Next to the Strawberry Arena (formerly known as Friends Arena) there’s a big mall, “The Mall of Scandinavia”. Oliver, who had arrived the evening before, and I were having a meal and a couple of beers in a pub there before the concert. Someone had done a really good job creating the setlist that was played in the pub. We got to hear all sorts of amazing Springsteen songs. It was a mix of outtakes, rare renditions and covers, like for example It’s Hard To Be A Saint in the City, Local Hero and Drift Away. We had such a good time, we almost decided to stay 😅. However, when the concert later took off with a dive headfirst into a ferocious rendition of Seeds followed by the staple starters My Love Will Not Let You Down and No Surrender, I had no regrets going.
Bruce doesn’t talk much before, between and after the songs anymore. His speech before Last Man Standing is so well-rehearsed it feels like he’s on autopilot and, to me, the words lose the meaning a little bit. When the song Long Walk Home was introduced as “a prayer for my country” on Monday’s show it got attention and people connected it to the recent events in the American political world (i.e. the assassination attempt of Donald Trump). The day after the show it was even mentioned in media abroad. This is a short article by Chris Jordan from The Asbury Park Press. Guess who is quoted in that article? On Thursday’s show Long Walk Home was introduced in the same way and played as the third song of a fantastic sequence together with Atlantic City and Youngstown.
Everything doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, small errors and some spontaneity make the shows unique and memorable. This show had some of that. For example during Waiting On a Sunny Day, where Bruce seemed to forget some of the lyrics or mess up the arrangement of the song, which was pointed out by Stevie. In the end they just laughed, Bruce said “fuck it” and threw away his guitar before walking down to the lower platform. By the way, you know I don’t normally like when a child is picked to sing along, but this time a cute boy was brought up on stage and he did a really good job. Later I read in an article that the guy (Daniël Bergsma, 10, from the Netherlands) isn’t a rookie at all. He sang Waiting on a Sunny Day already in Nijmegen this year, and again the other day in Bergen. I guess we could call him a veteran now or maybe he’s a new fixed part of the show.
Another thing that stuck out in this show as surprising, and hence memorable, was when Bruce started playing a couple of notes of Wrecking Ball before saying “Let’s try something else” and switched to I’m on Fire instead.
It was another really good show. I was glad to hear I’m on Fire and Atlantic City. The highlight of the show, for me, was Racing in the Street, as beautiful as ever. I love it when Bruce, after singing the last words, hands over to pianist Roy Bittan, who brillantly spreads his fingers over the keys in the extended coda. It sends shivers down my spine.
What about the audience? In our spot in the back of the pit it was a great atmosphere. People were singing, dancing and fistpumping. However, it was disappointing to see that it took a very long time for the seated audience to get on its feet. Live music is about communication and energy, and it is so much better if the audience is interacting with the band or artist on stage. As audience I think it’s your bloody duty to contribute. And no, age is not an argument. Just look at the people on stage!
Next show: London 2
Setlist:
1. Seeds
2. My Love Will Not Let You Down
3. No Surrender
4. Ghosts
5. Letter To You
6. The Promised Land
7. Hungry Heart
8. Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
9. Atlantic City
10. Youngstown
11. Long Walk Home
12. E Street Shuffle
13. Nightshift
14. Racing In The Street
15. The River
16. Last Man Standing
17. Backstreets
18. Because The Night
19. She’s The One
20. I’m On Fire (started WB then changed his mind)
21. Wrecking Ball
22. The Rising
23. Badlands
24. Thunder Road
25. Born In The USA
26. Born To Run
27. Glory Days
28. Dancing In The Dark
29. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
30. Twist and Shout
31. I’ll See You In My Dreams
Stray Bullet 
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