hope for the future—or no future at all—as in the title track, where the main character is sentenced to death in the electric chair. Unlike previous albums, which often exuded energy, youth, optimism and joy, the vocal tones of Nebraska are solemn and thoughtful, with fleeting moments of grace and redemption woven through the lyrics. The album's reverb-laden vocals and mood combined with dark lyrical content have been described by music critic William Ruhlmann as "one of the most challenging albums ever released by a major star on a major record label".

Celebrate an alternative to American Independence Day when guitar maestro Andy Bunn and his blood brother Leamington- based American ex-pat singer, festival host and band booker Steve “Stein” Steinhaus bring their newest project to bear on the Temperance stage.

Having premiered as part of The Upton Blues Festival’s Acoustic Roots stage, Blood on Blood: A Tribute to Springsteen’s Nebraska steals Bruce Springsteen’s starkest, darkest, angriest album back from Ryan Adams and brings these stories of The People living the broken American dream to life with guitar, voice, gob iron and stomp/hand percussion.

In Nebraska we see America: in constant, violent conflict with the individuality it creates in its citizens . Recorded in 1981-2 and released in 1982 just before Springsteen went nuclear with Born in the USA, the Nebraska album has never been more relevant than now in our current, troubled times and is, for many, Bruce’s masterwork.

Come on down and experience it live and in full as intended.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Temperance, 33 Bath Street, Leamington Spa, United Kingdom