Titled “Music America: The Songs That Shaped Us,” the concerts are scheduled for Wednesday, June 4, 2026, and Thursday, June 5, 2026, at the OceanFirst Bank Center on the university’s campus in West Long Branch, New Jersey. The performances will take place ahead of the center’s official grand opening on Saturday, June 7, 2026.
Organizers announced that the lineup will feature prominent artists across multiple genres, including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Jackson Browne, Rosanne Cash, Kenny Chesney, Gary Clark Jr., Public Enemy, Mavis Staples, Stevie Van Zandt, and Trombone Shorty, among others. The Disciples of Soul will serve as the house band throughout the event.
According to event organizers, the concerts will present a curated journey through American music history, with performers interpreting landmark songs that have shaped the nation’s cultural identity. Each segment will include narration providing context about the artist, the song, and its influence within a specific genre.
Robert Santelli, executive director of the Springsteen Center and executive producer of the concerts, said the program reflects the institution’s broader mission to explore and celebrate the role of music in American life. He emphasized that the event is intended to highlight how music can bring people together while capturing the country’s evolving cultural narrative.
Tickets for the June 4 and June 5 performances will be sold separately and are scheduled to go on sale at 12:00 PM local time on Monday, April 21, 2026, according to organizers.
