Jun 27 -- Hard Rock Calling Day 1 Review

Jun 27 - Saturday: Reached Hyde Park at 12:30pm. I was surprised how short the lines were at the entrance gate. The place inside was friggin' huge. Many food and merchandise tents lined up at the sides of the premise, including a makeshift Hard Rock Cafe. Didn't waste any time exploring the place though; I didn't even bother going to the 2nd stage all the way at the extreme end. After buying merchandise, we headed straight for the main stage. I reckon we got a pretty good spot initially, about 100m from the stage, just in front of the soundboard/equipment tent.

The afternoon started out very hot and it got pretty bad at times. But I couldn't seek shade as I'd immediately lose my spot. After sitting through the first two (unknown) bands, The Pretenders finally came up, and put on a great, fast-paced 45min set, heavy with their new stuff and familiar hits. Man, Chrissie Hynde looked old, but she still had that rock & roll swagger and attitude, and she really kicked ass :) What a great start to a long day ahead.

Then came Seasick Steve. This was the first time I heard his music and I was fucking blown away. Very old Mississippi dirty sounding blues, and also similar to the White Stripes--just drums and guitar. Steve looked and sounded great, and he was playing all sorts of interesting guitars; 1 string, 2 strings, 3 strings, 4 strings. He did a pretty hilarious set, cursing in between songs, whipping a bottle of Jack Daniels, throwing his guitar on the floor. I didn't know any of the tunes, but I really enjoyed myself on this one.

Ben Harper and Relentless7 were a great bunch of musicians. They played stuff from their only album, and also a wicked cover of Led Zeppelin's Good Times Bad Times. I think that was the only song the crowd knew. It's a pity the band didn't get a good response from the audience. A lotta people were still sitting down.

By the time Fleet Foxes came onstage, it started to rain. This really sucked because I couldn't really enjoy their 1hr set. But those guys (who looked like hobos) had beautiful voices and got a pretty good reception from the crowd. If you ask me, I wish they shouldn't have played right before Neil Young; The Pretenders would've been a more appropiate choice. Their sorta music didn't seem to work in a large, outdoor festival setting. But in a strange way, Robin Pecknold seemed to hypnotize most of us when he performed solo on some songs.

Finally came the moment we've all been waiting for. While the equipment was still being set up, many people started moving forward, trying to get closer to the front. I actually had to tip-toe in order to see the stage clearly--too many tall people blocking my sight :( Neil and the band came on time, and ripped through Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black). This was probably the best rock & roll show I've seen since the Stones. Neil Young, already over 60 years old, was really putting his heart and soul into the show, and I got goosebumps every time he played a solo. Thanks to the fuckers who kept on walking around with the beer, I got 'pushed' away from my original spot, right smack dub in front of Neil Young! For over an hour, I got a good view of him, without having to tip-toe and look at the high-definition screens often. Too bad he didn't play Cortez The Killer; but he played many of his hits. The crowd ate it up, especially during Old Man (the banjo part before the chorus was really cool) and Heart Of Gold. My personal favorites were Words, Fuckin' Up and Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.

Down By The River and Rockin' In The Free World seemed to go on forever. After the main set, the crowd was really fired up. I was glad they played A Day In The Life during the encore, but I wasn't prepared for what was to come. Paul McCartney ran out onstage during the bridge and dueted with Neil!! It was one of those WTF moments, and it took a while to register before the crowd went absolutely apeshit. I was so overwhelmed with joy that I actually began to weep! It was an incredible moment. Neil's face was just glowing all the time and Sir Paul looked like he was in awe, especially when he did that rising guitar feedback towards the end of the song.

I really thought they were gonna play another Beatles song, but that didn't happen. Still, I thought that moment alone was worth the price of admission. But what a way for Neil Young to end his final show of the tour!

Here's the setlist:

1. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)
2. Mansion On The Hill
3. Are You Ready For The Country?
4. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
5. Spirit Road
6. Words
7. Cinnamon Girl
8. Fuckin' Up
9. Mother Earth
10. The Needle And The Damage Done
11. Comes A Time
12. Unknown Legend
13. Heart Of Gold
14. Old Man
15. Down By The River
16. Get Behind The Wheel
17. Rockin' In The Free World

18. A Day In The Life

Jun 28 -- Hyde Park, London, England, Hard Rock Calling

The greatest three hours of my life. Review coming up soon...

