E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt misses Bruce Springsteen shows after health scare

Sopranos star and musician Steve Van Zandt will miss a few shows supporting Bruce Springsteen’s current tour after undergoing surgery in Spain.

The 74-year-old guitarist was touring with Springsteen and his back-up group, the E Street Band, when he got a sharp pain in his stomach that he put down to food poisoning.

However, it turned out to be a painful inflammation of the appendix which required immediate surgery and meant Van Zandt had to miss playing with The Boss in San Sebastian’s Reale Arena in Spain on the 24th of June.

Van Zandt had nothing but praise for the medical team who treated him and told fans on social media site X he hopes for a speedy recovery and to reunite with the tour in Milan, Italy, on either the 30th of June or the 3rd of July.

“Got a sharp pain in my stomach, thought it was food poisoning, turned out to be appendicitis. Got lucky with an exceptional hospital in San Sebastian,” he explained.

“Operation was a complete success and I’m hoping to get back on stage for at least one of the shows in Milan.

“Thank you all for all the good vibes. See you soon.”

Got a sharp pain in my stomach, thought it was food poisoning, turned out to be appendicitis. Got lucky with an exceptional hospital in San Sebastian. Operation was a complete success and I’m hoping to get back on stage for at least one of the shows in Milan. Thank you all for…

— 🇺🇸🕉🇺🇦🟦Stevie Van Zandt☮️💙 (@StevieVanZandt) June 23, 2025

There is no word on who will step in for Van Zandt during his absence.

Meanwhile, New Jersey’s favourite son still has some treats in store for those unable to see him live, with the 83-track box set Tracks II: The Lost Albums set for release on the 27th of June.

Springsteen announced the release on social media and said the project came about as he “finished everything I had in my vault” during the Covid-19 lockdown.

“So this is Tracks II: The Lost Albums. (They) are records that were full records. Some even to the point of being mixed and not released,” he posted on Instagram

“Over a period of time, I built up a small collection of full albums that, for one reason or another, never got put out.”

 

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The announcement comes after Springsteen assured fans that they’ll be enjoying his iconic hits for many more years after the Born to Run hitmaker emphatically shut down retirement rumours.

During a 2024 performance in Philadelphia, Springsteen told those in attendance that he “ain’t going anywhere” and that there will be “no farewell tour bullsh*t” in the coming years.

“We’ve been around for 50 f**king years and we ain’t quitting,” Springsteen told concertgoers.

-with BANG.