In celebration of Bruce Springsteen’s 65th birthday on September 23, Friends of the Bruce Springsteen Special Collection and Monmouth University are pleased to announce a series of Springsteen-related events taking place in September including: a day-long forum, film screening, gallery exhibit and special auction.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, September 20, from 9:30 a.m. through 3:30 p.m.<\/strong>, a unique Springsteen-themed forum, Fifty Years of “Makin’ This Guitar Talk”<\/strong>, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Springsteen’s first major steps towards becoming a professional musician, will be held in the historic Wilson Hall on the Monmouth University. The West Long Branch, NJ, campus is also the home to the Bruce Springsteen Special Collection<\/a>.<\/p>\n The forum will consist of a series of moderated panel discussions on various Springsteen-related topics, allowing the audience to hear from and interact with a variety of authors and scholars. Among the confirmed panel moderators is Tom Cunningham, host of the world famous Bruce Brunch, a weekly radio program that airs on 105.7 The Hawk (WCHR-FM). The day’s agenda also will include several live performances of Springsteen’s music by students from Monmouth University and Asbury Park, NJ’s Lakehouse Music Academy<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, September 23,<\/strong> in celebration of Bruce Springsteen’s 65th birthday, An Evening With Thom Zimny<\/strong> will take place at 7 p.m. in the Pollak Theatre<\/strong>. Zimny has served as Springsteen’s film\/video archivist and collaborator since 2001. During that time, Zimny has produced, directed, and\/or edited many of Springsteen’s award-winning music videos, concert films, and documentaries. For this unique celebratory evening, Zimny plans to “dig deep” into Springsteen’s personal, official film\/video archives, presenting all of his selections with high-quality visuals and sound on the big screen using Pollak Theatre’s state-of-the-art projection system. In the spirit of Bruce’s birthday-themed song “Surprise, Surprise,” Zimny’s entire “setlist” for the evening remains a closely guarded secret.<\/p>\n An online auction of an iconic photograph of Bruce Springsteen by famed photographer Barry Schneier<\/strong> will be held September 23 through October 27. Proceeds from the auction will benefit The Bruce Springsteen Special Collection. The 20 x 30 limited edition print, signed by Schneier, captures a young Bruce Springsteen in 1974 at Harvard Square Theater in Boston when journalist Jon Landau penned the famous line, “I saw rock and roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen.” For more information on the auction, call Monmouth University’s Office of University Engagement at 732-571-3489. The photograph is on display at the Glory Bound. Photographs. By Barry Schneier<\/a>” exhibit at Monmouth University’s Pollak Gallery until September 30, which also features photographs of several famous musicians in pivotal moments of their careers including Van Morrison, Patti Smith, and Jackson Browne. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n Tickets for the both the Fifty Years Forum<\/strong> and An Evening With Thom Zimny<\/strong> are $20 per person (forum ticket includes lunch), with the option of buying a combined ticket for both events at $35. Tickets are on sale online<\/a> or by calling Monmouth University’s box office at 732-263-6889. All ticket sale proceeds will benefit Monmouth University and Friends of The Bruce Springsteen Special Collection.<\/p>\n