Watch JFK Stadium freak out in 1987 as Bruce Springsteen and U2 cover "Stand by Me" - WXPN | Vinyl At Heart
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Bono of U2 and Bruce Springsteen | still from video

A live music treat for your Sunday morning: it was 29 years ago today that U2’s heralded Joshua Tree tour made its way to Philadelphia’s JFK Stadium, and the show  concluded with an incredible cover of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” featuring the one and only Bruce Springsteen.

As we can see in the video below, Bono slyly asks the crowd “Anybody else want to play my guitar? Would Bruce Springsteen like to play my guitar?” The crowd goes wild as The Boss struts to the stage, and Bono cracks “I guess you guys know him. Is he a local boy or something?”

You’ll notice Bono’s arm is in a sling. Here’s the story behind that, per Rolling Stone:

Bono had dislocated his shoulder during a Washington, D.C. show five days earlier, and he brought fans onstage over the next few days to play the guitar. It’s unclear exactly why Springsteen was at the show that day, but Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul were opening up. It’s quite possible he was catching up with his once and future bandmate and got coaxed into coming onstage.

The video you see via the YouTube archives below was shot by director Phil Joanou, an outtake from his U2 doc Rattle and Hum. It looks grainy but sounds great. Were you at this show? What are your memories of it? Let us know in the comments!

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