1. London Calling
2. Badlands
3. Night
4. She's The One
5. Outlaw Pete
6. Out In The Street
7. Working On A Dream
8. Seeds
9. Johnny 99
10. Youngstown
11. Good Lovin'
12. Bobby Jean (sign request)
13. Trapped (sign request)
14. No Surrender (feat. Brian Fallon)
15. Waitin' On A Sunny Day
16. The Promised Land
17. Racing In The Street (sign request)
18. Radio Nowhere
19. Lonesome Day
20. The Rising
21. Born To Run
22. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
23. Hard Times
24. Jungleland (sign request)
25. American Land
26. Glory Days
27. Dancing In The Dark

Jun 27 -- Glastonbury, England, Glastonbury Festival

1. COMA GIRL (tribute to Joe Strummer)
2. Badlands
3. Prove It All Night
4. My Lucky Day
5. Outlaw Pete
6. Out In The Street
7. Working On A Dream
8. Seeds
9. Johnny 99
10. The Ghost Of Tom Joad
11. Raise Your Hand
12. Because The Night
13. No Surrender (feat. Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem)
14. Waitin' On A Sunny Day
15. The Promised Land
16. The River
17. Radio Nowhere
18. Lonesome Day
19. The Rising
20. Born To Run

21. Hard Times
22. Thunder Road
23. Land Of Hope And Dreams
24. American Land
25. Glory Days
26. Dancing In The Dark

I did manage to catch a bit from the BBC broadcast in London (after coming back from Neil Young). During The River, Bruce had fucking steam rising out from his body!!

Yet another Hyde Park preview

A very warm greeting from London!! It's been a great four days so far in this beautiful city. Bought a shitload of records, including almost every Springsteen album -- Japanese import. I'm still missing The River, but I got the rest at 5 pds each :) It's a really great bargain! I also got the 'UK only' release of the greatest hits. It's a cheap way to cash in on the (so-called) UK shows, but I couldn't resist the cover art of the E Street Band, and besides, you can't get this compilation anywhere else.

The Hard Rock Calling website has finally released the performance timings, and guess what? Bruce and the boys are playing from 7pm to 10:15pm!!! That's more than three fucking hours!! Despite this being a 'festival type' show, this will still be a Springsteen show, complete with the hits and rarities. I'm so fucking psyched!!!

The only downside is that the other opening bands are given lesser time for their sets. DMB is only playing for over an hour, which kinda sucks. But thank God I'm seeing them on Friday night, so that's comforting.

Cheers again from London!

30 Reasons why you should see Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

I'm trying to be as realistic as possible here, so this is my dream setlist for the Hyde Park show next Sunday.

1. Night
2. Badlands
3. My Lucky Day
4. She's The One
5. Outlaw Pete
6. Out In The Street
7. Working On A Dream
8. Seeds
9. Johnny 99
10. The Ghost Of Tom Joad
11. Raise Your Hand
12. Backstreets (hopefully with my sign request!!)
13. Racing In The Street
14. 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
15. Waitin' On A Sunny Day
16. The Promised Land
17. Kingdom Of Days
18. Radio Nowhere
19. Lonesome Day
20. The Rising
21. Born To Run

22. Hard Times
23. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
24. Jungleland
25. Thunder Road
26. Land Of Hope And Dreams
27. American Land
28. London Calling
29. Bobby Jean
30. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

Looks like Sunday isn't fully sold out yet; there are still a very limited number of tickets available.

Summertime Bruce!!

So I'll be finally flying off to London this weekend. This trip wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for Bruce Springsteen. I'm just thankful I managed to get the Hyde Park tickets early, instead of holding out and waiting for the UK stadium dates, which never happened! Unlike the previous European summer tour, it seems like the UK fans aren't treated that well this time round. Besides the two festival dates, there's the single Glasgow show in July. On the other hand, Spain gets five shows before the band heads back to the States. But whatever it is, I'm so glad I'll finally get to see my heroes in concert, a moment I've been waiting for 7 years :)

I'll do whatever it takes to get to the front of the stage, even if it means queuing up early and sacrificing the beer, and staying in the same spot for ten hours straight! Besides, I'm really looking forward to the supporting acts (with the exception of James Morrison....zzzzz), especially The Gaslight Anthem. Actually, if it wasn't for Bruce's influence, I probably wouldn't have heard of the band, also from New Jersey. But these guys are a class act. They make great punk rock, with really cool guitar riffs, reminiscent of The Cure. Brian Fallon sings about what Springsteen used to sing about from 1973-1975; girls, boys, cars, the endless summer nights, the carnivals, the boardwalks, the promises, the broken heroes........Get their latest record, The '59 Sound NOW!!!

And then we come to the Dave Matthews Band. One of my favorite bands ever, I've been dying to see these guys live for a long time. I'll be seeing 'em at O2 Academy at Brixton on Friday night (26 Jun) first, and then again on Sunday, before the E Street Band. These guys are fucking incredible musicians, and are really a force of nature on stage. They mix up their setlists so much that you don't really know what to expect. So there's a high chance the Friday show will be very much different from the Sunday show (probably more focused on the hits). It's just a pity that Leroi Moore, the saxaphonist, isn't around anymore. Even then, he still could be heard all over their new record, Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King, which I dare say, is their best work yet! Anyway, Tim Renoylds, a very underrated guitar maestro, will also be touring with DMB, so I couldn't be more psyched for the shows :D

But that's not all -- I'll also be attending the Saturday show at Hard Rock Calling, headlined by Neil Young. I'm just a casual fan and I only know some of his more well known stuff, but this is a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to catch him; besides, next Saturday will be his last show on the current tour, so we're in for a treat! Not only that, The Pretenders, Ben Harper & Relentless7 and Fleet Foxes will all be playing, so at least it'll be a fun filled weekend.

