Springsteen weekend number four this year took us to Liverpool. Oliver flew in from Germany, I came from Gothenburg, and we met up in Manchester late on Friday night. So late, in fact, that by the time the bus dropped us off in Liverpool, it was already 1:30 am Saturday morning.
Apart from the concert, which we were finally going to see TOGETHER again, I had hoped to squeeze in a bit of Beatles sightseeing. The Beatles Story museum and the Cavern Club were on the list, either before the show or on Sunday, depending on the weather and how much energy we had left.
In the end, we went for a stroll along the Waterfront in light rain on Saturday. No surprise, the museum was fully booked, so we kept walking and ended up at the Fab Four statue instead. There was a long line of people waiting to take selfies, so we just snapped a few quick pics and wandered around a bit more before heading back to the hotel to rest. On Sunday on our way to the train station we passed the Cavern Club for some obligatory photos.
It’s amazing what people come up with to make money off whatever a city is known for. In Liverpool, it’s a lot about the Beatles. The souvenir shops had everything from mugs, magnets and puzzles to a Beatles bathrobe (!) in bright blue and yellow (the tag said Yellow Submarine). In a candy shop, we even spotted a “painting” of the Fab Four made out of 15,000 jelly beans. You really can’t make this stuff up.
The start of the concert was a bit different this time. After welcoming us to the Land of Hope and Dreams tour, and giving the speech that comes with it, they kicked off with Ghosts. It was the first time a show has started with that song, which made the opening feel fresh even for those of us who’ve seen a few gigs already this year. Unfortunately, there were some technical issues during the song. Bruce’s voice faded out twice, but it was just during that first song and things were back to normal right after.
Later in the show, someone up front traded an airplane-sized bottle of whiskey for a harmonica. Bruce took the deal, opened the bottle, and tipped it back like a pro. It seemed to hold more than you’d expect and judging by the look on his face, it had a bit of a kick 😅.
It’s almost a cliché that Paul McCartney showed up to play a few songs. The rumours had been flying, and in the end, they turned out to be true. For the first two encores, ”Macca” joined Bruce and the E Street Band on stage for Can’t Buy Me Love and Kansas City (which I later learned was also covered by the Beatles). I didn’t even recognise the second song at the time, but it was great fun to see him up there.
“Thank you, scousers,” he said after the songs, using the local slang word for a person from Liverpool. And Bruce? He seemed genuinely happy and was almost beaming: “Oh my God! You don’t know… to be in Liverpool and play with a Beatle. That’s one of my dreams come true, right there.”, he exclaimed. Of course the audience was enthusiastic too and why not, there was a Beatle (a local hero) on stage.
It was really fun in the back of the pit, lots of dancing, happy faces, and that shared energy you always hope for at a show and, best of all, I had Oliver by my side again. The people in the stands were on their feet almost the whole time.
Compared to the first night in Manchester, this show felt different. Manchester was more intense and angrier. Liverpool was joyful but without losing the edge in the political songs and speeches. The band was locked in from the start. Bruce looked and sounded full of energy and apart from the technical issues in the beginning the sound was really good.
Then McCartney came out, and Bruce lit up. From that moment on, the energy went through the roof, both on stage and in the crowd. The excitement stayed for the rest of the encore. The now familiar hit parade (with Glory Days replacing Bobby Jean) never seems to fail. But I have to admit I was surprised McCartney didn’t reappear for Twist and Shout at the end.
McCartney or not, it was a great night and a massive shift in energy and quality compared to that not-so-great show in Lille a few weeks ago.
This might have been one of the crispest concert I’ve ever been to, though. Luckily, I’d put on a shirt under my windproof rain jacket and I needed it. It didn’t rain, but the cold winds blowing through the stands at legendary Anfield were pretty nasty. Some of the band members wore jackets, and the keyboard players had fingerless gloves. Bass player Gary W. Tallent had so many layers on, including a Liverpool FC scarf (?), that he was barely recognisable.
After the show we made our way to the pick-up point for the bus back to the city centre. Just like in Manchester, the transport was really well organised. A short walk from the arena, they had lined up buses, and there was a constant flow of new ones arriving. We didn’t have to wait long at all.
Sometimes colleagues and people at home wonder how we can go to so many shows. Don’t we get bored? What they don’t get is that these trips and shows aren’t just about the music. They’re about travelling, friendship, connection, and being part of something that goes way beyond one night in one stadium.
In the pit, we ran into friends we hadn’t seen since last year and a couple we hadn’t seen in two years. It was also very touching that some people come up to say they’ve read my blog. That actually happened a few times during this trip. It’s lovely to know these posts reach fellow fans and that people actually read them.
Now it’s time for a short break to finish off the school year at work (sadly, I’ll miss Berlin and Prague). But the tour continues, and my next show will be in Frankfurt on Wednesday, June 18th. After that, I’ll be there for every show on the rest of this leg: San Sebastián (twice!), Gelsenkirchen, and Milan (twice!).
Can’t wait to keep going and keep meeting more of you along the way.
Setlist:
1. Ghosts
2. Land Of Hope And Dreams
3. Death To My Hometown
4. Seeds
5. Lonesome Day
6. Rainmaker
7. Darkness On The Edge Of Town
8. The Promised Land
9. Hungry Heart
10. My Hometown
11. The River
12. Youngstown
13. Murder Incorporated
14. Long Walk Home
15. House Of 1000 Guitars
16. My City Of Ruins
17. Because The Night
18. Wrecking Ball
19. The Rising
20. Badlands
21. Thunder Road
22. Can’t Buy Me Love with Paul McCartney
23. Kansas City with Paul McCartney
24. Born In The USA
25. Born To Run
26. Glory Days
27. Dancing In The Dark
28. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
29. Twist And Shout
30. Chimes Of Freedom
Stray Bullet 
Leave a comment