Sunday at the Stone Pony ... in St Kilda.

My 'Springsteen & Us' colleagues Piera and Mary, aka 'Teachers for Tom Morello'.

Before abandoning life BA (Before Aradhna) I worked in advertising, most frequently as a senior copywriter. Not the most soul-satisfying of occupations but it was nice to be paid to think, create, and collaborate with brilliant colleagues. Whether in Silicon Alley of lower Manhattan or an office building off the Turnpike in Woodbridge, NJ or a refurbished factory near Fenway Park in Boston or a hotel room in El Segundo, CA, my fondest professional memories are of working alongside inspiring men and women, battling the usual client nonsense, and creating good goddamned work as part of a team.

Thus, it was a satisfying reminder of professional victories gone by to collaborate with a pair of remarkable women named Piera and Mary on a celebration of Jersey shore music called 'Sunday at the Stone Pony' exactly two weeks ago. The northern suburbs pair (shown above) dubbed themselves 'Teachers for Tom Morello' during the 2014 Springsteen tour of Australia. (Why? I don't know, other than they share an affinity for the latest addition to the E Street Band. And they're teachers.) They were strangers to me right up to the final weekend of the tour in Auckland, NZ. As the pit dispersed after night 1 -- the show that marked my debut on vocals during 'Rosalita' -- they tracked me down to say Piera had snapped a photo when my face appeared on the massive screen behind the stage. We kept in touch afterwards and I reached out to them with my proposal to hold a Springsteen get-together in Melbourne. They couldn't have been more enthusiastic or more eager to help.

I created a Facebook community called 'Springsteen & Us' to build a following and determine interest in such an event. Piera, Mary, 'Jersey Girl' Maria and I met over coffee in Brunswick to discuss ideas. A little while later Mary and Piera visited my neighbourhood in St Kilda to have a look at the venue I'd chosen to be our first Stone Pony in Australia, the Local Taphouse. It was hilarious: While I chatted with a former colleague at the Local (I worked there when it opened in 2008) Piera and Mary raced around like treasure hunters -- only instead of shovels they carried measuring devices and note pads and were planning to create treasures, not extract them.

Look at the wristbands Piera and her team of volunteer designers created (right). Fourteen of the 17 Springsteen shows I've seen in Australia have been General Admission but none of the wristbands handed out by resource-rich arenas or stadiums held a proverbial candle to these beauties. If you were lucky enough to get one, hold onto it. We're planning more of these celebrations of the sights and sounds of the Jersey shore. Your wristband will prove you had the good sense to attend the very first one.

Mary and Piera worked the door all afternoon. Eden from NZ is between them. 

Piera and Mary bookend our two visitors from Perth, the lovely Dal and heartthrob Jamie.

Iain, Eden and Dave, who's got a cafe in South Melbourne called Jimmy the Saint and a band called Dave Wright & the Midnight Electric.

Dancin' Julia led the Canberra brigade.

Besides this spectacular banner, Piera printed Stone Pony-related photos and put them up around the Local. These were given to attendees at the end of the night.

The Local Taphouse generously donated $1 from every purchase of a certain beer to Feed Melbourne. 

Shaddi -- in the middle -- was our lucky raffle winner. That's his partner Siobhan beside him. 

Stewart's one lucky man beside Rita and her daughter Rebecca. 

The dancing guy? My plumber, Paul.

Piera's family and friends.

Jamie and Iain hit the stage.

Proceeds from the day went towards Feed Melbourne, the same organisation Springsteen supported during his visits to Melbourne in 2013 and 2014. Here's the official receipt.

The setlist I put together was roughly 50% Springsteen, 40% Southside Johnny/Little Steven/Gary U.S. Bonds/Clarence Clemons, and a scattering of artists and bands who are either members of the E Street Band or have a connection to the Stone Pony and/or the music of Bruce Springsteen:

