The BOSS Acoustic project, led by Stephen Steinhaus (Stein) had its final performance at the United Reform Church in Rother Street, Stratford-upon-Avon. This event was to help raise some funds for the Escape Arts group, with the band’s guitarist Jon Wright being heavily involved with the Escape Arts.
Stein is well known in the area as the MC for the Stratford River Festival and Director of Music for the Upton Blues Festival (Riverside & Meadow Stages), and he has decided to take a step back from performing, after many years, with the various bands he has sung for.
The band line-up is Stephen “Stein” Steinhaus (vocals), Any “The Bunnditator” Bunn (guitar, mandolin and backing vocals), Jono Wright (guitar & backing vocals), Pete “Stockholm Syndrome” Hurst (bass, violin and backing vocals) and Jez “Sky” Walker (percussion).
The final gig was broken up into three sections, allowing time for the audience to get their drinks refreshed in the breaks from the bar at the back of the church (manned by church volunteers).
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The BOSS Acoustic project is all about the songs of Bruce Springsteen, known as the Boss, which Stein has been listening to since he was 11 years old. Stein’s is from the south side of Chicago, Illinois in the USA, before 20+ years ago he moved to the UK and made his home in Warwickshire.
The first set started off with just Stein and Andy Bunn performing “Growing Up” as a duo before the full band took to the stage and performed songs such as “I’m on fire”, “She Talks to Angels”, “Atlantic City”, “Glory Days” and “Radio Nowhere”.
The second set kicked off with Jono Wright performing “My Hometown” then the band joined for “Thunder Road” and “Ghost of Tom Joad”. The then performed “The Weight” from The Band, before more Springsteen songs with “Pay Me”, “Wagon Wheel” and finally “Philadelphia”.
After a final break the third set started off with Stein and Andy performing “No Surrender” before the rest of the band joined on classics such as “The River”, “Pink Cadillac”, “Dancing in the Dark”, “Born in the USA” and “Hungry Heart”. The set finished as the band has started with several years earlier with a Steve Earle number “Copperhead Road” with Andy playing the mandolin.
After great applause the band came back for an encore with “Fortunate Son”
Stein thanked the audience by saying “Thanks to all my family and friends for supporting me by coming out to see this final performance of the Boss Acoustic.”
