Bruce Springsteen has been everywhere the last year. 
After ‘The Rising’ became the official anthem for Obama’s run to the
White House, he released new album Working On A Dream which debuted at number one in the US and the UK and fifteen other countries worldwide (cheers Wiki).  He then played the Super Bowl half-time show before, of course, headlining this years Glastonbury.  In amongst all this he’s started a Working... tour, after only finishing his worldwide trek for previous album Magic in late 2008.  Not bad for a 59 year old.

     
It is these live shows that lie at the very heart of everything, and he has a devoted fanbase that follow him and the E Street Band across the globe. 
After catching one of his shows at the Emirates Stadium last year I’d
well and truly got the Brucey Bug, and having been feverishly looking forward to his date at Hyde Park for the best part of 6 months was
slightly concerned after watching his exertions at Glastonbury on TV the night before.  He had well and truly smashed it, leading a somewhat dubious crowd into wild raptures with a set that ran forty minutes over curfew.  Good for them perhaps, but not for everyone waiting to see him the next night.  How would he recreate that energy? He’s not a young man.  Wouldn’t he be knackered?Maybe he’d play a shorter set?


Oh me of little faith.

Bruce and his E Street Band put on a show of shows, three and a quarter hours long without a break or an encore.   Opening with ‘London Calling’ was a nice touch and nod to his friend and hero Joe Strummer, before ‘Badlands’ ruffled the slightly pensive crowd out of their slumbers with
it’s chant- like refrain on ‘woah-oh-oh-oh-oh’ (which would also be bellowed
out on the tube home).   ‘Outlaw Pete’ was everything that you’d hope a nine minute western epic would be, and by far the strongest of the songs from the new album.


The pace was to let up rarely, with slower songs at a premium and rarely
infiltrating the party atmosphere.  When you see the band leaping around the stage you can understand why; the show is (almost) as much about the E Street Band as it is about The Boss.  They are all clearly having  a great time, and the interaction between Bruce and Steve Van Zandt (lead guitarist and Silvio from The Sopranos) and 'Big Man' Clarence Clemons are some of the most memorable moments. 


There is a bar-room band feel to them, despite the size of the stage and the fact that they are playing to fifty thousand people.  The interaction between Bruce and the crowd is paramount too and he spends a lot of time down front with the crowd before, as always, taking requests from audience members who have brought signs with their favourite songs along. ‘No Surrender’  (which also featured The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon)and the gloriously life affirming ‘Waitin’ On A Sunny Day’ got this treatment.  The latter was a real highlight,
with the crowd doo-doo-doo’ing as one with Van Zandt’s jaunty guitar strumming and wailing the chorus of ‘waitin’ on a sunny day/gonna chase the clouds away.’


The final third of the set was a veritable smorgasbord of hits with staple
crowd pleasers like ‘The Promised  Land’,  ‘Radio Nowhere’, ‘Rosalita’ and ‘Born To Run’ all being rolled out to ecstatic reactions from the now-moving crowd.  10 minute epic ‘Jungleland’ was stunning; one of the few downbeat moments,  though the sheer grandiosity of the song ensures it felt like nothing other than an anthem for the ages and had those all those around us screaming and hugging as one, with the 3 odd-minute sax solo from Clarence bringing frenzied applause.   Final triumvirate ‘American Land’, ‘Glory Days’ and ‘Dancing In The Dark’ then ensured
party parity was restored, and we found ourselves swinging strangers around in a state of something approaching ecstasy, hoarsely bellowing the words and begging Bruce to break the curfew tonight as well.  Unfortunately, Hyde Park is not Worthy Farm so running on late is not an option unless the band want to incur the wrath of the Queen.  Luckily, with Bruce, you always know there’s going to be a next time.

Posted In Live Reviews, Jul 14 2009. Words - David