Local Bruce Springsteen fans know that when they attend a show in Asbury Park, no matter who is headlining the event, there's a chance Bruce will pop in for a song.

What they probably don't know is that this winter Springsteen and his crew spent their days practicing at the Expo Theater inside Fort Monmouth in a quiet section of Oceanport.

Closed as a military installation since September, the place is a bit of a ghost town. On most days, security personnel outnumber the investors who have been looking over the U.S. Army property, now up for sale and development.

That made it an especially private and secure place for the band to practice. In fact, it has done so there for years, as part of a long-standing agreement with the Army, Patch has learned.

A touring manager with the band told Patch that they chose the location because, "We were told that no one would know we were here."

Another associate of the Springsteen crew, Jerry Bakal, told Patch that when the band runs practice shows in Asbury Park, "mobs show up." The intent, he said, in practicing at the fort,  was to enjoy the peace and quiet and "to stay away from Asbury as long as possible."

This week fort officials would only tell us that Springsteen and his people have since moved on.

Springsteen performed several songs this week at a benefit at the Press Room in Asbury Park for the family of Tony Strollo, Springsteen's personal trainer who died unexpectedly last month. Strollo of Tinton Falls grew up in West Long Branch and was a graduate of Shore Regional High School.

Springsteen will appear as the only guest on Jimmy Fallon's Late Night third anniversary show on Friday.