An Unforgettable Night with The Boss
Attending a Bruce Springsteen concert is always a special experience. The fact that this one was on my home turf at The Stadium of Light made it extra special.
In fact, it was not that long ago since I last saw Bruce at Murrayfield, Edinburgh. As a long-time fan, I have many memories of seeing the man over the years including his first UK appearance at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1976, and numerous other concerts since; at Newcastle City Hall, St James’s Park, Dublin’s The Point, London O2 Arena, Leeds Arena, and a previous appearance at the Stadium of Light.
Bruce has always been magnificent. This night, despite the challenging weather, was no exception. Springsteen took the stage with his characteristic energy, launching into a setlist that spanned his decades-long career. From the opening chords of “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day,” the entire stadium was with him. Classic tracks including “Born to Run,” “Dancing in the Dark,” and “Thunder Road” had the crowd singing along, creating the usual great atmosphere that I have come to expect at a Springsteen concert. Bruce’s voice was as powerful as ever, and his interactions with the audience as authentic and genuine. Particularly moving for me was “Thunder Road” which closed the main set and has become a crowd favourite, Bruce on harmonica and great vocals.
I recall playing the song to my friends after I bought the Born to Run LP (it was always real vinyl in those days). I thought his voice was unlike anyone’s I had heard before. Perhaps a cross between Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan? Every song on that album is a classic and many of them remain in his set today. The very last song has come to be “I’ll See You in My Dreams” which is a perfect end to the evening and to his now traditional three-hour set.
This time I decided to treat myself to hospitality in the Black Cats Bar which was top-notch. The staff were helpful and accommodating, ensuring that my carer and I were comfortable throughout the evening. The bar provided an excellent vantage point, combining the thrill of being part of the crowd with the convenience of a more relaxed (and dry) setting. This made it easier to enjoy the concert without the usual issues that come with being in a large, bustling venue. My second carer, seated elsewhere in the stadium, also had a dry and enjoyable experience.
The weather was bad, with rain pouring down throughout the concert. While we stayed dry in the Black Cats Bar, and my second carer was dry in the stands, the fans on the pitch were not as fortunate. Despite those soaking conditions, their spirits were high, and their enthusiasm never waned. Only an artist like Springsteen has the incredible ability to connect with his audience and keep the energy high, no matter the circumstances.
Sadly, Bruce lost his voice after this concert and had to cancel his next couple of concert appearances in Europe. Elaine took some great photos throughout the night. Many thanks to Chris for manipulating the site as usual. And here is something I must reveal. I used Chat GPT to create the first draft of my review, partly as an experiment and partly to try and speed up the process, as I am way behind with my blog entries. However, I am not sure if it did speed up the process as I had to rewrite much of the text to remove the robot and replace it with Peter. Not sure if I fully succeeded.
Setlist: Waitin’ on a Sunny Day; Lonesome Day; Prove It All Night; No Surrender; Ghosts; Letter to You; The Promised Land; Hungry Heart; Light of Day; Atlantic City; Darlington County; Nightshift; The River; Racing in the Street; Last Man Standing; Backstreets; Because the Night; She’s the One; Wrecking Ball; The Rising; Badlands; Thunder Road. Encore: Born to Run; Glory Days; Dancing in the Dark; Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out; Twist and Shout; I’ll See You in My Dreams
Vintagerock's Weblog. 
Posted by TerriersFan on June 30, 2024 at 3:13 pm
I’m glad that you had such a good time, Peter. I have never seen Springsteen and am jealous of those who have. My friend in Leeds has seen him going on ten times now and, like you, describes him as the consummate musician who never disappoints.
Roger 🤘👍
Posted by vintagerock on June 30, 2024 at 3:29 pm
Hi Roger yes Bruce is always fantastic, authentic and plays for three hours yet is never boring. Happy days Peter
Posted by Bryan on July 1, 2024 at 6:30 am
Great to see that you decided to treat yourself to a bit of club class hospitality Peter! You’ve earned your spurs after decades of standing in muddy fields & jampacked dance halls. The Boss, is something truly special & never lets his ‘people’ down. Nice review!
Posted by vintagerock on July 1, 2024 at 11:21 am
Hi Bryan yes paying for hospitality really made the concert extra special. Bruce remains one of the greatest artists of all time Peter
Posted by John on July 1, 2024 at 6:36 am
Hi Peter,
Another one of my favourite artists if not my favourite of all time. Like you Thunder Road brings back a lot of emotion and memories. Most of his songs take me back to the time I first heard them. And Thunder Road is just a great song. And I would rather read a Peter review any day of the week than any kind of Chatbot stuff.
All the best, John
Posted by vintagerock on July 1, 2024 at 11:19 am
Thanks John yes Born to Run is one of the best albums ever and contains so many classic songs peter
Posted by annelambton on July 3, 2024 at 3:34 pm
Never thought to categorise Bruce’s voice but now you have said Elvis and Bob, I can hear it! Did you know there is a cake called Bruce? Check out Get Baked 🙂
Posted by vintagerock on July 5, 2024 at 12:48 pm
Shall have to try out the cake Anne 🙂 Peter
Posted by David Dennis on July 9, 2024 at 8:10 pm
I remember that I had a small flat in Balham in the 70s. Used the local library to get records out. I wanted to expand the artists I was familiar with. I got his first few albums and was amazed at the stories he told and also at his range of music. Years later I saw him at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit …. what a show. Saw him again in Toronto but not quite as good as that first time.
Keep up the concert reviews, I always enjoy them
Cheers.
Posted by vintagerock on July 10, 2024 at 3:06 pm
Hi David thanks for sharing. Some great memories. Bruce just gets better and better in my eyes. Happy days Peter