Bruce Springsteen Gillette Stadium Show Gets OK for Later Finish

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The man with one of the longest show around now has as extra 15 minutes to perform in Foxborough.

Tuesday night, the selectmen unanimously approved a curfew extension from 11:15 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. for the Sept. 14 Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band show at Gillette Stadium. Selectman Ginny Coppola was out of town and unable to make the meeting. In a letter read by Town Manager Bill Keegan, Coppola expressed her support for the standard 11:15 p.m. curfew.

The show was the third request this season from stadium officials for a concert extension. A request to allow Guns N’ Roses to play longer was denied and the board issued a warning when the show went over. Kenny Chesney’s shows last weekend were granted an extension but both ended before the regular curfew.

With Springsteen, a long show is a real possibility. Last week, he played his longest show ever at four hours and often plays for three and a half hours with no opener, intermission, or break.

George Bell, the chairman of the Stadium Advisory Committee, said the board’s consistent licensing of evening football games that end past 11:15 p.m., the demographics of a Springsteen show, and the history of the Boss at Gillette Stadium led to the committee to unanimously recommend approval.

“There were members who when we started felt it wasn’t appropriate but after our discussion that became our recommendation,” Bell said.

Both Police Chief Ed O’Leary and Fire Chief Roger Hatfield endorsed the show to be licensed with the later end time.

During their discussion, the selectmen said they weren't sure where the 11:15 p.m. came from since it’s not a town by-law.

“It’s not set in stone that there’s an 11:15 p.m. curfew. It’s up to the building commission according to Article 25. I’d like to know where that 11:15 p.m. time frame came from,” Selectman Chris Mitchell said.

Keegan said that he thinks the time goes back to 2010 and was in response to a request to extend a show from 11 to 11:15 p.m. and the time carried forward from that point.

“It’s the board’s discretion. It’s not a town meeting action, it’s the licensing authority,” Keegan said.

In her correspondents, Coppola said the comparison of NFL games to concerts was apples to oranges, even accusing stadium officials of requesting the Chesney extension as a setup for the Springsteen request.

“People have to get up at 4:30, 5 a.m. to go to school or work and fireworks can be distracting. People have to eventually have to go home,” she wrote.

Residents from the North Street neighborhood behind the stadium asked the board to not allow for the curfew extension, citing noise and traffic issues that come with concerts.

“It’s not the band, Springsteen is a fine act but I think you need to stick to 11:15 p.m. because the after concert noise is going to be extended,” North Street resident Ed Lawton said.

Speakers for the extension said the town should take actions that would encourage more acts to come to Foxborough.

“I think if we start limiting these artists they’re going to stop coming here and go to Fenway. There is no real by-law, how can you go against a by-law that doesn't exist?” Central Street resident Marc Rivera said.

About 45,000 people are expected for the show, which is the last concert of Springsteen’s current tour and the 2016 stadium concert season.

Photo: Patch file photo