MUSIC: Springsteen Tribute Band "Thunder Road" Born to Run at Anthology Supper Club

JUNE 11, 2009 -- It's been 20 years since Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played in San Diego. That’s a huge shame, according to Robert Hughes, co-owner of local independent radio station KPRI (102.1 FM). But Bruce aficionados take heed: the tribute band Thunder Road is playing downtown at the Anthology supper club this weekend. The band just happens to include Hughes on rhythm guitar.

“Bruce Springsteen puts on the very best show in rock & roll,” Hughes says. “He delivers. It’s very disappointing to all of us in the band that he hasn’t been to San Diego in so long. We have no beef with him -- it must be a business decision -- but we’ve all seen his show and would love to see him here.”

The Anthology shows (June 13 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.) will feature Thunder Road playing “faithful renditions of his songs, played to the best of our abilities,” Hughes says, adding that leather-clad lead singer Nicky Rich looks like a young version of The Boss.

Thunder Road has a number of players from Hughes’ other classic rock band, Shock Waves (formerly known as Left for Dead). He jokes that the band changed names at the urging of NBC 7/39 anchor Marty Levin’s wife, Gail.

“She was in charge of a benefit and was thinking about booking us,” Hughes says. “But she was pretty adamant about not hiring a band named Left for Dead for an Alzheimer’s event.”

For Anthology ticket information, call 619-595-0300.