Bruce Springsteen surprises fans with a mini set at Blinded by the Light premiere

The Boss was in the building!

Fans were blinded by a surprise appearance from Bruce Springsteen himself at the premiere of Blinded by the Light, the movie inspired by his music, at Paramount Theater on Wednesday night in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

After arriving with wife Patti Scialfa and the film’s director Gurinder Chanda and her family, the iconic singer delivered a surprise performance after the movie screened. The rocker performed four songs and was joined on stage by Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. Together they played “Talk to Me,” Wilson Pickett’s “634-5789,” “Sherry Darling,” and Sam Cooke’s “We’re Having a Party.”

Directed by Chadha, Blinded by the Light is based on the memoir by Sarfraz Manzoor, Greetings from Bury Park and premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, where it emerged as an audience and critics’ favorite. The flick showcases the impact of Springsteen’s music on a South Asian Muslim teenager (played by Viveik Kalra) growing up in England in the 1980s and features Springsteen’s music from the ‘70s and ’80s.

Blinded by the Light is in theaters Aug. 16.

Related content:

• Bruce Springsteen plays the soundtrack to life in Blinded by the Light trailer
• Bruce Springsteen transforms the enormous into the intimate on Western Stars: EW review
• Blinded by the Light is a tender, heartfelt ode to the music of Bruce Springsteen: Sundance review