Bruce Springsteen performs in Los Angeles

Springsteen and E Street Band member Steve Van Zandt join forces on a tune Wednesday night in front of 15,000 fans at the Sports Arena who turned out for the two-hour, 45-minute show.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Springsteen, who stumped for Barack Obama during the campaign and performed at the Lincoln Memorial for the inaugural festivities, offered a message of hope in the face of hard times Wednesday night at the Sports Arena.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

E Street Band member Clarence Clemons and Springsteen work the crowd.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Springsteen, who will be 60 in September, is ostensibly touring in support of his latest release, “Working on a Dream,” but his set at the Sports Arena focused less on promoting the album than on shoring up spirits while acknowledging how much work still needs to be done to fulfill the American dream of which he is so protective.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Springsteen, backed up by E Street’s Van Zandt, tears into a song for the sellout throng.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Springsteen performed four songs from 1978’s “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” including the show-opening “Badlands.”  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Bruce Springsteen, still the showman after 3 1/2 decades of performing in Los Angeles.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Springsteen, showing off some of his sinewy guitar prowess.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Springsteen closed the show with the 1973 crowd-pleaser “Rosalita.” He’ll be back at the Sports Arena tonight.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)