Springsteen Hits the Road, New Album Set

BOSS SET TO TOUR: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band launch the first U.S. leg of the 2012 Wrecking Ball World Tour on March 18 in Atlanta. The band’s 17th studio album will be released on Columbia Records March 6. This will be Springsteen’s first tour since the death of longtime sax player Clarence Clemens last year. The U.S. dates, which run from March 18 through May 2 before heading to Europe, include the Boston Garden (3/26), two shows at the Izod Center in New Jersey (4/3-4), two dates at N.Y.’s Madison Square Garden (4/6, 9) and, for old times’ sake, a date at the L.A. Memorial Sports Arena (4/26) before wrapping up the U.S. portion with a gig at Newark’s Prudential Center (5/2). (1/24p).