So, tonight, after waiting for so long, I finally was at Bruce's concert at his own venue.
After some doubts about the golden circle we managed to get in there and enjoyed the 2 support acts. Especially The Black Crowes were really good!
Then it was finally time for Bruce. The first half of the show was by far the best. LOHAD and I finally got My Love Will Not Let You Down. I was hoping he would play that song and he did! Then Sherry Darling as a request and Growin' Up. 'So Young And In Love' was awesome. Before they played it Bruce said it was time to test the E-Street Band as the song has a cheeky bridge which it indeed had but they nailed it, at least almost.
I expected he would pick more signs during the show but he did not. We got the whole Darkness album which is not my favourite and although I don't like much of the studio-versions of the songs of that album, they did make it work live. Extended solowork and more interaction with the audience.
Pay Me My Money Down couldnt have been in a better spot then right after the Darkness album. Shackled and Drawn came and Waiting On A Sunny Day, which was a special song as it was raining on and off tonight. The rest of the set was a bit 'standard'. Lonesome Day and The Rising never did much for me. Thunder Road was phenomenal and so was the encore. All standard songs but in a brilliant order. Born In The USA was way better then the last time I heard it last year on a festival. The overall soundquality was a lot higher then last year as well. Bruce was in great shape and you could see he was having fun. I never heard him with a better voice.
Close to the end of the encore he kept repeating 'It is not raining hard enough yet' while the rain was really pooring down at that moment. Bruce was unstoppable and stood out in the rain and brought the whole horn-section with him. I rather preferred something more special then 'Twist and Shout' and 'Shout' as they felt a bit like fillers to me. The show could use another rarity but it didn't come. Even though it was raining I am not going to complain with 34 songs and 3 hours and 20 minutes of Bruce Springsteen. The first time I saw him back in 2007 he was ill and only played 2 hours. The next time was last year at a festival when his voice was shot after playing Cologne the night before. Tonight, the third time, I got Bruce how I like him best. In shape, having fun and at a venue of his own. Incredible evening!
Setlist:
1. The Ghost of Tom Joad
(Solo acoustic)
2. Land of Hope and Dreams
3. My Love Will Not Let You Down
4. Sherry Darling
(Sign Request)
5. Growin' Up
(Sign Request)
6. Downbound Train
7. Wrecking Ball
8. Death to My Hometown
9. So Young and in Love
(Sign Request)
10. The River
11. Darkness on the Edge of Town
11. Badlands
12. Adam Raised a Cain
13. Something in the Night
14. Candy's Room
15. Racing in the Street
16. The Promised Land
17. Factory
18. Streets of Fire
19. Prove It All Night
20. Darkness on the Edge of Town
21.
21. Pay Me My Money Down
22. Shackled and Drawn
23. Waitin' on a Sunny Day
24. Raise Your Hand
(Eddie Floyd cover)
25. Lonesome Day
26. The Rising
27. Thunder Road
28. Encore:
28. Born in the U.S.A.
29. Born to Run
30. Bobby Jean
31. Dancing in the Dark
32. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
33. Twist and Shout
(The Top Notes cover)
34. Shout
I salute you,
TS
p.s.
Sorry for the crappy English but this reply is typed right after I got home at 2.30am
