Scott Cooper’s new film, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere — adapted from Warren Zanes’ book and featuring Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen — centers on the artist’s music and life. But the movie also spotlights a number of contemporary rock players who appear in the Stone Pony sequences.

For the scenes that show Springsteen joining a “local” bar band in Asbury Park, music producer Dave Cobb assembled a rootsy all-star group. The on-screen band is fronted by Jay Buchanan (Rival Sons) and includes Greta Van Fleet’s Jake Kiszka on guitar, Sam F. Kiszka on bass, keyboardist Bobby Emmett (who has toured with Jack White) and Nashville drummer Aksel Coe.

The ensemble cut raw takes of Little Richard’s “Lucille” and John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom” at New York City’s Power Station; those performances appear on the soundtrack, which is slated for release on Dec. 5. The tracklist will also feature a non-film rendition of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You.”

The appearance gives a glimpse of Greta Van Fleet during a quieter period: Sam has been producing records for artists such as Langhorne Slim and Hannah Wicklund, while Jake has launched a side project called Mirador with Chris Turpin (Ida Mae). Mirador’s self-titled debut arrived in September, and the band will begin a European tour beginning Nov. 3 in Amsterdam.

How the collaboration came together

Jake Kiszka says the opportunity began through producer Dave Cobb, who had worked on Greta Van Fleet’s 2023 album Starcatcher and was helping with Mirador’s record. Cobb mentioned that director Scott Cooper wanted a young, energetic rock band to serve as the house group for the Stone Pony scenes. Cobb suggested Greta Van Fleet members, and Jake and Sam stepped in to fill the guitar and bass roles.

The sessions at the Power Station were intentionally rough and spontaneous — the band and Jeremy Allen White laid down two or three takes of each song, expecting to revisit the material while filming on set. Those studio performances ultimately became the final audio used in the film after Bruce Springsteen heard the takes and favored their grit and immediacy.

Working with Jeremy Allen White

Though Jeremy is primarily an actor, Jake says he blended naturally into the musical environment. Jeremy performed some live vocal parts alongside Jay Buchanan, and his willingness to jump into the music impressed the musicians. Jake also taught Jeremy a bit of harmonica for the film, passing along techniques learned from his father’s blues playing so the actor could authentically portray the instrument on camera.

On filming at the Stone Pony and meeting Springsteen

Returning to the Stone Pony — a venue Greta had played in the past — felt momentous. Jake describes the shoot as surreal: a major film production, Springsteen present on set, and high-profile creatives dropping by. The atmosphere was informal and welcoming; Springsteen spent time with the cast and extras, and his humility and openness left a strong impression. Conversations about Nebraska and demo-era recording stuck with Jake, reinforcing the idea that unpolished performances can capture a special truth that polished studio takes sometimes miss.

Improvisation and on-set moments

Some on-camera moments developed organically. For one sequence in which Sam has a speaking line, the players were encouraged to improvise and react naturally — Scott Cooper shouted “Action!” and the scene unfolded spontaneously. The result was left to the editor’s discretion.

Looking ahead

Jake describes Mirador’s early momentum as exhilarating: sold-out shows and rapid fan response have accelerated the band’s growth. They expect to record another album within the next year. Meanwhile, Greta Van Fleet has plans and surprises on the horizon — Jake hints that the coming year will bring new developments for the band.

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