Cheers!

Jun 14 -- Manchester, TN, Bonnaroo Festival

THIS JUST IN -- Just when you thought Bonnaroo was over for Bruce Springsteen, think again. He just went onstage less than half an hour ago to jam with Phish; the 'jam band' version of Mustang Sally (by Wilson Pickett), Bobby Jean, and Glory Days!!! How fucking cool is that? I was lucky enough to catch the last 2min of Glory Days on the stream. I could hardly see anything, but I could clearly hear Trey Anastasio's mindblowing guitar solo. I would gladly pay 10 bucks just for the soundboard version of that show :)

Jun 13 -- Manchester, TN, Bonnaroo Festival

A relatively 'safe' setlist packed with fan favorites, but Bruce manages to win the crowd over and hopefully converted thousands of people. Some fucking BTX'ers who weren't even there had the audacity to say that this was one of the worst shows ever. Probably the weirdest request ever: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town!! Next up -- Glastonbury on Saturday (27th) and Hard Rock Calling on Sunday. This is gonna be one hell of a summer!!

1. Badlands (with Max)
2. No Surrender
3. My Lucky Day
4. Outlaw Pete
5. Out In The Street
6. Working On A Dream
7. Seeds
8. Johnny 99
9. Youngstown
10. Raise Your Hand
11. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (sign request)
12. Growin' Up (sign request)
13. Thunder Road (sign request)
14. Waitin' On A Sunny Day
15. The Promised Land
16. The River
17. Kingdom Of Days
18. Radio Nowhere (Jay takes over from here)
19. Lonesome Day
20. The Rising
21. Born To Run

22. Hard Times
23. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
24. Land Of Hope And Dreams
25. American Land
26. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
27. Glory Days
28. Dancing In The Dark

A LOOK BACK: Aug 23, 2008 -- St. Louis, MO

This could possibly be the best show that Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band has ever done so far, or at least the best one since the last night of the Reunion Tour. It's available on bootleg now. Do yourself a favor and get it now.

1. Then She Kissed Me
2. Radio Nowhere
3. Out In The Street
4. Adam Raised A Cain
5. Spirit In The Night
6. Rendezvous
7. For You
8. Mountain Of Love
9. Backstreets
10. Gypsy Biker
11. Because The Night
12. She's The One
13. Livin' In The Future
14. Cover Me
15. Mary's Place
16. Drive All Night
17. The Rising
18 Last To Die
19. Long Walk Home
20. Badlands

21. Girls In Their Summer Clothes
22. Jungleland
23. Detroit Medley
24. Born To Run
25. Dancing In The Dark
26. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
27. American Land
28. Thunder Road
29. Little Queenie
30. Twist And Shout

Festival Circuit Preview

After a few fantastic nights with the always enthusiastic Scandinavian crowds, Bruce and the boys return to the States for the Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, TN. They will be headlining this Saturday night, given a 3.5 hr slot, sandwiched in between Wilco and Nine Inch Nails (two really awesome bands that I dig).

As we all know, Bonnaroo has evolved dramatically over the past few years. What started out as a 'jam band' festival now has hundreds of artists from all across the musical spectrum performing there, from indie rock to jazz to world music to hip-hop to folk/country to heavy metal etc.

Chances are most of these festival-goers aren't there for the Boss, and chances are many of them won't be familiar with his music. So this raises a few questions: Will Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band be able to pull it off? Will Max return? Will they change their setlists dramatically? Will there be sign requests (I won't be surprised if there aren't)? If they do succeed (and I think they will), this will definitely be a milestone in the band's career.

Next up is Glastonbury on Jun 27. This one sold out long before most of the acts were officially announced, and at that time, Bruce playing Glastonbury was just a rumor. But unlike Bonnaroo, expect to see more Springsteen fans there. The band's headlining performance will also be broadcast live on BBC, but it's a shame I won't be able to catch it, as I'll be attending Day 2 of Hard Rock Calling :( I can't afford to miss out on seeing Neil Young; if not, I'll probably never forgive myself!

And then of course, we have the last day of Hard Rock Calling, with Bruce headlining yet again -- and the day I've been waiting for. The 45,000 tickets sold out in an hour when they first went on sale back in February. So I'm pretty damn sure that at least 90% of the audience will be there for Bruce, and not Dave Matthews Band! I'll be flying off to London next weekend, but I'll still be providing updates of the festival setlists, so stay tuned...

