Set Lusting Bruce: The Bruce Springsteen Fan Podcast

In today's episode, Jesse discuss the significance of the 2026 Land of Hope and Dreams tour. Jesse argues the 2026 tour is a “patriotic protest tour” centered on democracy, freedom, and the Constitution, citing song choices like “War,” a reclaimed “Born in the U.S.A.,” “Purple Rain,” and “Clampdown,” and suggests it may serve as a punctuation mark in Springsteen’s story!

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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes London-based journalist Maddie Frye to a “timey-wimey” episode of Set Lusting Bruce, exploring her path to Bruce Springsteen and U2 and how music shaped her spiritual and political awakening. Maddie, who writes about religion, sex, politics, and pop culture, describes growing up near London with parents who loved Bowie, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, and Genesis, discovering U2 at 12–13 through All That You Can’t Leave Behind, and finding Springsteen via a 2006 BBC broadcast of the Seeger Sessions that felt both political and spiritually transformative. She discusses working backward through Bruce’s catalog, key live shows (including London 2013 and Liverpool with Paul McCartney), family connections to Springsteen, and reflections on religion’s relationship with power. Maddie answers the “Thunder Road” question—Mary gets in the car—and shares where to find her Substack, U2 and Us.

00:00 Podcast Welcome
00:45 Meet Maddie
01:55 Growing Up Musical Roots
04:07 Finding Bruce via Seeger
06:23 Seeger Sessions Meaning
10:30 Working Backwards Catalog
14:12 Live Shows Life Changes
18:54 How Many Shows Seen
20:45 Discovering U2 Obsession
23:20 Fandom Numbers Talk
24:52 Writing Religion Politics
25:02 Music Sparks Big Questions
26:24 Faith Through Lyrics
28:00 Reading Toward Belief
29:22 Faithless Research Journey
32:53 Religion Meets Politics
36:13 Radical Gospel Values
41:01 Privilege Luck and Power
44:03 Liverpool Show Memories
46:06 Facing Mortality of Icons
48:24 Thunder Road Mary Answer
49:48 Where to Find Maddie
50:53 Podcast Wrap and Housekeeping

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Some fans aren’t thrilled with the Land of Hope and Dreams setlist — and Jesse has thoughts. He shares his HBO (Hot Bruce Opinion) and invites anyone who disagrees to send their counter‑take to [email protected].

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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes London-based journalist Maddie Fry to a “timey wimey” episode of Set Lusting Bruce to discuss how she discovered Bruce Springsteen through a 2006 BBC broadcast of The Seeger Sessions, then worked backward through albums like Devils & Dust, Magic, and The River, becoming a deeper fan after a powerful 2013 London show and later attending the Liverpool concert where Paul McCartney joined Bruce onstage. Maddie also traces her lifelong devotion to U2, sparked in early-2000s adolescence by All That You Can’t Leave Behind and The Joshua Tree, and explains how music by Springsteen, U2, and Johnny Cash shaped her political awareness and led her into writing about religion, spirituality, and culture. The conversation explores faith’s relationship with power, modern politics, and ends with Maddie’s answer to the “Thunder Road” question and where to find her Substack, U2 and Us.

https://www.premierchristianity.com/culture/faithless-the-story-behind-bruce-springsteens-soundtrack-to-a-lost-spiritual-western/20448.article

https://u2andus.substack.com/

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:45 Meet Maddie Across Timezones

02:00 Growing Up and Early Music

04:07 Finding U2 First

06:23 Seeger Sessions Lightning Bolt

10:33 Working Back Through Bruce

12:40 Devils and Dust Deep Dive

14:12 2013 Show Turns Superfan

18:54 Concert Counts and Uncle Andy

20:45 U2 Origin Story

23:20 U2 Shows and Fandom Culture

24:52 Writing Religion and Politics

25:02 Music Sparks Meaning

26:24 Faith Through Lyrics

28:00 Reading Toward Belief

29:29 Faithless Research Journey

32:37 Religion And Power

36:13 Radical Gospel Ethics

41:01 Privilege Luck And Myth

44:03 Liverpool Show Reverence

46:06 Facing Cultural Mortality

48:24 Mary Gets In The Car

49:48 Where To Find Maddie

50:53 Podcast Wrap And Plugs
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In this episode of the Stephen King podcast, Lou is joined by co-hosts Jesse and Karen to discuss Edgar Wright’s 2025 adaptation of The Running Man, the second film version after the 1987 Schwarzenegger movie. They outline the near-future premise of an authoritarian media network running a lethal televised manhunt and share reactions to the film’s tone as a “popcorn thriller” with on-the-nose social commentary. The group highlights cast standouts (including Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Michael Cera, and Lee Pace), discusses themes like violence as entertainment, AI/deepfakes and propaganda, and critiques the movie’s weak, videogame-like hit squad villains and altered ending versus the book. They finish by ranking The Running Man among 2025 King adaptations, placing it below The Life of Chuck and The Long Walk, and often behind Welcome to Derry.

00:00 Welcome Back and Big Question
01:24 Plot Setup and Dystopian World
02:44 First Impressions and Tone
04:30 Cast Highlights and Cameos
11:12 Adaptation Tone Versus Book
13:08 Opening Act and Ben Richards
17:31 Early Chase and Media Spectacle
22:40 Desensitization and Reality TV
27:25 Why Anyone Joins the Game
33:33 Deepfakes and Rigged Narrative
39:50 Villains and Hit Squad Critique
40:53 Hit Squad Problem
42:33 Popcorn vs Satire
43:41 NPC Villains Critique
45:43 Fixing Lee Pace Arc
46:52 Book Ending Debate
48:42 Hopeful Ending Defense
54:56 Adaptation Expectations
57:49 Ratings and Rewatch
59:07 Ranking King 2025
01:04:40 The Monkey Rant
01:06:36 Wrap Up and Plugs

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