The Boss and company will play a total of 39 dates in North America and another seven in Europe. Unlike past tours, they will play just a single show in each city.

“Our approach is to bring the music out to as wide a cross-section of the country as we could,” said Springsteen manager Jon Landau. “So, we’re taking this barnstorming approach – one city, one show.”

Another deviation from the usual Springsteen tour format is the exclusion of seats on the floor. Landau said the new configuration will add “looseness and excitement” to the show.

The tour will continue into next year when the band visits Australia and Europe before coming back to the States for a series of multiple shows in major cities next summer. International dates and shows in 2003 have not been announced yet.

The group last toured in 2000. The band played to packed arenas around the States, including a sold-out 15 dates in New Jersey and another 10 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.