Jun 10 -- Koengen, Bergen, Norway

1. Prove It All Night
2. Badlands
3. My Lucky Day
4. Outlaw Pete
5. Spirit In The Night
6. Working On A Dream
7. Seeds
8. Johnny 99
9. The Ghost Of Tom Joad
10. Raise Your Hand
11. BOOM BOOM!! (sign request)
12. Cover Me (sign request)
13. TWO HEARTS
14. Thunder Road
15. Waitin' On A Sunny Day
16. The Promised Land
17. The River
18. Lonesome Day
19. The Rising
20. Born To Run

21. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
22. Land Of Hope And Dreams
23. American Land
24. Dancing In The Dark
25. Twist And Shout

Jun 9 -- Koengen, Bergen, Norway

1. Badlands
2. No Surrender
3. My Lucky Day
4. Out In The Street
5. Outlaw Pete
6. She's The One
7. Working On A Dream
8. Seeds
9. Johnny 99
10. Youngstown
11. Hungry Heart (sign request)
12. BACK IN YOUR ARMS (sign request)
13. Because The Night (sign request)
14. Darlington County
15. Cadillac Ranch
16. Waitin' On A Sunny Day
17. The Promised Land
18. The River (sign request)
19. Radio Nowhere
20. Lonesome Day
21. The Rising
22. Born To Run

23. Hard Times
24. Bobby Jean
25. Land Of Hope And Dreams
26. American Land
27. Glory Days
28. Dancing In The Dark

Jun 7 -- Stockholm Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden

The third and final night in Sweden. They always get the best setlists!

1. No Surrender
2. Badlands
3. Night
4. My Lucky Day
5. Outlaw Pete
6. Spirit In The Night
7. Working On A Dream
8. Seeds
9. Johnny 99
10. THE RIVER
11. Mony Mony (sign request)
12. Trapped (sign request)
13. FADE AWAY!!! (sign request) -- first time played in 28 years
14. SURPRISE, SURPRISE (sign request)
15. Waitin' On A Sunny Day
16. The Promised Land
17. Working On The Highway
18. Radio Nowhere
19. Lonesome Day
20. The Rising
21. Born To Run

22. Thunder Road
23. Jungleland (sign request)
24. Land Of Hope And Dreams
25. American Land
26. Ramrod
27. Dancing In The Dark
28. Twist And Shout

Jun 5 -- Stockholm Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden

1. Downbound Train
2. Badlands
3. My Lucky Day
4. Candy's Room
5. Outlaw Pete
6. Darlington County
7. Working On A Dream
8. Seeds
9. Johnny 99
10. Youngstown
11. Good Lovin'
12. Hungry Heart
13. Growin' Up
14. Thunder Road
15. QUEEN OF THE SUPERMARKET (!)
16. Waitin' On A Sunny Day
17. The Promised Land
18. LOST IN THE FLOOD (!!)
19. Radio Nowhere
20. Lonesome Day
21. The Rising
22. Born To Run

23. Hard Times
24. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
25. Land Of Hope And Dreams
26. American Land
27. Glory Days
28. Detroit Medley
29. Dancing In The Dark

Jun 4 -- Stockholm Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden

1. WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN
2. Badlands
3. My Lucky Day (finally back!)
4. Prove It All Night
5. Outlaw Pete
6. Out In The Street
7. Working On A Dream
8. Seeds
9. Johnny 99
10. The Ghost Of Tom Joad
11. Raise Your Hand
12. I'm Goin' Down (sign request)
13. Cadillac Ranch (sign request)
14. Because The Night (sign request)
15. Wild Thing (sign request)
16. Waitin' On A Sunny Day
17. The Promised Land
18. The Wrestler
19. Kingdom Of Days
20. Lonesome Day
21. The Rising
22. Born To Run

23. Hard Times
24. Bobby Jean
25. Land Of Hope And Dreams
26. American Land
27. Glory Days
28. Twist And Shout
29. Dancing In The Dark

Jun 2 -- Ratinan Stadion, Tampere, Finland

1. Badlands
2. Radio Nowhere
3. Prove It All Night
4. Outlaw Pete
5. Out In The Street
6. Hungry Heart
7. Working On A Dream
8. Seeds
9. Johnny 99
10. The Ghost Of Tom Joad
11. Raise Your Hand
12. Cover Me
13. Because The Night
14. Thunder Road
15. Waitin' On A Sunny Day
16. The Promised Land
17. THE DARK END OF THE STREET
18. Kingdom Of Days
19. Lonesome Day
20. The Rising
21. Born To Run

22. Hard Times
23. Bobby Jean
24. Land Of Hope And Dreams
25. American Land
26. Glory Days
27. SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN
28. Dancing In The Dark