She couldn’t compete in the Olympics, but equestrian jumper Jessica Springsteen did the next best thing on Saturday.
Or maybe the best thing: She attended the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert, where her dad was performing at Wembley Stadium in London. Jessica was treated to a surprise guest appearance by her mom, Patti Scialfa, who sang the duet “Tougher Than the Rest” with Bruce in front of 80,000 people.
Jessica shared a snippet of the performance on her Instagram story with a heart emoji. She also posted a shot of Bruce center stage performing the classic “Thunder Road” at the June 27 show.
Jessica, a 32-year-old Colts Neck native, did not qualify for the U.S. Equestrian Jumping Team competing in the 2024 Olympic Games, currently underway in Paris. She won a silver medal in Team Jumping at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, held in 2021 due to the pandemic.
Mom Patti, an E Street Band member, has been largely absent from the current tour. Her last appearances with the band were the April 4 and 7 shows at the Forum in Los Angeles.
“‘Tougher’ was really moving,” commented a fan on social media. “Patti was visibly emotional.”
The Wembley show on Saturday was the second of two nights at the venue, following the Thursday, July 25 concert. The E Street Band will take a several-week hiatus and resume touring on Aug. 15 at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
“What a way to finish off the European portion of the 2024 tour! London was absolutely shaking last night, and quite the show we put on! Wembley, what a memorable experience,” band member Anthony Almonte wrote on Instagram on Sunday. “All of the shows in Europe have truly been special, what a summer it has been!!”
