Bruce Springsteen, seen here at a news conference in January, greeted his Michigan fans on Friday night with "Hello, Ohio!" (Morry Gash/Associated Press)

The curse of Friday the 13th caught up with Bruce Springsteen in Auburn Hills, Mich.

The iconic U.S. rocker and the E Street Band had just stepped out on the stage at the Auburn Hills Palace on Friday night. "Hello, Ohio!" he called out to the audience.

He referred to the neighbouring state several times in the next 30 minutes or so until guitarist Steve Van Zandt whispered in his ear.

Springsteen grabbed a large sponge he uses to mop himself down on stage and handed it to Van Zandt, who bopped him over the head with it three times.

"That was every frontman's nightmare," a visibly rattled Springsteen confessed. "I've been waiting 40 years to [mess] that one up!"

He made up for the gaffe the rest of the evening.

The Detroit Free Press reported that he rocked the audience of 16,000 for nearly three hours with old and new hits, including a complete performance of his 1975 album, Born to Run, and his new track, Wrecking Ball.

"Are any of ya actually from Ohio?" he asked late in the evening to scattered cheers.

"That ain't so bad!" he said.

With files from The Associated Press