View source for Devils & Dust Tour

{{Short description|2005 concert tour by Bruce Springsteen}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox concert
| concert_tour_name = Devils & Dust Tour
| image = Devilsdusttour.jpg
| artist = [[Bruce Springsteen]]
| album = ''[[Devils & Dust]]''
| start_date = April 21, 2005
| end_date = November 22, 2005
| number_of_legs = 4
| number_of_shows = 76
| last_tour = [[Vote for Change]]<br />(2004)
| this_tour = '''Devils & Dust Tour'''<br />(2005)
| next_tour = [[Bruce Springsteen with the Seeger Sessions Band Tour|Sessions Band Tour]]<br />(2006)
}}

The '''Devils & Dust Tour''' was a 2005 [[concert tour]] featuring [[Bruce Springsteen]] performing alone on stage on a variety of instruments.  It followed the release of his 2005 album ''[[Devils & Dust]]''. The tour was named the Top Small Venue Tour of 2005 by the [[Billboard Touring Awards]].

==Approach==
The ''Devils & Dust'' album, while not using the [[E Street Band]] as a whole and being in the more acoustic, somber vein of his earlier ''[[Nebraska (album)|Nebraska]]'' and ''[[The Ghost of Tom Joad]]'' works, was not without (sometimes substantial) instrumentation and arrangements.

Thus when Springsteen began rehearsals for the upcoming tour in [[Asbury Park]]'s [[Paramount Theater Asbury Park|Paramount Theatre]], he experimented with a small band line-up.  Although the rehearsals were closed, a dozen or two diehard Springsteen fans would stand outside the theatre each day on the chilly early spring boardwalk, listening through walls to try to hear what was being played, a practice that had been going on since the E Street Band's [[Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour|Reunion Tour]] rehearsals in 1999.  These fans reported that Springsteen was rehearsing with [[Nils Lofgren]] (guitar and keyboards), [[Danny Federici]] (organ), [[Soozie Tyrell]] (violin and vocals), and [[Steve Jordan (drummer)|Steve Jordan]] (drums), all of whom had participated in recording the album.

After a week or two of this, however, Springsteen decided it was not what he wanted.  The musicians disappeared, and Springsteen would perform on the tour all by himself. As he told ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' before the tour began, "Nils and some other folks came in for rehearsals to give me a sense of if I wanted to go with something bigger. But what tends to be dramatic is either the full band or you onstage by yourself. Playing alone creates a sort of drama and intimacy for the audience: They know it's just them and just you."<ref name="brucespringsteen.net">{{cite web |url=http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html |title= Bruce Springsteen News: Brucespringsteen.net|website=www.brucespringsteen.net |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060629002715/http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html |archive-date=June 29, 2006}}</ref> He would further explain his challenge to ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' during the tour: "I don't have a piano and a sax and drums behind me on this tour. So I had to re-approach the guitar as an instrument of solo accompaniment. It becomes a bit of a new land, and I'll play it in ways I've never played it before. I'm constantly asking myself, How can I wring as much music and meaning as possible out of those six strings? One thing I do know: With the correct playing style, you can summon up an orchestra."<ref name="brucespringsteen.net"/>{{dead link|date=September 2012}}

==Itinerary==
[[File:Devils&DustTourPoster.jpg|thumb|right|Tour advertisement, showing Springsteen at the pump organ]]
The tour began in April 2005 with two public rehearsal shows in Asbury Park's Paramount Theatre, as well as a promotional appearance in [[Red Bank, New Jersey|Red Bank]] for [[VH1]]'s ''Storytellers''.

The tour's first proper leg then began in late April with 14 concerts across the United States in mid-sized halls and partially curtained-off [[arena]]s; the opening show was April 25, the day of the album's release, in the [[Fox Theatre (Detroit)|Fox Theatre]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]].  Without a break the second leg commenced, visiting [[Western Europe]] from late May through the end of June for 20 shows across various countries.  After a two-week break, the third leg comprised 17 shows across Canada and the U.S., sometimes now playing in full-sized arenas.  In mid-August the tour took a two-month break off.  The fourth leg then took place in October and November, playing mostly Springsteen hot spots along the U.S. [[East Coast of the United States|Eastern Seaboard]] to give repeat concert-goers a chance to see how the tour had evolved;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/61586/bruce-plans-another-solo-swing|title=Bruce Plans Another Solo Swing|publisher=Billboard.com}}</ref> the final show was November 22 at [[Sovereign Bank Arena]] in [[Trenton, New Jersey]].

