“Hello, London. it’s Saturday night”
That is how Bruce Springsteen chose to begin tonight at England’s national stadium, what followed for the next three hours is the sort of thing that only the E.St Band can do and they always do.
The problem is when you’re reviewing a concert like this everyone has their personal experience of the songs. So, my tale begins not here but some 110 miles north in the back garden of my house in 1988. I was 12 years old, and me and my late mother were sat on the patio swearing blind we could just about hear the drums from a few miles away where they were playing a “Tunnel Of Love” show. We probably couldn’t, but we always said we could, and I remember that we could and that’s all that matters.
Bruce Springsteen, to a 12-year-old at that point, was a mythical character, he existed only on top of the pops. As a 48-year-old, I’ve seen Bruce numerous times, he is the greatest live performer that has ever lived – I believe that to be a fact. I’m not sure we will ever be adequately able to explain the feeling of being in a Bruce Springsteen concert. Except to say this: tonight, he’s about an hour into the show and calls his wife Patti Scialfa to the front of the stage and the pair do “Tougher Than The Rest” – for some, they cuddled their special someone. For me, it made me recall that night in the Solihull summer. “…. Rest” had been my mum’s favourite Springsteen tune. She never did see him.
After those words, “Hello, London” the veritable cast of thousands that is the E. St Band these days, had struck up “Lonesome Day”, after that, they’d done “Candy’s Room” and you do the maths, you go “that’s over 50 years old”. And for a while, you almost feel like saying: “he’s amazing for almost 75.” Then you sort of realise the age doesn’t matter. He’s not incredible for 75. He’s quite simply just incredible.
There’s a version of “Adam Raised A Cain” that is as good as you’ve ever seen him do, and there’s “Death To My Hometown” sung with such passion.
But, whilst he’s not a heritage act, he understands, does Bruce the people want to sing along so he gives them “Promised Land”, “Darlington County” and “Hungry Heart”, but he also gives them a plaintive “Long Walk Home” Which he describes as “a prayer for my country.”
Let’s be honest, finding a highlight is not possible, because everybody there would have their own, but the solo for “Youngstown” – one of Nils Lofgren’s few moments in the spotlight – is right up there, as is the end of “The River” with its almost plaintive wail.
He reckons, that they’re not going to quit. Maybe, maybe not. But he’s certainly emotional on “Last Man Standing” and “Backstreets” in a way that you rarely see in these types of shows.
If this set had largely been different from the one he played on Thursday night up to this point then it ends in the same way. “Because The Night” Is stunning, “Wrecking Ball”, and “The Rising” big chest beating and anthemic, and no one needs reminding about the power of “Badlands” or “Thunder Road”.
As ever, at this point, the floodlights go on, and the turbos are hit. Act two, if you like is go.
The lit-up crowd gets its “Born In The USA”, it gets its “Born To Run”, “Bobby Jean” and “Dancing In The Dark” – it’s quite something to observe, as I was able to do from the back row of the front tier the command that Springsteen has over his flock. And that word is deliberately chosen, because there is something of a congregational feel about the way he moves people.
No doubt he’s emotional himself when “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” is played with its usual tribute to Clarence Clemons and Danny Federici – no doubt he is gratified that even after their passing they can still tear a city in half.
“Twist And Shout” – in its original format – ends the first encore, but not before Bruce and Little Steven ham up the “I don’t wanna go home” thing they’ve perfected over half a century, and maybe this time they don’t. It might be this time they were lingering just a little longer to look over what they’ve created, what they have presided over half a century and more.
As ever the stage clears leaving just Bruce to sing “I’ll See You In My Dreams”. He will, doubtless, always see nights like this in his, but it was something else he said before they played “Mary’s Place” that resonated as I walked out of the stadium. “Tonight”, he’d said, “We are gonna inject you with the power of rock n roll. London, are you ready for that?”
I’m not sure anyone here, including those on stage, is quite ready for it to stop.
