Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Ireland, July 2013

[gallsman]

Nils Lofgren was in fine form alright.  Cindy Mizelle stole the show at times, what a singer!!  Jake Clemons is doing his uncle justice too.

I never got to see Clarence live in his prime - close to the end he was really struggling. Blasphemous though it may be, Jake playing live is an upgrade on what Clarence had to offer by the end.
Jake really appears to have grown into his role in the year since the RDS show where he seemed unsure of himself and was still learning many of the songs. Far more confident, far more an on stage leader on Saturday. Thought he was fantastic.

Jake is great,  but Blasphemous doesnt even begin to cover that statement. 

Blasphemous yes, but sadly true. Clarence was a shell of his former self by the end.

[Applesisapples]

The Rising was the last great Album Bruce made, Devils & Dust and the Seeger Sessions were close to Greatness but just a song short. The last three whilst having great songs would be consider great for your average rock star, but Bruce is not just your average rock star he is much more than that. It never fails to amaze me though how most people at Bruce concerts fail to understand the total meaning of Waiting on a Sunny Day, I suppose a bit like Reagan and Born in the USA.

[gallsman]

The Rising was the last great Album Bruce made, Devils & Dust and the Seeger Sessions were close to Greatness but just a song short. The last three whilst having great songs would be consider great for your average rock star, but Bruce is not just your average rock star he is much more than that. It never fails to amaze me though how most people at Bruce concerts fail to understand the total meaning of Waiting on a Sunny Day, I suppose a bit like Reagan and Born in the USA.

I agree with Nally Stand, I think Wrecking Ball is excellent from start to finish. The Rising in my opinion is up there with  any of his classics, an astoundingly good album. What's particularly remarkable is that 40 years on from Greetings From Asbury Park, he's still exploring new influences and incorporating them into his songs. Rocky Ground off is an R 'n' B song and is absolutely brilliant in my opinion. Wasn't overly fussed with Magic but liked a few songs and doubt I'll ever listen to Working on a Dream again.

The thing about Springsteen these days though is that when touring, he'll play three or four songs from the current album (maybe more if it's laden with catchy sing-a-long anthems like Wrecking Ball) and then he has another 2.5 hours to blast through the back catalog and ensure everyone leaves happy, even if he doesn't play that one song they really wanted to hear.

Have been listening to Prove It All Night '78 on YouTube a lot since Saturday. Spine tingling!

[T Fearon]

Looks like an 8 year old kid trumped the lot of you, when the multimillionaire, in another stunt, pulled her up on stage on Saturday night, to sing a few lines. Bet you were all saying, as you queued up for a pint, it should have been me!

If precedent is anything to go by, this kid will get a starring role in a cult US comedy tv series!

[Sandino]

Looks like an 8 year old kid trumped the lot of you, when the multimillionaire, in another stunt, pulled her up on stage on Saturday night, to sing a few lines. Bet you were all saying, as you queued up for a pint, it should have been me!

If precedent is anything to go by, this kid will get a starring role in a cult US comedy tv series!

Tony is there not some soccer thread that you should be sharing your knowledge on?

Hardstation thanks for the parking advice, I parked on Stockmans Lane, great for a quick get away.

Nebraska was the high point for me, a great night. A mighty show!

[fearglasmor]

I paid €35 to see the Leinster Final lasting 70mins + say 5  =  €0.47/min

I paid €90 to see Bruce and the band lasting about 220 mins  =  €0.41/min

Bruce is better value for money.

And don't mention the minor match because Bruce doesn't have support acts that I have no interest in.
Except this weekend of course but I am looking forward to seeing Damien Dempsey and Imelda May,  could live without Glen "I can Shout loud" Hansard.

[deiseach]

I paid €35 to see the Leinster Final lasting 70mins + say 5  =  €0.47/min

I paid €90 to see Bruce and the band lasting about 220 mins  =  €0.41/min

I paid €0 to see Tramore and Bonmahon knock lumps out of each other for three minutes before the ref abandoned the game = €0.00/min. Dublin, Meath and The Boss can swivel on it!

[fearglasmor]

What delusional saddo went to Nowlan Park on Sunday, got right up to the front and among all the imaginative requests for rare and obscure songs for the band to play they held up a sign reading "Roscommon for Sam 2014"
F.F.S.

My favourite was the guy wearing a suit and tie made from material printed completely  with TV test cards. Pity he didn't get his song played. Deserved it for wearing that for the day.

[Declan]

Saw the Mayo4Sam sign on Saturday as well. Same bunch of lads caused havoc on our campsite on Friday night - I hope the curse of 51 lasts for another 50 years

Anyway I really enjoyed sat show. 3 support acts were excellent. You don't have to really like their stuff to appreciate the joy and effort each of them put in. Nice duet of the Auld Triangle as well by Damo and Hansard.
I thought Bruce was in good form on Sat though some of the more obsessive fans around me were so disappointed that they left when he announced he was going to play the whole BITUSA album - probably to queue for Sunday show though.
Anyway rockin entertainment,  Kitzch , messing, beautiful renditions of the river and thunder road and a spectacular duet with Hansard meant this lad went home happy and the young fella got to touch the hand as he walked by so all in all a great weekend.

[fearglasmor]

Wouldn't be in the same league as the fans that travel all over to his shows but had been to Munich where he played BITUSA as well. Still wouldn't piss me off enough to leave. There was lots more when that was done.

Don't like Glen Hansard, cant understand why he has to end up shouting in everything he sings, especially when he doesn't need to. But he did an excellent job on the duet.

Imelda May is a class act. While Glen Hansard was slipping in and out between Dublin and American accents there was no doubting where Imeldas from. Even when she said thank you to the crowd it sounded a little bit inner city threating. Like she should have followed it up with an "alright"
And Delorentos were surprisingly good too.

Two great days.

[Declan]

I was kinda raging I missed Sunday alright but had a good days entertainment in Semple anyway. Yeah Hansard surprised me on the duet
http://youtu.be/dElsEEk1k7g.
Re the accent thing
I loved Damo's deadly audience comments as well

[T Fearon]

I suppose Bruce is already home in his New Jersey ranch, counting the millions and forgetting all about the oppressed and downtrodden until the next new album/tour?

[Shamrock Shore]

Bit harsh Tony. Shur, you could say that about any touring acts.

Bon Jovi in Slane "HELLO DUBLIN" 

No - I wasn't there.

[fearglasmor]

I suppose Bruce is already home in his New Jersey ranch, counting the millions and forgetting all about the oppressed and downtrodden until the next new album/tour?

You should have come along for the opening song both nights and then left before you got offended by the hypocrisy. Or maybe you might have enjoyed it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ6SAryPyQk

[T Fearon]

SS, I agree. But the other multi millionaire artists dont feign concern or compassion for the oppressed.