==Show==
[[Image:Devils&DustTourHandout.jpg|thumb|left|140px|The paper handout.]]
Audience members at larger venues were often greeted by a paper handout, proclaiming that "Tonight's show is a solo acoustic ''[sic]'' performance, set in a theater style arrangement ... There will be no seating during each song ... All concession stands will close 10 minutes prior to the start of the show ..."  The concert's stage set was sparse, with a few instrument stations laid out, a carpet and lamp, two reddish chandeliers, and darkish, subdued stage lighting.

The instrument stations were indeed a break with the past, for Springsteen's 1995–1996 solo [[Ghost of Tom Joad Tour]] has seen him only playing [[Steel-string guitar|acoustic guitar]] and [[harmonica]].  On the Devils & Dust Tour, by contrast, he would not only play those two, but add [[piano]], [[electric piano]], [[pump organ]], [[autoharp]], [[ukulele]], [[banjo]], [[electric guitar]], and stomping board, thus adding considerable variety to the solo sound.  Furthermore, his guitar tech Kevin Buell and a mysterious "Mr. Fitz" would on some songs contribute [[Offstage musicians and singers in popular music|hidden, off-stage acoustic guitar]], [[synthesizer]], and [[percussion]].<ref name="upstagemagazine1">{{cite web |url=http://www.upstagemagazine.com/articles/getarticle-new.php?ID=1451 |title= |website=www.upstagemagazine.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928082405/http://www.upstagemagazine.com/articles/getarticle-new.php?ID=1451 |archive-date=September 28, 2007}}</ref>
This ran against Springsteen's purely solo performance claim, but provided welcome instrumental coloring (and there was a precedent, as offstage keyboards had been used a bit on the Ghost of Tom Joad Tour as well).
And while the tour was officially billed as "Solo & Acoustic", there were in fact two electric instruments onstage and one offstage.

The tone of the performance was set at the start, when Springsteen would ask for quiet during the performance and humorously threaten audience members with mayhem if their cell phones went off.<ref name="upstagemagazine1"/><ref name="austin2005">{{cite web |url=http://www.austin360.com/music/content/music/statesman/2005/30springsteen.html |title= Shows: Bruce Springsteen|website=www.austin360.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060212000139/http://www.austin360.com/music/content/music/statesman/2005/30springsteen.html |archive-date=February 12, 2006}}</ref> Then a "song" would be performed using only an amplified "stomping board" and an ultra-distorting vocal "bullet microphone", two devices designed to render any words or melody utterly incomprehensible to all but the sharpest of ears.<ref name="austin2005"/><ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050519/ENT04/505190345/1031|title=Asbury Park Press|website=Asbury Park Press|access-date=April 23, 2018}}</ref> The work most frequently presented in this slot was "Reason to Believe", ''Nebraska''{{'}}s most misanthropic selection.  From there he would do a few recent songs on guitar and harmonica, usually from ''Devils & Dust'' or ''[[The Rising (album)|The Rising]]''.

Then would come two batches of piano or electric piano performances.  These were either emotional classic favorites such as "[[The River (Bruce Springsteen song)|The River]]" or "[[Backstreets (song)|Backstreets]]" or "[[Racing in the Street]]", or surprises from his back catalog, including intense tracks from ''[[The River (Bruce Springsteen album)|The River]]'' such as "[[Stolen Car (Bruce Springsteen song)|Stolen Car]]", "[[Wreck on the Highway (1980 song)|Wreck on the Highway]]", and "Drive All Night" that had not been played live for over two decades.  Later in the tour more obscure selections were dug up, such as "Iceman", "Santa Ana", and "Zero and Blind Terry", never released until appearing on the 1998 ''[[Tracks (Bruce Springsteen album)|Tracks]]'' box set, as well as the truly obscure, such as "Song to the Orphans", never released at all and unplayed since the early 1970s (it was later released on 2020's ''[[Letter to You]]'').  Such numbers were often humorously dedicated by Springsteen  — "This is a song for the people who know more about me than I do about myself" — and indeed received many positive reactions from the die-hard fans who knew, or at least knew of, them.

