Bruce Springsteen Stuns With Rare ‘Streets of Philadelphia’ Performance at Legacy Award Gala

At the Academy Museum Gala on Oct. 18 in Los Angeles, Bruce Springsteen broke a 13-year streak. He sang the Oscar-winning "Streets of Philadelphia" outside its namesake city for the first time in more than a decade, and the music was simple and impactful. The song also received four GRAMMY Awards and an Academy Award for Best Original Song. He accepted the Legacy Award at the gala for his influential career, as well. 

With just his guitar, The Boss gave a short but striking set. He played the stark "Atlantic City" and closed with the stirring "Land of Hope and Dreams," as well. 

The award marks a milestone. It's for artists who shape storytelling and make their mark on society. Before this LA show, fans last heard "Streets of Philadelphia" away from Philly at a 2012 concert in Louisville. The track stands as one of his most decorated works. Springsteen wrote it for Philadelphia, a groundbreaking 1993 film.

This show sets up two big launches. Jeremy Allen White stars in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, a film about The Boss that opens on Oct. 24. “Bruce wanted me to do it. I said I didn't know how to play guitar or sing. ‘Are you sure you want me?,'” White stated, according to The Times. Springsteen described his biopic as a miracle.

The movie looks at the time when he made his stark masterpiece, Nebraska. A new box set, Nebraska '82: Expanded Edition, with five discs, will debut soon. 

The gala shone light on other stars, as well. Penelope Cruz took the Icon Award home, and Walter Salles earned the Luminary Award. Bowen Yang won the Vantage Award, and he even missed his Saturday Night Live (SNL) duties with host Sabrina Carpenter to be there.