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7 people you'll see at Friday's Springsteen show

This city is always full of characters, but when Bruce Springsteen plays Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center, little pretties from the coastline to the city will raise their hands. Here, a primer on some of the tramps like us you're bound to run into on the streets of Philadelphia.

This city is always full of characters, but when Bruce Springsteen plays Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center, little pretties from the coastline to the city will raise their hands. Here, a primer on some of the tramps like us you're bound to run into on the streets of Philadelphia.

1. Someone who has seen more performances of the E Street Band than you have.

Springsteen fans are notorious for seeing multiple shows on every tour, so it's likely you'll meet people who have seen the band 40 or 50 times, especially at Philadelphia shows, where some fans saw Springsteen in the 1970s at local gigs. That means you should also be ready to answer the ubiquitous, "How many shows have you been to?" question, and don't feel bad when someone trumps you. By a lot.

2. People with homemade signs.

One of the things that brings fans back again and again is the unpredictability of each night's set list. No two shows are identical, in part because the E Street Band often takes requests from fans waving glittery - and occasionally battery-powered - signs. Springsteen will pick favorites, and the band will play a surprise song, ranging from deep cuts like "Thundercrack" to covers like "Shout." Because this tour's setlist starts out with a full run of The River, it's unlikely there will be time for requests, but optimistic fans will come prepared, just in case.

3. People who will arrive 12 hours before the concert starts.

Hardcore general-admission ticketholders will show up to the Wells Fargo Center at dawn to tailgate and participate in the wristband lottery for a chance to be in the first group into the standing-room-only area. It's not recommended for the weak-willed or weak-bladdered.

4. Eagles fans.

They'll be easily identifiable if the band plays "Wrecking Ball," a tune originally written in honor of the then-pending demolition of Giants Stadium. It popped up on setlists earlier in this tour, so be prepared for some rowdy boooooos when Bruce croons those infamous lines about the Meadowlands and the Giants ("Now, my home was here in the Meadowlands, where mosquitoes grow big as airplanes / Here where the blood is spilled, the arena's filled, and Giants play their games"). Take note: These boos are not to be confused with the similar-sounding shouts of "Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuce!"

5. Jersey girls.

Sometimes, the band will cover Tom Waits' "Jersey Girl," and women with any ties to New Jersey will swoon. The rest of the crowd will use this time to go to the bathroom because "Jersey Girl" is boring.

6. One guy who wants to hear "Outlaw Pete."

During 2009's Working on a Dream tour, Springsteen donned a dorky black cowboy hat for an overwrought performance of this song. The melodrama was thankfully edited out of subsequent tours, but there's always one dude begging for it.

7. First-timers.

These people will be really worried that the band might not play "Born to Run." They will. Promise.
- Erica Palan