Springsteen is, by his own admission, not a fully fluid or confident piano player.  After playing piano some in concert during the early-mid 1970s, he had generally avoided it since, with the exception of a one-time benefit performance for the [[Christic Institute]] in 1990.  In the 2000sM=, he had begun to give it a try again, a couple of times on the final leg of the [[Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour|Reunion Tour]], then in the relaxed environment of Asbury Park holiday shows, and then in occasional spots on the 2002–2003 [[The Rising Tour|Rising Tour]].  His lack of skills had been illustrated in the ''[[Live in Barcelona (Bruce Springsteen video)|Live in Barcelona]]'' DVD from that tour, when a solo piano "[[Spirit in the Night]]" had completely broken down.  Now, for the first time, he was doing it on a steady basis, and with nowhere to hide if he made mistakes; indeed this challenge may have in part the motivation for doing the tour solo.  Verdicts on his playing were mixed: fans downloading bootlegged [[MP3]]s from the shows could sometimes hear clear mistakes, especially during instrumental breaks; one reviewer found power in his playing <!-- dang, where's that review url? I had it yesterday --> and another proficiency;<ref name="laweekly1">{{cite web|author=A A A Comments (0) Thursday, May 12, 2005|url=http://www.laweekly.com/music/live-in-la/live-in-la/8532/|title=Live in L.A. – Page 1 – Music – Los Angeles|publisher=LA Weekly|date=May 12, 2005|access-date=November 7, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930201514/http://www.laweekly.com/music/live-in-la/live-in-la/8532/|archive-date=September 30, 2007|df=mdy-all}}</ref>  ''[[The Arizona Republic]]'' wrote that "Springsteen showed off improved piano skills";<ref>http://www.azcentral.com/ent/music/articles/0501springsteenrev01.html {{Dead link|date=July 2022}}</ref>  ''Runaway American Dream'' mused that "During an impromptu electric-piano 'All That Heaven Will Allow', Springsteen seemed delighted during the solo when he hit the right notes";<ref>{{cite web|url=http://guterman.com/springsteen/|title=Runaway American Dream|publisher=Guterman.com|access-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref>  while ''[[HARP Magazine]]'' said "Springsteen's piano playing was perfectly imperfect."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://harpmagazine.com/reviews/concert_reviews/detail.cfm?article=10349|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060209091205/http://www.harpmagazine.com/reviews/concert_reviews/detail.cfm?article=10349|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 9, 2006|title=harpmagazine.com|website=harpmagazine.com|access-date=June 23, 2017}}</ref> In any case, for the faithful the rarities and the frequent [[set list]] changes in the piano numbers seemed to more than make up for any technical deficiencies.

[[Image:Devils&DustTourAudienceShot.jpg|thumb|right|230px|On a dark stage. [[Continental Airlines Arena]], May 19, 2005.]]
The end of the regular set would always contain four or five of the dourest ''Devils & Dust'' numbers played in succession, concluding to silence with the difficult "Matamoros Banks" (the [[Illegal immigration to the United States|illegal immigrant]] protagonist starts the song dead under a river with turtles gnawing at him).  For artist who had built a reputation for rousing set closers such as "[[Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)|Rosalita]]" and "[[Light of Day (song)|Light of Day]]", this draining and unpleasant finale was more than a bit of a departure.

The encore would first feature some up-tempo liveliness, with high-energy guitar run-throughs of fan favorites such as "[[Ramrod (Bruce Springsteen song)|Ramrod]]", "[[Land of Hope and Dreams]]", or "[[Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?]]"  But then would come an unearthly, distinctly non-anthemic rendition of his popular rallying cry "The Promised Land", built around a percussive vocalization and guitar slaps approach <ref name="upstagemagazine1"/> http://www.austin360.com/music/content/music/statesman/2005/30springsteen.html , somewhat similar to his Ghost of Tom Joad Tour version. And then the final selection would be one of his most unusual ever—a modified version of 1970s cult band [[Suicide (band)|Suicide]]'s obscure "Dream Baby Dream".  Played on pump organ with a reverberating drone, assisted by an offstage synthesizer, Springsteen cycled around and around, minute after minute, through pieces of the simple yet disjointed lyrics – "Dream baby dream, I just want to see you smile, come on, dream baby dream" – until eventually he would get up from the organ and walk around the stage, the offstage music still coming, he still repeating through the lyrics, looking out over the audience as if he were giving them a puzzled benediction, then finally walking off stage still singing and without further remarks, the end.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> Some "Dream Baby Dream"s lasted eight minutes, nine, ten or more.

