Springsteen to bring Wrecking Ball Tour to Nationals Park on Sept. 14

If you can withstand the Nationals' early-season offensive funk, you're guaranteed a bunch of hits and an error-free performance at Nationals Park on Friday, Sept. 14. And, yes, I know full well the Nationals are playing in Atlanta that evening. According to this blog post at USAToday.com, Nationals Park is among a series of stadiums that will play host later this year to iconic rocker Bruce Springsteen. The Boss is scheduled to bring his Wrecking Ball Tour to Nationals Park on Sept. 14, a week after he plays Wrigley Field in Chicago and five days before the first of three shows in East Rutherford, N.J. Other Major League Baseball venues announced include Rogers Centre in Toronto (Aug. 24) and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia (Sept. 2). No word on ticket prices or sale dates yet, so stay tuned. This won't be the first major concert act to play on South Capitol Street. Elton John and Billy Joel played Nationals Park on July 11, 2009, a night remembered because the mechanized stage between the dueling pianists malfunctioned during the sold-out show. An Eagles concert scheduled at the ballpark for June 15, 2010 was announced but later canceled. The Dave Matthews Band and Zac Brown Band performed in front of a sellout crowd in July 2010 I saw Springsteen at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on March 29, and can tell you this tour packs a punch. It's a mix of long-time favorites and a smattering of new material from his new CD, "Wrecking Ball." Despite the death last summer of longtime saxophone player and E Street Band collaborator Clarence Clemons, The Boss still knows how to connect with his fervent fan base. Update: Springsteen's official site has listed the dates, which is about as official as it gets. Update: The Nationals have announced the Springsteen show via a press release. Tickets and parking will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 27 via www.tickets.com and by phone at 888-632-6287. "We are excited to welcome Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band to Nationals Park for what will no doubt be an unforgettable performance," Nationals chief operating officer Andrew Feffer said in the press release. "There's nothing more American than baseball and rock 'n roll in the nation's capital, and bringing such an iconic show to Nationals Park is just an another example of our commitment to creating the ultimate fan experience."