Because I said to pjh I would, I have written a review of Bruce Springsteen at the O2 Arena in London last night, and here it is for anyone who is interested:
This was my first visit to the O2 and I have to say that, apart from a couple of small niggles, my impressions were very favourable. My niggles first the queue for the standing area was somewhat chaotic. People had to walk through the queue to get to the back of it hence a lot of people didnt bother walking to the back, they just queue jumped at the point it went over the walkway! Secondly, I was not allowed to take a plastic bottle of diet coke into the arena, but they were selling bottles of Stella inside. [?]
They were the moans, but the transport system, the bars and restaurants, the facilities and most importantly, the acoustics were all spot on. It will no doubt be the major UK indoor concert venue for many years to come. [y]
On to the concert, Bruce and the E Street Band came on stage at just after half past eight, and played a brilliant set lasting well over two and a half hours. It is amazing to think that the musicians I saw on stage were, for the most part, the same people I saw at Stafford Bingley Hall way back in 1981! The only differences were the additions of Nils Lofgren and Suzie Tyrell on guitar and violin respectively. And Danny Frederici was replaced on the organ by a chap I didnt recognise.
The music was brilliant from start to finish.
The set was :
Radio Nowhere
No Surrender
Night
Lonesome Day
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason To Believe
Because The Night
She's The One
Livin' In The Future
The Promised Land
Waitin' On A Sunny Day
Working On The Highway
Racing In The Street
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last To Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
Encore:
Girls In Their Summer Clothes
Jungleland
Born To Run
Dancing In The Dark
American Land
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
People who know Springsteens music will see that there is a great variety of old and new, with a high percentage of songs from the Born to Run album being featured.
There were lots of highlights. Bruce was on fine form, as usual, and had the audience in the palm of his hand throughout the evening. The band were as tight as ever, it is really interesting to watch how they all watch Bruce intently as he controls their timing in the same way as a conductor controls a symphony orchestra.
I am a big fan of Nils Lofgren and he seemed to enjoy himself more than on recent tours, being given big solos in an up-tempo Reason to Believe and, more especially, in Because the Night. Throughout the show Bruces hatred of George W Bush shone through and there were several songs dedicated to him.
The show was great, but the best bits were all in the encore. Clarence was magnificent in his mammoth sax break in Jungleland, and then Born to Run and Dancing were both played with the house lights full up and Bruce had the 20,000 people standing, dancing, singing and clapping along. American Land is a good rocker and then the inevitable Santa Claus closed the show.
I was tired out and hoarse at the end of the show, so I have no idea how Bruce does it, night after night tour after tour. All in all, a great night.
If anyone has managed to read this far, thanks for indulging me. [:D]
Nick
This was my first visit to the O2 and I have to say that, apart from a couple of small niggles, my impressions were very favourable. My niggles first the queue for the standing area was somewhat chaotic. People had to walk through the queue to get to the back of it hence a lot of people didnt bother walking to the back, they just queue jumped at the point it went over the walkway! Secondly, I was not allowed to take a plastic bottle of diet coke into the arena, but they were selling bottles of Stella inside. [?]
They were the moans, but the transport system, the bars and restaurants, the facilities and most importantly, the acoustics were all spot on. It will no doubt be the major UK indoor concert venue for many years to come. [y]
On to the concert, Bruce and the E Street Band came on stage at just after half past eight, and played a brilliant set lasting well over two and a half hours. It is amazing to think that the musicians I saw on stage were, for the most part, the same people I saw at Stafford Bingley Hall way back in 1981! The only differences were the additions of Nils Lofgren and Suzie Tyrell on guitar and violin respectively. And Danny Frederici was replaced on the organ by a chap I didnt recognise.
The music was brilliant from start to finish.
The set was :
Radio Nowhere
No Surrender
Night
Lonesome Day
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason To Believe
Because The Night
She's The One
Livin' In The Future
The Promised Land
Waitin' On A Sunny Day
Working On The Highway
Racing In The Street
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last To Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
Encore:
Girls In Their Summer Clothes
Jungleland
Born To Run
Dancing In The Dark
American Land
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
People who know Springsteens music will see that there is a great variety of old and new, with a high percentage of songs from the Born to Run album being featured.
There were lots of highlights. Bruce was on fine form, as usual, and had the audience in the palm of his hand throughout the evening. The band were as tight as ever, it is really interesting to watch how they all watch Bruce intently as he controls their timing in the same way as a conductor controls a symphony orchestra.
I am a big fan of Nils Lofgren and he seemed to enjoy himself more than on recent tours, being given big solos in an up-tempo Reason to Believe and, more especially, in Because the Night. Throughout the show Bruces hatred of George W Bush shone through and there were several songs dedicated to him.
The show was great, but the best bits were all in the encore. Clarence was magnificent in his mammoth sax break in Jungleland, and then Born to Run and Dancing were both played with the house lights full up and Bruce had the 20,000 people standing, dancing, singing and clapping along. American Land is a good rocker and then the inevitable Santa Claus closed the show.
I was tired out and hoarse at the end of the show, so I have no idea how Bruce does it, night after night tour after tour. All in all, a great night.
If anyone has managed to read this far, thanks for indulging me. [:D]
Nick