==Set list==
{{hidden
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| content =
{{col-begin|width=100%}}
{{col-2}}
'''''[[Greetings from Asbury Park, New Jersey]]'''''
*"[[Blinded By the Light]]"
*"[[Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?]]"
*"[[For You (Bruce Springsteen song)|For You]]"
*"[[It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City]]"
*"[[Lost in the Flood]]"
*"[[Spirit in the Night]]"

'''''[[The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle]]'''''
*"4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)"
*"Incident on 57th Street"
*"Wild Billy's Circus Story"

'''''[[Born to Run]]'''''
*"[[Backstreets]]"
*"[[Born to Run (song)|Born to Run]]"
*"[[Meeting Across the River]]"
*"[[Thunder Road (song)|Thunder Road]]"

'''''[[Darkness on the Edge of Town]]'''''
*"Adam Raised a Cain"
*"Darkness on the Edge of Town"
*"[[The Promised Land (Bruce Springsteen song)|The Promised Land]]"
*"Prove It All Night"
*"Racing in the Street"
*"Something in the Night"

'''''[[The River (Bruce Springsteen album)|The River]]'''''
*"Cadillac Ranch"
*"Drive All Night"
*"Fade Away"
*"Hungry Heart"
*"I Wanna Marry You"
*"Indepencence Day"
*"Point Blank"
*"Ramrod"
*"The River"
*"Sherry Darling"
*"Stolen Car"
*"The Ties That Bind"
*"Wreck on the Highway"
*"You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)"

'''''[[Nebraska (album)|Nebraska]]'''''
*"Atlantic City"
*"Highway Patrolman"
*"Johnny 99"
*"Mansion on the Hill"
*"My Father's House"
*"Nebraska"
*"Open All Night"
*"Reason to Believe"
*"State Trooper"
*"Used Cars"

'''''[[Born in the U.S.A.]]'''''
*"Bobby Jean"
*"Born in the U.S.A."
*"Darlington County"
*"Downbound Train"
*"I'm on Fire"
*"My Hometown"

'''''[[Tunnel of Love (Bruce Springsteen album)|Tunnel of Love]]'''''
*"Ain't Got You"
*"All That Heaven Will Allow"
*"Brilliant Disguise"
*"Cautious Man"
*"One Step Up"
*"Spare Parts"
*"Tougher Than the Rest"
*"Tunnel of Love"
*"Two Faces"
*"Valentine's Day"
*"Walk Like a Man"
*"When You're Alone"

'''''[[Human Touch]]'''''
*"I Wish I Were Blind"
*"Real World"
*"Roll of the Dice"
*"Soul Driver"
{{col-2}}
'''''[[Lucky Town]]'''''
*"Better Days"
*"Book of Dreams"
*"If I Should Fall Behind"
*"Leap of Faith"
*"Living Proof"
*"Local Hero"
*"Lucky Town"
*"My Beautiful Reward"

'''''[[Greatest Hits (Bruce Springsteen album)|Greatest Hits]]'''''
*"This Hard Land"

'''''[[The Ghost of Tom Joad]]'''''
*"Across the Border"
*"Dry Lightning"
*"Galveston Bay"
*"The Ghost of Tom Joad"
*"Highway 29"
*"The Line"
*"My Best Was Never Good Enough"
*"The New Timer"
*"Sinaloa Cowboys"
*"Straight Time"
*"Youngstown"

'''''[[Tracks (Bruce Springsteen album)|Tracks]]'''''
*"A Good Man is Hard to Find (Pittsburgh)"
*"Back In Your Arms"
*"Be True"
*"Cynthia"
*"Frankie"
*"Iceman"
*"Janey, Don't You Lose Heart"
*"Part Man Part Monkey"
*"Sad Eyes"
*"Santa Ana"
*"Shut Out the Light"
*"Thundercrack"
*"Two For the Road"
*"The Wish"
*"Zero and Blind Terry"

'''''[[18 Tracks]]'''''
*"The Fever"
*"The Promise"

'''''[[The Rising (album)|The Rising]]'''''
*"Countin' on a Miracle"
*"Empty Sky"
*"Further (On Up the Road)"
*"Into the Fire"
*"Lonesome Day"
*"Mary's Place"
*"Nothing Man"
*"Paradise"
*"The Rising"
*"Waitin' on a Sunny Day"
*"You're Missing"

'''''[[The Essential Bruce Springsteen]]'''''
*"County Fair"
*"Lift Me Up"

'''''[[Devils & Dust]]'''''
*"All I'm Thinkin' About"
*"All the Way Home"
*"Black Cowboys"
*"Devils & Dust"
*"The Hitter"
*"Jesus Was a Only Son"
*"Leah"
*"Long Time Comin'"
*"Maria's Bed"
*"Matamoros Banks"
*"Reno"
*"Silver Palomino"

'''Other (non-album songs)'''
*"[[Because the Night]]"
*"Fire"
*"Land of Hope and Dreams"
*"Songs For Orphans"
*"The Wall"

{{col-end}}
}}

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*"Dirty Water"
*"Dream Baby Dream"
*"Homestead"
*"Idiot's Delight"
*"Oklahoma Hills"
*"Rumble"
*"Santa Claus is Coming to Town"