1. Thunder Road / BS & ESB / Live Hammersmith Odeon, London 1975
2. High Hopes / BS / High Hopes
3. Because the Night / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978, Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
4. Devils & Dust / BS & ESB / Devils & Dust
5. Hearts of Stone / BS / Tracks
6. Out in the Street / BS & ESB / London Calling: Live In Hyde Park 2009
7. This Time It's For Real / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / This Time It's for Real
8. Your Love / Gary U.S. Bonds / Dedication
9. Lyin' In A Bed Of Fire / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
10. A Woman's Got the Power / Clarence Clemons & The Red Bank Rockers / Rescue
11. My City of Ruins / BS / The Rising
12. The Promised Land / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978, Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
13. On the Dark Side / John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band / 'Eddie And The Cruisers' soundtrack
14. Back It Up / Nils Lofgren / The Best Of Nils Lofgren & Grin: The A&M Years
15. Light of Day / Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers / Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen
16. Growin' Up / BS / Live 5 Feb 1975, The Main Point, Bryn Mawr PA
17. Save My Love / BS / The Promise
18. Red Headed Woman / BS / In Concert/MTV Plugged, 1993
19. Rumble Doll / Patti Scialfa / Rumble Doll
20. Without Love / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / This Time It's for Real
21. Dedication / Gary U.S. Bonds / Dedication
22. Saint Isabelle / The Nightwatchman / The Fabled City
23. Sherry Darling / BS & ESB / Live 26 Feb 2014, Brisbane
24. Lucky Town / BS / Lucky Town
25. No Surrender (acoustic) / BS / Live 24 April 24 1996, Brixton UK
26. Get Down Moses / Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros / Streetcore
27. Under the Gun / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
28. You're a Friend of Mine / Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne / Hero
29. Got To Be a Better Way Home / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / Hearts Of Stone
30. 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978, Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
31. Further On (Up The Road) / BS / The Rising
32. Walt Whitman Bridge / Marah / If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry
33. Disorder in the House / Warren Zevon / The Wind
34. Because the Night / Patti Smith / Easter
35. This Little Girl / Gary U.S. Bonds / Dedication
36. Jersey Girl / BS & ESB / Live 1975-85
37. Frankie Fell In Love / BS / High Hopes
38. How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live / BS / We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (American Land Ed.)
39. Out of the Darkness / Little Steven / Voice Of America
40. Paradise By the C / Clarence Clemons / Live In Asbury Park
41. You Must Be Crazy / Jake Clemons / Embracing Light
42. Jungleland / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978, Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
43. Stolen Car / Patty Griffin / Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen
44. One Headlight / The Wallflowers / Bringing Down the Horse
45. Havin' a Party / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / Best of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes
46. Dancing In the Dark / BS / Born In The U.S.A.
47. Fire / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978 Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
48. Angelyne / Gary U.S. Bonds / On The Line
49. Drive All Night (feat. Eddie Vedder & Jake Clemons) / Glen Hansard / Drive All Night
50. Coma Girl / Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros / Streetcore
51. Tougher Than the Rest / BS / Chimes of Freedom (Live 1988)
52. Just Like Fire Would / BS / High Hopes
53. Prove It All Night / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978, Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
54. Inside Of Me / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
55. State Trooper / Steve Earle / Ain't Ever Satisfied: The Steve Earle Collection
56. Savin' Up / Clarence Clemons / Live In Asbury Park
57. Born In the U.S.A. / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
58. If I Should Fall Behind / BS & ESB / Live In New York City (Madison Square Garden, NY 2000)
59. Quarter To Three / BS & ESB / Live Hammersmith Odeon, London '75
60. The '59 Sound / The Gaslight Anthem / The '59 Sound
61. Tender Years / John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band / 'Eddie And The Cruisers' soundtrack
62. Jolé Blon / Gary U.S. Bonds / Dedication
63. Next To You / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / Hearts Of Stone
64. Who'll Stop The Rain / BS & ESB / Live 31 Dec 1980, Nassau Coliseum, NY
65. Gypsy Biker / BS / Magic
66. Murder Incorporated / BS & ESB / Live In New York City (Madison Square Garden, NY 2000)
67. Woke Up This Morning / Alabama 3 / 'The Sopranos' soundtrack
68. Save Me / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
69. Clampdown / The Clash / London Calling
70. The River / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
71. American Land / BS / Wrecking Ball
72. Sweet Soul Music / BS & ESB / Live 22 May 1988, Madison Square Garden, NY
73. Blood Brothers / BS / Greatest Hits
74. Until the Good Is Gone / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
75. Hold On (To What You Got) / Gary U.S. Bonds / On The Line
76. I Don't Want To Go Home / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / I Don't Want To Go Home
77. It Was A Very Good Year / Frank Sinatra / 'The Sopranos' soundtrack
78. The Ghost of Tom Joad / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
79. Land of Hope and Dreams / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
80. Born To Run / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
81. Rosalita / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
82. Seven Nights To Rock / BS & ESB / Live 15 Feb 2014, Melbourne
83. Shout / BS & ESB / Live 15 Feb 2014, Melbourne
84. Thunder Road (acoustic) / BS & ESB / Live 15 Feb 2014, Melbourne