Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul
Stevie Van Zandt is on his first major U.S. tour since 1990 in support of Soulfire, his first solo album in nearly two decades. The onetime Asbury Juke and occasional Springsteen sideman hasn’t dug so hip-deep into the Jersey Shore since his earliest days, before he got all sidetracked with acting gigs on TV shows like The Sopranos and Lilyhammer (the latter featuring his scores in all three seasons), hosting his weekly syndicated radio show Little Steven’s Underground Garage, bitching about Sun City, and running his Wicked Cool Records label. You can stream the new album’s first track (“Saint Valentine’s Day”) while deciding if you want to head over to Shelter Island to see Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul on October 18, where he’ll be backed by a 12-piece band plus backup singers. Judging from several recent setlists posted online, it’s a marathon show featuring the best of his own songs going all the way back to the Jukes, as well as tunes covering Etta James, Gary U.S. Bonds, James Brown, Jimmy Barnes, Chuck Berry, and others.