{{col-end}}
}}

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| header = Soundchecked/on setlist not performed
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*"American Skin (41 Shots)"
*"Car Wash"
*"Cover Me"
*"Cross My Heart"
*"Dancing in the Dark"
*"Happy"
*"Jackson Cage"
*"Kitty's Back"
*"Loose Ends"
*"Pony Boy" 
*"Real Man"
*"Seven Angels"
*"T.V. Movie"
*"Worlds Apart"

}}

Source:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.springsteenliveinconcert.com/|title=The Official Bruce Springsteen concert CD & DVD collection|publisher=Springsteenliveinconcert.com|access-date=November 7, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124042749/http://www.springsteenliveinconcert.com/|archive-date=January 24, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://brucebase.wikispaces.com/|title=Brucebase – home|publisher=Brucebase.wikispaces.com|access-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://backstreets.com/setlists.html|title=2012 Setlists Part 3|publisher=Backstreets.com|date=April 29, 1976|access-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greasylake.org/setlists_lists.php|title=Bruce Springsteen Setlists|publisher=Greasy Lake|access-date=November 7, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026114142/http://www.greasylake.org/setlists_lists.php|archive-date=October 26, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brucespringsteen.net|title=Helsinki 2012|website=www.brucespringsteen.net|access-date=June 23, 2017}}</ref>

