Guitarist and singer-songwriter Steven Van Zandt was painting the town blue on Wednesday
Music legend Steven Van Zandt walked with a pep in his step thanks to a vibrant outfit he donned on Wednesday, looking virtually unchanged from over the years.
The 70s rock icon and longtime member of Bruce Springsteen’s famous E Street Band opted for an all-blue affair for lunch in London, alongside his trademark headscarf.
Guitarist and singer-songwriter Steve – who has also had a successful acting career with parts in acclaimed TV show The Sopranos and Martin Scorsese film The Irishman – wore a paisley patterned turquoise shirt unbuttoned to show off a necklace.
He paired that with turquoise skinny jeans, heeled animal print boots of a slightly different hue and carried a tie-dye blue jacket.
Unsurprisingly with such a bright ensemble, fans were able to spot Steve quickly, and he was pictured signing autographs for a few fans while chatting on the phone.
The 73-year-old seemed deep in conversation as he also entered the restaurant while still talking to the caller.
Steve looked as youthful as ever in one of his customary colourful outfits
The music icon was matching top to toe
He’s been a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band for years (Picture: AP)
The pair, pictured playing together in the 1970s, enjoy a near 60-year friendship (Picture: Redferns)
Opting to dine alfresco, Steve later swapped to messaging as he popped on a par of reading glasses so he could see the screen while dining solo and enjoying a variety of dishes.
He and his wife of nearly 42 years Maureen, 72, have recently appeared in an HBO documentary titled Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June and ‘traces his career as a producer, musician, songwriter, activist, actor, and more’.
It dubs him ‘New Jersey’s famous consigliere to Bruce Springsteen and Tony Soprano’ thanks to both his decades-long relationship with the singer and his separate success as an actor.
Steve in his trademark look many years ago (Picture: Michael Ochs Archives)
He made sure to multitask and sign autographs for fans
Ahead of his Wembley dates, he enjoyed lunch outside in London
Steve officially joined the E Street Band back in 1975 but had been playing with Springsteen, 74, in different bands prior to the long-running backing band’s inception in 1972.
Discussing his nearly 60-year friendship with the Dancing in the Dark hitmaker, he insisted that the two of them are the real deal.
‘You just don’t have that many friends for 60 years. I think the fact that it survived some ups and downs, it says something about our nature,’ the musical stalwart told People magazine.
‘The nature of the importance of friendship in general, which is what attracted me to being in a band rather than a solo showbusiness person.’
He had previously left the E Street Band in 1984 during the recording of breakthrough record Born in the USA, which he dubbed in his memoir ‘very public career suicide’.
Steve, who has also pursued acting and other musical projects away from Bruce, says he’s always preferred being in a band (Picture: Magnus Lejhall/TT/Shutterstock)
However, it gave him the opportunity to pursue acting and produce solo albums – and ultimately set the groundwork for things such as Netflix series Lilyhammer in the future.
Steve returned in the 1990s and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 along with his E Street bandmates.
He and Bruce are playing two dates this week in London at Wembley Stadium as part of the group’s 2024 World Tour.
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