★★★★☆
Set beneath a beautiful yellow sky, with twenty-five-degree temperatures felt by all those in attendance, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, legends amongst men, casually stroll out onto the stage to an incredible reception by the Birmingham audience.
“Helloooooo Birming-ham!”
The Boss lets out a roaring welcome before they set off into ‘No Surrender’, a high-energy opener that’s been a staple of this tour, which unofficially supports both Letter to You and Only the Strong Survive. Any doubts as to whether he’s still got it are dispelled in an instant.
Their performance refuses to relent as they continue with ‘Ghosts’ from Springsteen’s second most recent release, balancing the new with the old as they also revisit classic fan favourites such as ‘Prove It All Night’ and ‘The Promised Land’.
It’s impossible to understate how electric the crowd is, and despite poor planning and organisation on the stadium’s part, it seems as though everyone is having a great time. From the older group behind me happily clapping along, to the young couple sat in front of me alternating between impassioned dancing and resting their head on each other’s shoulders, I even spot a group with inflatable instruments offering a synchronised performance of their own at the back of the pit.
Springsteen’s music has tracks that can touch every possible human emotion, and the setlist made sure to reflect the same sentiment. Following an awe-inspiring performance of ‘The River’ (its debut performance on this World Tour), which culminates in goose bump-inducing high notes, he begins to share a touching story behind the next song, ‘Last Man Standing’.
As he stands there, seventy-three years and twenty-one studio albums behind him, he begins reflecting on how time has passed. The stadium falls silent as he talks about the formation of his first band, The Castilles, in 1965, and the death of the last surviving member besides him, George Theiss, in 2018.
Regardless of how far away you’re stood or sat, it’s impossible not to be taken aback by the intimacy and connection of the moment. It’s as much about you and your friends as it is about Bruce and his. It’s a reminder to tell your friends how much you love them, no matter how long you think you’ve got left with them.
Springsteen prolongs this heartfelt moment with ‘Backstreets’, a track from Born to Run that tells of the anguish that comes with the loss of a deep relationship (platonic or otherwise).
It’s easy to forget how extensive his catalogue is, but as he makes his way from ‘Because the Night’ to ‘Badlands’, he reminds you of some tracks that you might need to hear a few notes to remember.
‘Wrecking Ball’ was always one of my favourites growing up in a Springsteen-dominant household as, so it was nice to see him not forget the underrated classic. It also served as a reminder to take everything in and live in this moment of ultimate euphoria.
“Yeah, we know that come tomorrow, none of this will be here.”
You can’t notice how much fun Springsteen seems to be having up there. The playful banter between him and Steven Van Zandt especially is so much fun to watch. Where other artists may use an elaborate set to keep you entertained, this just feels like pure music, friendship, and vibrancy.
Around the two-hour mark, the atmosphere inside the ground is beyond electric, as it has been since song one. This culminates in an orchestra of fifty-thousand strong Springsteen fans belting out the first verse of ‘Thunder Road’, which can’t help but bring a tear to your eye. This came much to the delight of the smiling Springsteen, playfully telling the crowd ‘Very good!’ as he continues on himself, backed by the ever-incredible E Street Band.
For any other performer, this would be closing time. Time to go backstage and take a break before your next show less in Belgium, less than fourty-eight hours away. To give yourself a pat on the back, knowing you just got a standing ovation that every artist dreams of. But for Springsteen & Co, we’re only just getting to the fun part.
Following a bow, the group take control of their instruments once more, and quickly break out into ‘Born In The USA’, a sarcastic criticism of America’s involvement in Vietnam that you just can’t help but dance to. There’s no need for the crowd to stand up in order to dance, as they’ve remained stood since the ovation following ‘Thunder Road’.
They continue on with Born to Run’s titular track, before ‘Bobby Jean’, ‘Glory Days’, and ‘Dancing in the Dark’ get their turn. Unfortunately, Courtney Cox did not travel all the way to Brum to dance on stage (I’m just as shocked as you are, believe me).
The whole encore, not a single able-bodied soul gets back in their seat or stops their hands from clapping, and as the sun just about disappears on a boiling June evening, Bruce still refuses to let up, allowing the show to culminate in one ‘final’ performance. The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle’s ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’, a staple closer.
The epic ten-minute track gives the band a chance to salute those of times gone by, Clarence Clemons and Danny Federici. It’s an important note of how they’ve not made it here without losing a few friends along the way, and a salute to the everlasting legacy they’ve had.
As the song comes to a draw, Springsteen ensures the band are paid their dues by the crowd. They make their way off to a burst of applause, clocking out with around three hours of nonstop high-energy performance in the bank.
But the (hypothetical) curtain isn’t closed there, and as the lights dim, Springsteen returns with just his acoustic guitar. After thanking Birmingham and the fact that they are a ‘fan-fucking-tastic crowd’, he leaves us with one final song. A rendition of ‘I’ll See You in My Dreams’. A perfect closer to a concert I’ll be forever dreaming about, at least ‘til the next time he rolls around.
A digital copy of the concert is available here. The Europe leg of the tour is scheduled to continue until July 25th, including two shows at London’s Hyde Park.
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