==Tour dates==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

!scope="col" style="width:12em;"|Date
!scope="col" style="width:12em;"|City
!scope="col" style="width:12em;"|Country
!scope="col" style="width:20em;"|Venue
!scope="col" style="width:10em;"|Attendance
!scope="col" style="width:10em;"|Revenue
|-
|- style="background:#ddd;"
|colspan="6"|'''North America'''
|-
|April 25, 2005|| [[Detroit]] || rowspan="14"|United States || [[Fox Theatre (Detroit)|Fox Theatre]] || rowspan="1"|4,775 / 4,775 || rowspan="1"|$407,776
|-
|April 28, 2005|| [[Grand Prairie, Texas|Grand Prairie]] || [[Texas Trust CU Theatre|Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie]] || rowspan="1"|5,114 / 6,197 || rowspan="1"|$433,310
|-
|April 30, 2005|| [[Glendale, Arizona|Glendale]] || [[Desert Diamond Arena|Glendale Arena]]
|-
|May 2, 2005|| rowspan="2"|Los Angeles || rowspan="2"|[[Pantages Theatre (Hollywood)|Pantages Theatre]] || rowspan="2"|5,457 / 5,457 || rowspan="2"|$451,752
|-
|May 3, 2005
|-
|May 5, 2005|| [[Oakland, California|Oakland]] || [[Oakland Paramount Theatre]]
|-
|May 7, 2005|| [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]] || [[Colorado Convention Center Lecture Hall]]
|-
|May 10, 2005|| [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]] || [[Xcel Energy Center]] || rowspan="1"|7,072 / 7,072 || rowspan="1"|$691,569
|-
|May 11, 2005|| [[Rosemont, Illinois|Rosemont]] || [[Rosemont Theatre]] || rowspan="1"|4,355 / 4,355 || rowspan="1"|$366,195
|-
|May 14, 2005|| [[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax]] || [[EagleBank Arena|Patriot Center]] || rowspan="1"|6,909 / 6,909 || rowspan="1"|$573,885
|-
|May 15, 2005|| [[Cleveland]] || [[Wolstein Center]] || rowspan="1"|7,384 / 7,384 || rowspan="1"|$599,305
|-
|May 17, 2005|| [[Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania|Upper Darby]] || [[Tower Theater (Pennsylvania)|Tower Theater]]
|-
|May 19, 2005|| [[East Rutherford, New Jersey|East Rutherford]] || [[Meadowlands Arena|The Theater at Continental Airlines Arena]]
|-
|May 20, 2005|| [[Boston]] || [[Orpheum Theatre (Boston)|Orpheum Theatre]]
|-
|- style="background:#ddd;"
|colspan="6"|'''Europe'''
|-
|May 24, 2005|| [[Dublin]] || Ireland || [[Point Theatre]]
|-
|May 27, 2005|| rowspan="2"|London || rowspan="2"|England || rowspan="2"|[[Royal Albert Hall]] || rowspan="2"|8,538 / 8,538 || rowspan="2"|$752,865
|-
|May 28, 2005
|-
|May 30, 2005|| [[Brussels]] || Belgium || [[Forest National]] || rowspan="1"|6,888 / 6,888 || rowspan="1"|$691,569
|-
|June 1, 2005|| [[Barcelona]] || rowspan="2"|Spain || [[Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona]]
|-
|June 2, 2005|| [[Madrid]] || [[Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid]] || rowspan="1"|7,109 / 7,109 || rowspan="1"|$573,571
|-
|June 4, 2005|| [[Bologna]] || rowspan="3"|Italy || [[Palamalaguti]] || rowspan="1"|8,500 / 8,500 || rowspan="1"|$560,289
|-
|June 6, 2005|| Rome || [[PalaLottomatica]] || rowspan="1"|7,117 / 7,117 || rowspan="1"|$564,640
|-
|June 7, 2005|| [[Milan]] || [[Datch Forum]] || rowspan="1"|7,954 / 7,954 || rowspan="1"|$516,450
|-
|June 13, 2005|| [[Munich]] || rowspan="3"|Germany || [[Olympiahalle]] || rowspan="1"|7,051 / 7,051 || rowspan="1"|$691,569
|-
|June 15, 2005|| [[Frankfurt]] || [[Festhalle Frankfurt|Festhalle]] || rowspan="1"|6,854 / 6,854 || rowspan="1"|$603,635
|-
|June 16, 2005|| [[Düsseldorf]] || [[Philipshalle]]
|-
|June 19, 2005|| [[Rotterdam]] || [[The Netherlands]] || [[Rotterdam Ahoy|Rotterdam Ahoy Sportpaleis]] || rowspan="1"|8,355 / 8,355 || rowspan="1"|$775,174
|-
|June 20, 2005|| Paris || France || [[Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy]] || rowspan="1"|8,072 / 8,072 || rowspan="1"|$616,190
|-
|June 22, 2005|| [[Copenhagen]] || Denmark || [[Forum Copenhagen|Forum København]] || rowspan="1"|6,580 / 6,580 || rowspan="1"|$539,001
|-
|June 23, 2005|| [[Gothenburg]] || rowspan="2"|Sweden || [[Scandinavium]] || rowspan="1"|8,231 / 8,231 || rowspan="1"|$594,540
|-
|June 25, 2005|| [[Stockholm]] || [[Hovet]] || rowspan="1"|7,495 / 7,495 || rowspan="1"|$547,981
|-
|June 27, 2005|| [[Hamburg]] || rowspan="2"|Germany || [[Color Line Arena]] || rowspan="1"|7,835 / 7,835 || rowspan="1"|$615,587
|-
|June 28, 2005|| Berlin || [[ICC Berlin]]
|-
|- style="background:#ddd;"
|colspan="6"|'''North America'''
|-
|July 13, 2005|| [[Ottawa]] || rowspan="2"|Canada || [[Canadian Tire Centre|Corel Center]]
|-
