BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN HYDE PARK REVIEW

Went to see Bruce Springsteen playing yesterday at the Hard Rock Calling Festival in Hyde Park. We had been warned. The park is now a quagmire. Thank goodness for my daughter’s wellies:-

I was shocked though at the state of the park and the eight million litres of wood chip put down to rescue the boss’s fans from the sea mud didn’t seem to improve matters hugely (although if it did then no wonder they had to cancel the Stock, Aitkin and Waterman concert the day before). in fact, I was wondering if it was the wood chip that made the entire area smell of horse poo – or maybe that’s just what festival smell like and I’m not used to it.

and lots of us looked a little like this:-

We didn’t get up close and personal sadly. Just too many people and we got there too late. I was so far away I couldn’t even see him on stage and to be honest I don’t think the sound was loud enough for those of us further back. I got several very bad photos. My brother, his number one fan (think he’s seen him 7 times now) was somewhere near the front and stood for 7 hours. He sent me his best photo, but it’s not very good either – especially if you’re the bloke with the bald patch:-

This was my best photo:-

You could see more on the screen:-

A fantastic performance by Bruuuuuuuce as ever (and again I thought they were Boooooing initially, not shouting Bruuuuuuce). He really is the consummate performer. So much energy and he looks very fit. Loving every minute of it. Even when the rain set in. Involving his band. They really are a team. I chatted this morning with my brother about his take on the event. He was closer, saw some of the supporting acts – so this is what he had to say on the matter:-

“After a very lukewarm response from the audience to Lady Antebellum, an American country pop music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2006 Bruce came on stage at 7.30pm and opened his set with a brilliant acoustic version of Thunder Road”

Actually, I can’t read the notes I’ve written – I’m going to have to get him to do it himself because he knows all the musicians and I don’t. I did note the audience massively welcoming his new saxophonist – Jake Clemons – nephew of the one and only Clarence Clemons who very sadly died last year. He did a wonderful version of City In Ruins which was about his death which was very poignant. He played lots of songs that I know and love – especially from his first album and went on to do a 3 hour set without a single break which would leave bands half his age exhausted – until that is he was unbelievably rudely cut stone dead at the end by the ridiculous curfew – you don’t shut down Bruce Springsteen like that even with boring old neighbours that can’t get to sleep. At least let the man say thank you and goodbye. So rude and frankly incredibly disappointing for the audience to have to leave on that last unacceptable note. Especially when his surprise guest was Sir Paul McCartney in the middle of a duet.

Here was his play list – you never know what you’re going to get from one of his concerts – I’m not sure the E Street Band do either – he didn’t collect many requests from the audience this time and he doesn’t talk to the audience as much as he used to (well there were a lot of us) but his back catalogue of more than 400 songs does that for him. He can involve us “I have ONE question for you – can you feel the spirit?”, he can get a girl swimming above everybody’s head on to the stage for “Dancing In The Dark” and he can get us all waving our hands. He did make several forays into the crowd but more to touch hands rather than to collect requests – and he can still get up those steps without an escalator. Impressive.

Thunder Road (Bruce & Roy)
Badlands
We Take Care of Our Own
Wrecking Ball
Death to My Hometown (with Tom Morello)
My City of Ruins
Spirit In The Night
The Promised Land (with John Forgerty)
Take ‘Em As They Come
Jack of All Trades (with Tom Morello)
Empty Sky (solo acoustic)
Because the Night
Johnny 99
Darlington County
Workin’ on the Highway
Shackled & Drawn
Waitin’ on a Sunny Day
Raise Your Hand
The River
The Ghost of Tom Joad (with Tom Morello)
The Rising
Land of Hope & Dreams

Encore:
We Are Alive
Born in the USA
Born To Run
Glory Days
Dancing in the Dark
I Saw Her Standing There (with Paul McCartney)
Twist and Shout (with Paul McCartney)