Springsteen at Villa park

[bobinho]

Went last nite for what has to be the greatest live band show on the planet. The E street band never disappoint, their musicianship is top drawer.

Villa park is some stadium btw, always liked it.

[equinox]

I love Tiny Dancer, probably my favourite.

[TheOriginalLongsider]

I’m off to Sweden next week. Got tickets for Gothenburg

[Claret Till I Die]

Monza in July for me. Last leg of the European tour...

[Tricky Trevor]

Dublin on May 9th. As the OP says he never lets you down. The addition of the horn section and backing singers from 2013 on the Wrecking Ball tour have taken it up another level.

[tarkys_ears]

Is Silvio Dante still playing with them?

[bobinho]

He is, and doing a fine job of it for a guy who wasn’t expecting to recover.

[Tricky Trevor]

Is Silvio Dante still playing with them?

Your man. Recent gig.

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[expoultryboy]

I was there last night and the gig was brilliant . The down sides were £8.50 a pint and £3.95 for a bottle of water . Plus over an hour to get on the M6 .

[the_magic_rat]

Was there last night. Set off from home at 1.45 and finally, with diversions for motorway hold-ups, rush-hour traffic and complete gridlock in the local area reached my pre-booked parking space at 6.50. I took my seat in the upper tier of the Holte End midway through the first song, and then only because Bruce and the ESB were 15 minutes late coming on.

I thought the sound was a bit muddy but that could have been down to the acoustics or where I was sitting. As for the show, I 've seen them more than a few times and ,for me, it was one of the best shows I've seen. For a bunch of blokes many of whom are already in their seventies, they continue to astound me.

Have been to Villa Park before but only last night really appreciated what a fine, old school stadium it is

[TheOriginalLongsider]

Does he still do the pre-show as people are just coming into the gig. Always funny to see faces realise Bruce is already on stage

[Quicknick]

I was there last night and the gig was brilliant . The down sides were £8.50 a pint and £3.95 for a bottle of water . Plus over an hour to get on the M6 .

Those drinks prices are disgusting.

[Quicknick]

Yes at Stoke City in 1975, supported by three other bands - one of them being SAHB. I think it cost either 3.50 or 5.50. 5.50 would have felt like a lot. And a current mega-band, as well, to coin a non-'70s term, not one from the past.

[Trampslike]

I also thought the sound, from the Holte End upper, wasn't great. It was much better at Download last week. I wouldn't put the show anywhere near my top 10 Springsteen shows. The setlist, for the middle part of the show, was disappointing. Having said all that, seeing Thunder Road and Born to Run is always is always up there with the best time of your life!

[Belial]

Agree the middle part was a bit slow, but for the first time I have seen him/them it was really good overall. We were on the pitch and the sound was fine.

Spoilt a bit by the really poor bar service (must have missed 4 or 5 songs waiting in long queues). Loved the stadium in general tho

[Sproggy]

So, apart from the gridlocked traffic on the way down, the poor sound quality, the disappointing set list, the extortionate drinks prices, the inefficient bar staff and the long queues to get back on the motorway at the end, it was pretty good?

[Nori1958]

It's Bruce.......of course it will have been good

[Trampslike]

Agreed! Any criticism I have should be seen in the context of the 40ish Bruce concerts I've seen are the 40 best concerts I've ever seen.

[expoultryboy]

Why was there a Mexican flag on the roof between the Ukrainian and premier league one ? Agree , the mid section was a bit slow .

[jmu1]

Was also in the Holte End. Arrived concerned that he maybe slightly past it but really enjoyed it. Felt more emotional than expected though given his music and words have been a companion from sixth form common room in 1975 to now semi retirement should not have been too surprised
Would definitely recommend

[midlander63]

I've had the privilege of seeing Bruce Springsteen twice:

May 1981 at Stafford, Bingley Hall and 1988 at Bramhall Lane - personally I think I caught him at his peak.

1981 at Stafford was brilliant - only on his 5th album and it was full of great songs - 'Darkness' is my favourite album of his and the gig started with 'Prove It all Night' which is a personal favourite of mine

I have to say that I don't really like 'Born in the USA' as an album - I prefer songs like Racing In The Street, Point Blank and Tougher Than The Rest - I like his slower numbers sometimes

By the way Fire is also a great song - The Pointer Sisters' version is brilliant too!

[bobinho]

He did “prove it all night” on Friday. Excellent.

Point blank is a cracker…. A few years ago at the etihad he did it back to back with the river and I have to say it absolutely choked me up, it was so powerful and emotional.

Agree with the comments regarding the sound on Friday, I put it down to the stadium acoustics tho….

[JohnMcGreal]

He is, and doing a fine job of it for a guy who wasn’t expecting to recover.

Just when he thought he was out......they pulled him back in.

[tarkys_ears]

Just when he thought he was out......they pulled him back in.

Is it true... Miiiiiichael!?

[TheOriginalLongsider]

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Something I’ve wanted to do for a while is see Bruce at Ullevi in Gothenburg. Just got back from the gig. Great atmosphere and good to hear some really old stuff in the mix

Set list:

1. "My Love Will Not Let You Down"
2. "Death to My Hometown"
3. "No Surrender"
4. "Ghosts"
5. "Prove It All Night"
6. "Letter To You"
7. "The Promised Land"
8. "Out in the Street"
9. "Kitty's Back"
10. "Nightshift"
11. "Mary's Place"
12. "RACING IN THE STREET"!!!!!!!!
13. "The River"
14. "Last Man Standing"
15. "Backstreets"
16. "Because the Night"
17. "She's the One"
18. "Wrecking Ball"
19. "The Rising"
20. "Badlands"
21. "Born in the U.S.A."
22. "Born to Run"
23. Bobby Jean"
24. "Glory Days"
25. "Dancing in the Dark"
26. "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"
27. "I'll See You in My Dreams"

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[Trampslike]

Wow!!! Racing back to back with the River. In my imaginary, all time setlist, he would then go into Meeting Across the River/Jungleland!

[TheOriginalLongsider]

I love those 2 songs as well. I saw him do the whole of Born to Run at Coventry. We did get 4 songs from it last night though. Racing in the Streets was special. There was almost silence in the crowd.

[Luppy]

Went last nite for what has to be the greatest live band show on the planet. The E street band never disappoint, their musicianship is top drawer.

Villa park is some stadium btw, always liked it.

I was there as well - my 18th Bruce gig - and probably the best set list I've ever seen him do. Simply superb.

[Claret Till I Die]

Just seen the Boss at Monza. 73 years young and still gave 2 hours 45 mins of his time entertaining 70k fans. Outstanding is the only word I can use to describe his performance.
What an entertainer..

[the_magic_rat]

Just seen the Boss at Monza. 73 years young and still gave 2 hours 45 mins of his time entertaining 70k fans. Outstanding is the only word I can use to describe his performance.
What an entertainer..

74 in less than two months CTID and he's rumoured to be coming back to Europe in 2024 to tour the follow-up to "Only The Strong Survive." Fingers-crossed!

[Tricky Trevor]

After hearing all year this was his final tour. Rumours out over here he’s coming back to Ireland in ‘24 and playing GAA stadiums. Cork being touted which saves me the trek to Dublin.

[Claret Till I Die]

74 in less than two months CTID and he's rumoured to be coming back to Europe in 2024 to tour the follow-up to "Only The Strong Survive." Fingers-crossed!

He said last night that he'd see Europe again next year