“Bruce Springsteen looked like an unstoppable machine”
NMR – Im no super fan, but this guy can rock a stadium that’s for sure, there’s no EV here folks, this is full high octane fuel all the way .
Introduction
We got Bruce Springsteen tickets last year (2023) and left it a bit late to plan the trip of some 120 miles to London. As a result, we ended up going by car and parking in the Red car park adjacent to the stadium. This would have been fine if it wasn’t for the few thousand other people trying to do the same thing. The traffic into the venue was terrible, but hey, we left it late!
Into the Stadium
We met up with some other folks and made our way in, where we were instantly relieved of £50 for a few drinks. Oh, and don’t forget the £23 for a burger and chips. Yes folks, stadium gigs are not for cheapskates.
The good news was our seat locations were okay, lower down along the side. However, even that proved to be uncomfortable as you have to twist permanently to see the stage at one end. They should have swivel seats for gigs. Nevertheless, enough whining. It’s 7:30 and we are about to start. No warm-up acts for Bruce Springsteen. Not quite sure what that is, but here we go…
I won’t go over the setlist—you can find that anywhere—but it kicked off in style with a full band of about 20 people. From what I could tell, there wasn’t a sequencer or backing track in the building, which is quite a rare thing nowadays. From the start, it was pretty non-stop for the first few numbers, with the only break being Bruce shouting the next “1, 2, 3, 4!”
The first songs were lesser known to me, at least. I’m not a superfan, but I could appreciate the songs and the musicians’ work on each one. Every band member came forward for their moment in the spotlight. It’s fair to say Bruce Springsteen leaves no one out; every band member gets their few minutes to bathe in the glory and look at the vast sea of humans staring back.
We are over an hour in, and there’s no let-up. There are a couple of slower solo numbers, then soon it’s up another gear, and we are into some bigger hits. The crowd is a bit up and down, which was okay, actually, as it gave us a few minutes to take a seat and take in the atmosphere. It’s been a hot day, but it’s relatively cool in the stadium.
As Night Falls
As daylight fades, the true illuminated spectacle of the set comes to life. There are three large screens to make sure everyone sees the action close-up. Now and then, the full pitch-white lights come on, lighting up the whole crowd. I think the band likes it! The pace doesn’t slow; more hits come. We are over two and a half hours in, and Bruce still has his foot on the gas. This guy is 75 years old—it’s very commendable.
As it closes out, they throw in The Beatles’ “Twist and Shout,” followed by a finale solo from Bruce on acoustic guitar—a very fitting end. It got me thinking, with all the hype lately of artists such as Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, and others, and their backing tracks, click tracks, lip-syncing, and all that jazz, there’s simply no comparison to a full-on live band and the ad-lib control of a frontman… or frontperson… whatever…
As I said, I’m not a superfan, but you cannot deny Bruce Springsteen’s catalogue of songs and ability to entertain some 80,000 people. I’d be surprised if he does too many more stadium tours, so I’m glad we got in.
So think about it: take some time out to attend a live gig at your local venue and support a new band.
The Bruce Springsteen opening.
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