Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band – Wembley Stadium, London; July 27th, 2024
Two days after the first Springsteen show in London I was back at Wembley stadium for more, this time in a really good seat. It was another great show with a great setlist that was very different from the first one. I loved everything about it and in the end could not say which show I liked better.
I spent the afternoon at a theater and only went to the stadium after the play was over. Set on buying and event T-shirt I went from merch stand to merch stand, but it was sold out everywhere – money saved. Went and checked out my seat and it was a good one indeed. side stage with a great view. Got some food, refilled my water bottle and waited. My friends had FOS tickets so I did not see them this time. People around me arrived and were nice, but nobody seemed interested in chatting. Oh well.
I was excited to get another show and wondered what songs they would play. While they had been a little late on Thursday, Bruce and the band started a tad early this time around. “Good evening, London!” he greeted us and exclaimed “It’s Saturday night!” before, once again, starting the show with ‘Lonesome Day’. I really enjoyed being able to see the whole stage without having to stand on tiptoes. 😉
Those of us, who had not already been standing with the first song, jumped up for ‘Candy’s Room’ and a happy smile spread on my face – I was hoping they’d play that one. It was a great version too, with an awesome guitar solo from Bruce and I watched people jumping up and down in the pit. They continued right into ‘Adam raised a Cain’, another pleasant surprise and another song I had not heard in a while. I loved how powerful it was.
‘Death to my Hometown’ was next with Jake and Anthony on drums they carried around, while Nils was plying a banjo. It was a great sing-along. ‘The Promised Land’ and everyone was holding up signs or waving when Bruce came close. I did not spot who got the harmonica this time, but saw Bruce waving to a few people. ‘Hungry Heart’ followed and then a fun ‘Darlington County’. I was transported back in time to the 1999 tour where that song had been a regular one.
Then Bruce announced how special it was to have “the entire E Street Band with Mrs. Patti Scialfa” with him. She joined him and they treated us to a fantastic version if ‘Tougher than the Rest’. It is a song I have always loved, but seldom heard live so it made me especially happy. Watching them sing together, pretty much nose to nose, was lovely. At one point, just as Bruce started the harmonica solo, Patti’s shirt had gotten stuck, so she had to detangle it before taking a few steps away. He smiled and put the guitar on his back before walking back to her. When the song was over, they hugged and she left the stage again. I would have loved to hear more songs with her, but was happy with the one we got.
‘Darkness on the edge of Town’ followed and funnily enough I was singing along before the title of the song came to mind. My corner o the stadium was a bit quiet and reserved, even though they stood for a good portion of the show, but it was fun watching everyone in the pit sing along. ‘Youngstown’ was absolutely fantastic once again and I was happy they had kept ‘Long walk home’ on the setlist too. This time I noticed the people, standing on stage and watching, much earlier. So maybe they had been there the entire show?
How had we arrived at ‘The E Street Shuffle’ already? Had that not been later at the previous show? Either way, it was awesome and when everyone on the audience raised their hands and waved it looked great from where I was. The drum duel in the end was fantastic too. ‘Nightshift’ then was quite beautiful and the E Street choir (Ada Dyer, Lisa Lowell, Michelle Moore and Cutis King) really gave it their all. Another surprise followed with ‘Mary’s place’ and I saw M. in front row jumping up and down like mad, smiling happily.
It’s a fun song for sure, but the much bigger one for me was ‘The River’ that came right after. I feel a deep connection to this song, not only because it is the first Bruce song I learned to play on ukulele. It has been close to my heart ever since I’ve first heard it and I never tire of it, so I sang along with all of my might. It was one of those moments. when I felt like I was part of something bigger than myself, especially when Bruce just held out the mic and let us sing. <3
‘Last Man standing’ followed and brought me to tears as it does every time. I just cannot listen to Bruce share his story and not feel it. Everyone, who has ever felt aging, has to feel something when he speaks about the clarity that death brings and that “the grief we feel when our loved ones leave us is just the price that we pay for having loved well”. :’) Beautifully said. ‘Backstreets’ then, becomes this great tale of friendship and memories. I felt how hiding out on those backstreets must bring you closer together.
‘Because the night’ was and always will be fantastic and works especially well in combination with ‘She’s the one’ – I was so happy to have those two favorites on the regular setlist. Both show how close love can be to despair and how crazed we all get for it.
‘The Rising’ and ‘Wrecking Ball’ always bring great sing alongs and the feeling of hope – “Hard times come and hard times go”. Then ‘Badlands’ gave as an opportunity for jumping and screaming the words at the top of our lungs, before ‘Thunder Road’ ended the main set. Both songs make me feel connected to Bruce, the band and all the other fans. I still think ‘Thunder Road’ is one of the greatest love songs of all time, so full with the hope of youth, despite claiming that “maybe we ain’t that young any more”. I think as long as we don’t forget that “there’s magic in the night” we’ll be OK.
The band returned with ‘Born in the USA’ – not my favorite, but an important song for Bruce and that night I enjoyed shouting out the lyrics. They continued with ‘Born to run’, always a favorite and ‘Bobby Jean’. ‘Dancing in the Dark’ included the band introductions again and ‘Tenth avenue freeze-out’ brought all the memories. It is an important ritual and has made me appreciate a song I never really cared for before it became the one to honor Clarence and Danny. Now I even cry occasionally.
They ended with ‘Tiwst & Shout’ again where Bruce spent some time leaning against the mic stand and just let us sing. Bruce and Steve did the whole “It’s time to go home” skip, ending with “nobody fucking wants to go home!” Hell, no, we didn’t. “So that’S the way you wanna play the game. You’re telling me, you think you can outlast the E Street Band?” Bruce asked and then went on to ask “You talking to me? Then let’s see what you got left in you!” before we got a nice, long reprise.
Finally they stopped and the band left, each one sharing handshakes or a pat on the back or a hug with Bruce before they walked off. Then he stood alone at the mic, thanked us for being a great crowd and gave us ‘I’ll see you in my dreams’. It was the perfect ending: “We’ll meet and live and laugh again, I’ll see you in my dreams, yeah, up around the river bend, for death is not the end…” – in one way or another that is certainly true. With a tear in my eye I happily made my way home.
Setlist
Lonesome Day
Candy’s Room
Adam Raised a Cain
Death to My Hometown
The Promised Land
Hungry Heart
Darlington County
Tougher Than the Rest (with Patti Scialfa)
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Youngstown
Long Walk Home (introduced as a “prayer for my country”)
The E Street Shuffle
Nightshift
Mary’s Place
The River
Last Man Standing (acoustic; with Barry Danielian on trumpet)
Backstreets
Because the Night
She’s the One
The Rising
Wrecking Ball
Badlands
Thunder Road
Encore:
Born in the U.S.A.
Born to Run
Bobby Jean
Dancing in the Dark (followed by band introductions)
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Twist and Shout
Encore 2:
I’ll See You in My Dreams (solo acoustic)