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Monday, Apr 30, 2012 12:45 AM UTC

Springsteen packs them in for Jazz Fest

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Topics: From the Wires,

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Bruce Springsteen has closed out the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival with a 2 ½-hour show that combined crowd-pleasers such as “Born to Run” with the cover tune of his new CD, “Wrecking Ball.”

Fans began staking out spots when the Fair Grounds opened at 11 a.m. Sunday, rushing from the entrance gates to spread blankets and set up chairs as close to the stage as possible. By the time Springsteen stepped on stage fans stretched around the fairgrounds track, some standing 10 to 12 people deep.

At one point New Orleans legend Dr. John took the stage with Springsteen for a number.

Springsteen last played Jazz Fest in 2006.

But if Springsteen was the biggest draw of the day, he was far from the only one.

Soul singer Al Green closed out the day on the Congo Square stage, drawing his faithful.

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Associated Press writer Chevel Johnson contributed to this story.

Mary Foster

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