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Bruce Springsteen and Steve Van Zandt perform in Cape Town, South Africa on Sunday.

(Halden Krog/Getty Images)

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band began its 2014 High Hopes tour with a 27-song, three-hour plus show at the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town, South Africa.

Not a very exciting set list for a tour opener, but maybe not a surprise since Bruce tends to stay close to the vest when he plays the first show in a location he has not played before. The set list, for the most part, resembles a bland show from last year's Wrecking Ball tour

Only four songs were played off the new "High Hopes" album: the title track, "Heaven's Wall," "American Skin," and "The Ghost of Tom Joad." Not real exciting for those waiting to hear some of the new tracks.

"The venue is an indoor bicycle velodrome. Maybe 10,000 people here," my friend Mitch, formerly of Manalapan, texted me from the show. "The seats are full but there is room is the back of the floor. Definitely not sold out.

(Update: I've been told that the show was sold out, that the local officials allowed the building 8,100 tickets and that's what was sold.)

"It's like a big barn here. Bruce at one point said 'I came 8,000 miles to play (Asbury Park's) Convention Hall.' "

Springsteen began the show with "Free Nelson Mandela," a cover of a 1984 song written by British musician Jerry Dammers and performed by band The Special A.K.A. - with lead vocal by Stan Campbel. It was orginally released as a protest against the imprisonment of Mandela by the apartheid South African government.

Backup singer Curtis King joined Bruce on some of the lead vocals on "Free Nelson Mandela."

Bruce started the encores with "We Are Alive" which was dedicated to Mandela. "It was a nice tribute," Mitch said.

It was a crowded stage with Tom Morello joining Steve Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren on guitar.

Patti Scialfa was not at the show.

Show began at 8:13 p.m. local time (seven hours ahead of New Jersey).

Set list:

1. Free Nelson Mandela (cover)

2. Badlands

3. Death To My Hometown

4. Out In The Street

5. High Hopes

6. Spirit in the Night

7. Hungry Heart

8. The River

9. Heaven's Wall

10. Atlantic City

11. Johnny 99

12. Pay Me My Money Down

13. American Skin (41 Shots)

14. Because the Night

15. Darlington County

16. Shackled and Drawn

17. Waitin' On A Sunny Day

18. The Rising

19. The Ghost of Tom Joad

20. Land of Hope and Dreams

Encores

21. We Are Alive (dedicated to Nelson Mandela)

22. Born in the U.S.A.

23. Born to Run

24. Dancing in the Dark

25. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out

26. Shout

27. Thunder Road (solo acoustic)

Show over at: 11:17 p.m.

Next shows: Tuesday and Wednesday at the same venue.