|July 14, 2005|| [[Toronto]] || [[Scotiabank Arena|Air Canada Centre]]
|-
|July 16, 2005|| [[Albany, New York|Albany]] || rowspan="14"|United States || [[MVP Arena|Pepsi Arena]] || rowspan="1"|8,325 / 8,325 || rowspan="1"|$666,575
|-
|July 18, 2005|| [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]] || [[KeyBank Center|HSBC Arena]]
|-
|July 20, 2005|| [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]] || [[Total Mortgage Arena|Arena at Harbor Yard]]
|-
|July 23, 2005|| [[Atlanta]] || [[State Farm Arena|Philips Arena]] || rowspan="1"|6,541 / 10,597  || rowspan="1"|$419,055
|-
|July 24, 2005|| [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] || [[Charlotte Coliseum]]
|-
|July 26, 2005|| [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]] || [[Greensboro Coliseum]]
|-
|July 28, 2005|| [[Pittsburgh]] || [[Petersen Events Center]]
|-
|July 31, 2005|| [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] || [[Value City Arena|Value City Theatre]]
|-
|August 1, 2005|| [[Cincinnati]] || [[Heritage Bank Center|U.S. Bank Arena]]
|-
|August 3, 2005|| [[Grand Rapids, Michigan|Grand Rapids]] || [[Van Andel Arena]] || rowspan="1"|5,575 / 8,501 || rowspan="1"|$460,610
|-
|August 6, 2005|| [[St. Louis]] || [[Fox Theatre (St. Louis)|Fox Theatre]]
|-
|August 7, 2005|| [[Milwaukee]] || [[Bradley Center]] || rowspan="1"|5,594 / 7,000 || rowspan="1"|$463,920
|-
|August 10, 2005|| [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]] || [[Moda Center|Rose Garden Theater of the Clouds]]
|-
|August 11, 2005|| [[Seattle]] || [[Climate Pledge Arena|KeyArena at Seattle Center]]
|-
|August 13, 2005|| [[Vancouver]] || Canada || [[Rogers Arena|Pontiac Theatre at GM Place]]
|-
|October 4, 2005|| [[Asbury Park, New Jersey|Asbury Park]] || rowspan="22"|United States || [[Paramount Theatre (Asbury Park, New Jersey)|Paramount Theatre]]
|-
|October 6, 2005|| [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]] || [[Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial]]
|-
|October 7, 2005|| [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]] || [[XL Center|Hartford Civic Center]] || rowspan="1"|6,295 / 7,525 || rowspan="1"|$504,605
|-
|October 9, 2005|| [[Uniondale, New York|Uniondale]] || [[Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum]]
|-
|October 12, 2005|| [[Minneapolis]] || [[Northrop Auditorium]] || rowspan="1"|4,539 / 4,539 || rowspan="1"|$366,195
|-
|October 13, 2005|| [[Chicago]] || [[United Center]] || rowspan="1"|7,856 / 7,856 || rowspan="1"|$658,420
|-
|October 15, 2005|| [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]] || [[Alliant Energy Center|Dane County Arena at Alliant Center]] || rowspan="1"|5,312 / 7,500 || rowspan="1"|$388,700
|-
|October 20, 2005|| [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]] || [[DCU Center]] || rowspan="1"|8,757 / 10,209 || rowspan="1"|$691,569
|-
|October 21, 2005|| [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]] || [[Amica Mutual Pavilion|Dunkin' Donuts Center]]
|-
|October 24, 2005|| [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] || [[Richmond Coliseum]] || rowspan="1"|5,712 / 5,712 || rowspan="1"|$424,432
|-
|October 28, 2005|| rowspan="2"|[[Boston]] || rowspan="2"|[[TD Garden|TD Banknorth Garden]] || rowspan="2"|18,124 / 18,124 || rowspan="2"|$1,482,110
|-
|October 30, 2005
|-
|November 4, 2005|| [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]] || [[Amalie Arena|St. Pete Times Forum]] || rowspan="1"|8,433 / 13,604 || rowspan="1"|$613,303
|-
|November 8, 2005|| rowspan="2"|[[Philadelphia]] || rowspan="2"|[[Wachovia Spectrum]] || rowspan="2"|16,117 / 16,117 || rowspan="2"|$1,285,945
|-
|November 9, 2005
|-
|November 11, 2005|| [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]] || [[Ted Constant Convocation Center|Constant Convocation Center at Old Dominion University]] || rowspan="1"|6,283 / 6,283 || rowspan="1"|$436,030
|-
|November 13, 2005|| [[Atlantic City]] || [[Boardwalk Hall]] || rowspan="1"|9,619 / 9,619 || rowspan="1"|$763,015
|-
|November 16, 2005|| rowspan="2"|[[East Rutherford, New Jersey|East Rutherford]] || rowspan="2"|[[Meadowlands Arena|Continental Airlines Arena]]
|-
|November 17, 2005
|-
|November 19, 2005|| [[Hollywood, Florida|Hollywood]] || [[Hard Rock Live|Hard Rock Live Arena]]
|-
|November 21, 2005|| rowspan="2"|[[Trenton, New Jersey|Trenton]] || rowspan="2"|[[CURE Insurance Arena|Sovereign Bank Arena]] || rowspan="2"|13,878 / 14,341 || rowspan="2"|$1,104,098
|-
|November 22, 2005
|-
|}

