Lenny Sullivan, 36, Springsteen’s cousin and the E Street Band’s assistant road manager for the past 10 years.

Springsteen show at Sprint Center canceled

By TIM FINN and SARA SHEPHERD
The Kansas City Star

Matt Rourke
Bruce Springsteen performs with the E Street Band at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009. The Spectrum is slated for demolition to make way for the planed Philly Live, a new retail, restaurant, and entertainment district. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

A member of Bruce Springsteen’s traveling party was found dead in a Kansas City hotel room Monday afternoon, causing the performer to cancel his Sprint Center concert.

The official announcement, which came less than two hours before the 7:30 p.m. concert, said the cancellation was because of the death of a Springsteen family member.

Kansas City police did not release the man’s name or cause of death Monday night because the matter was still under investigation.

However, the artist’s official Web site identified him as Lenny Sullivan, 36, Springsteen’s cousin and the E Street Band’s assistant road manager for the past 10 years.

The announcement described Sullivan as “a warm and sensitive person,” beloved by Bruce, the band, the crew, and the entire Thrill Hill family.

Kansas City Police Capt. Rich Lockhart said police said police do not suspect foul play in the death, which was discovered at the InterContinental hotel near the Plaza.

An ambulance was called to hotel about 4:15 p.m. on a reported death. When police arrived, they found Sullivan dead in a hotel room. Based on information gathered at the scene, police determined he was member of Springsteen’s entourage.

Springsteen’s cancellation announcement came unusually late. Around 6 p.m., 90 minutes before show time, fans got word that the concert was off.

The tour’s trucks had been unloaded hours before, and fans in front of the arena were minutes away from being allowed inside.

Then the Sprint Center announced: “Due to a death in Bruce’s immediate family, tonight’s show at Sprint Center has been unavoidably canceled. All tickets will be refunded at the point of purchase. Bruce and the Band deeply appreciate the understanding of our Kansas City audience and look forward to returning at the earliest opportunity.”

The cancellation was especially disappointing to Emma Hill, who was willing to fly more than 5,400 miles round-trip to see Springsteen for the first time.

While in Kansas City this summer visiting her grandmother, Emma, 14, a resident of Anchorage, Alaska, bought a Springsteen ticket. Emma was in line with her sister, Mara Hill, 19, of Portland, Ore., when they heard the news.

“It looked like they were getting ready to let us in, and then they told us it was canceled,” she said.

The sisters, who flew into Kansas City on Friday night, had already been through the lottery system that determines who gets the best spot in the Pit or the area closest to the stage.

“I was No. 20,” Emma said, meaning she would have been the 20th person admitted.

Like many fans in front of the arena, Emma was distraught. “She’s the big fan,” said Mara Hill. “She has wanted to see him for a long time.”

Brian White was disappointed but much less so. He drove to Kansas City on Monday from his home in St. Louis, where he’d seen Springsteen on Sunday night. According to a reviewer at Springsteen’s Web site Backstreets.com, that show was “a disappointment” and “by the numbers.” White said that Springsteen looked like “he was struggling a little” at times, but overall everything seemed normal.

Springsteen and the band’s next scheduled appearance is Thursday night at Madison Square Garden for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert.