The Boss @ Hampden
Bruce Springsteen
Hampden Park, Glasgow, Tues 18th June 2013
“I need to go home. I’m fucking 63 years old!”.
Thus said Bruce Springsteen after a glorious 3 and a quarter hours at Hampden on Tuesday 18th June 2013.
The Scottish crowd laughed but flatly denied his plea. Instead they bayed for more and of course, The Boss and his E Street band duly delivered; not just one, but 2 encores including end of show staples such as Twist and Shout and Shout to complete a memorable concert on a warm pleasant evening on Glasgow’s (pronounced as Glas-gow – as in cow – by Bruce until someone had put him right mid way through the show) Southside.
This tour is in line with his latest recording, Wrecking Ball: a grand rage against rampant Capitalism and the destruction left in its wake. Springsteen’s loud cry out against Bankers and Big Business inhumanity also conveys a celebration of humanity and community, both of which have always been to the fore in his recordings. The album was covered here via the playing of opener “We Take Care of Our Own”, ”Wrecking Ball”, “Shackled and Drawn”, a brilliant “Land of Hope and Dreams” as well as the stand out performance of “Death to my Hometown”.
The show kicked off with New Jersey’s favourite son and his band playing “We Take Care of Our Own” on a stage with the Stars and Stripes and the Saltire above it, which seemed apt for a song with the lyrics “Wherever this flag is flown..we take care of our own”. Most fans of course are there for the classics and The Boss didn’t disappoint with Born To Run, Thunder Road, Atlantic City, Murder Incorporated, Badlands and Dancing in the Dark all hitting the mark and allowing even the non-fan to sing and dance along to such well known tracks.
Diehards of course would never be ignored at a Springsteen gig and as customary, the singer was often down off-stage taking many a request from the audience, many of which had actually been camping for days outside the venue just to get a place in the coveted Pit area. From cardboard cues, Springsteen commanded his band to play standards such as Rosalita, Hard to be a Saint in the City, Radio Nowhere, a marvellous rendition of “I’m on Fire” and a very touching “Tougher Than the Rest” dedicated to an audience members deceased father.
There were a few surprises, is Darlington County from Born in the USA on anyone’s Springsteen playlist? And the sight of a musician playing the cowbell with his arse even had Bruce laughing and exclaiming “They like to surprise me”. Sadly there was no Working On a Dream or Outlaw Pete, but that’s just personal nitpicking when such an accomplished band are offering 30 songs to you.
At 63, Springsteen shows no sign of slowing down (he even recently managed a 4 hour show in Helsinki) and clearly still loves playing live in front of fans who adore him. His recordings are still quality and there is no evidence of a man and a band just going through the motions unlike many of his contemporaries. It’s true that he may need to soak his neck and shoulder in water a few times during a show but given the energy and high quality he offers, its amazing he isn’t jumping into an ice-bath every 20 minutes.
Sound wise, Hampden may not be the best with occasion reverb and a slight sync delay between sound and video screen at the start but that seemed to sort itself out soon enough, either that or the sheer quality of the performance on stage soon made you oblivious to any slight issues. Access to the bar and toilet areas were easy and with the older audience, such matters are always worth mentioning!
By 10:50pm, Bruce and the band had given their all and the audience had showered them in love and appreciation. With a final acoustic version of “Thunder Road”, The Boss said his goodbyes and everyone left with a massive smile on their face, even in these dark economic days. Bruce Springsteen, truly a man of hope and dreams.
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/bruce-springsteen/2013/hampden-park-glasgow-scotland-53d9c3dd.html
Review by Paul Healy
Croy Music Miscellany 