==Critical and commercial reception==
The show was definitely a challenge to its audience, especially when presented in a cavernous arena.  Casual Springsteen fans, if they came at all, would leave a bit bewildered.  The faithful often found the shows rewarding.  In retrospect, however, some fans wondered if some of the limitations of the tour might have been overcome if Springsteen had stuck with his original small-band lineup.  However, others believe the Devils and Dust tour was Springsteen at his best, creating some of the most exciting shows longtime fans have ever seen.  Springsteen played a total of 140 different songs during the tour.  Few artists have ever played such a large variety of songs during one tour.  Springsteen showcased his musical talent and made fans want to follow him on tour from the excitement created by so many different songs being played each night.  The ''Devils & Dust'' material had  been the ones most using the offstage instruments, and these fans believed even more would have helped, as effective large-group versions of that album's "[[Devils & Dust (song)|Devils & Dust]]" and "Long Time Comin'" proved on the following year's [[Bruce Springsteen with The Seeger Sessions Band Tour|Sessions Band Tour]].

[[File:Bruce Springsteen 2005.jpg|thumb|left|230px|An acoustic guitar number at the [[Festhalle Frankfurt]], June 15, 2005.]]
Critical reaction to the Devils & Dust Tour was generally favorable.  ''[[Variety (magazine)|Daily Variety]]'' reviewed a Los Angeles show by saying, "On a night that can be described as nothing short of magical, his solo show was a dream come true ... nearly every moment in the 2½-hour show resonated with truth."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theaircanadacentre.com/aboutACC.php?level=4&articleID=132 |title= |website=www.theaircanadacentre.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313013912/http://www.theaircanadacentre.com/aboutACC.php?level=4&articleID=132 |archive-date=March 13, 2007}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' called the show "spare and pensive", noting that "the artist has consistently changed up the set list and reinvented dozens of songs from his more than three-decade career."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/61586/bruce-plans-another-solo-swing|title=Bruce Plans Another Solo Swing|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref>  The local ''[[Asbury Park Press]]'' portrayed Springsteen's attitude during the show as "[One who] has seen some things, heard some things and done some things — most of them terrible, some of them extraordinarily wonderful. [...] As the pilgrim stands before the crowd, he makes no grand pronouncements. He seems puzzled by both the evil and the beauty in the world."<ref name="autogenerated1"/>  ''[[LA Weekly]]'' was less impressed, objecting to Springsteen's choice of unfamiliar material and that he "insists fans neither clap nor sing along."<ref name="laweekly1"/>  New Jersey's ''[[Upstage (magazine)|Upstage]]'' magazine liked the show in general, but felt that the use of off-stage musicians was unsettling, saying "the idea of a solo acoustic tour loses something when it features other musicians who are neither given credit for their work nor seen on stage."   <ref name="upstagemagazine1"/> (In the final two shows of the tour, Springsteen brought out and introduced the off-stage keyboard player, Alan Fitzgerald, and played with him on-stage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.backstreets.com/setlists2005.html|title=2005 Setlists|publisher=Backstreets.com|access-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref>) The ''[[Austin American-Statesman]]'' found the show uneven, with Springsteen unlikely to gain new fans from it.<ref name="austin2005"/>

Attendance was disappointing in a few regions where Springsteen's drawing power had gradually been showing weakness, and everywhere but in Europe tickets were easier to get than in the past.  Nevertheless, the tour did well commercially overall.  ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' reported that "Springsteen's stripped-down Devils & Dust tour did big business in 2005, grossing more than $33.4 million from 65 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore, 46 of them sellouts."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/59518/springsteen-does-seeger-on-first-covers-album|title=Springsteen Does Seeger On First Covers Album|magazine=Billboard|date=March 2, 2006|access-date=January 8, 2021}}</ref>

The Devils & Dust Tour subsequently won the [[Billboard Touring Awards|Billboard Roadworks '05 Touring Award]] for Best Small Venue Tour, an award based on sales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboardevents.com/billboardevents/touring/awards.jsp|title=Billboard Touring|publisher=Billboardevents.com|access-date=November 7, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106002102/http://www.billboardevents.com/billboardevents/touring/awards.jsp|archive-date=January 6, 2009}}</ref>

==Broadcasts and recordings==
The two Boston shows from October 2005 and the two tour closing shows from Trenton, New Jersey, in November 2005 were filmed with talk of a DVD release, which has not materialized as of 2025.

Several shows were released as part of the [[Bruce Springsteen Archives]]:
* ''[[Schottenstein Center, Ohio 2005]]'', released on September 25, 2015
* ''Van Andel Arena, Michigan 2005'', released on February 2, 2018
* ''Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ 2005'', released on March 1, 2019
* ''Hovet, Stockholm, Sweden'', released on June 12, 2020
* ''Tower Theatre 2005'', released on September 3, 2021
* ''Vancouver, BC 2005'', released on February 7, 2025.

==Sources==
{{Reflist|30em}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100130091230/http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html Springsteen's official website] still has 2005 tour information on it.
* [http://www.backstreets.com/setlists2005.html Backstreets.com's 2005 tour set lists and show descriptions] capture the contents and feel of each show, and indicate what instruments were used to play each song; unfortunately, they are not structured as to allow direct linking to individual shows.
* [http://www.brucespringsteen.it/Showdx.htm Killing Floor's concert database] gives valuable coverage to the pre-tour rehearsals as well, but also does not support direct linking to individual dates.

{{Bruce Springsteen}}
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[[Category:Bruce Springsteen concert tours]]
[[Category:2005 concert tours]]