There are some things Belfast does well and others we fall somewhat by the wayside on. Cramming people into fields in July, holding badly written signs and placards aloft, raising a ruckus and listening to fervently delivered sermons have become something of a specialty here and yet, when that preacher is ‘The Boss’ all national colours and tribal politics are left at the gates. There’s not even a hint of irony when the amassed 20,000 sing in unison “wherever this flag is flown; we take care of our own”. There’s a joke somewhere and maybe it IS on us.
From the opening strains of a thunderous E-Street rendition of ‘This Little Light Of Mine’ the pseudo-religious feel of the evening is set. At one point in the evening’s proceedings those lucky enough to have made it to the pit are practically on their knees hanging onto every word spake. Pull up a pew and join us as we begin our journey.
‘The Ties That Bind’, ‘Jackson Cage’ and ‘She’s the One’ aren’t exactly staples of a Springsteen live show but from the off we’re delving right into that sumptuous forty year back catalogue. The band at breakneck speed with horns blaring, thumping bass and the seemingly effortless charm of the gang leader in control of all that happens both on-stage and off.
‘Nebraska’ has long been my favourite Springsteen record. There’s a darkness to the album that sits at odds with the summery festival feel we’re revelling in and yet as Bruce leads us on a diversion through the murder, gambling, lust and intrigue of the Cornhusker State ‘Reason to Believe’, ‘Johnny 99’, ‘Atlantic City’ and title track ‘Nebraska’ nestle comfortably into the more ponderous section of the evening’s sermon before the E-Street Band kick right back in with the full ’78 intro to an unrelenting ‘Prove It All Night’.
In these days of crippling worldwide economy and global despair, the ‘Wrecking Ball’ album could have easily been written for any city in the world but the flag-waving imagery of ‘We Take Care of Our Own’, the brutal destruction of the record’s title track and the bleakness disguised as rabble-rousing Irish folk music of ‘Death to my Hometown’ are stark reminders, if we needed them, of the problems we all face, the lack of leadership in our councils and governments and the hoplessness we all feel as a result. There are politicians from all demographies of Northern Ireland in attendance and we can only hope they’ve been paying attention with the rest of us and not loitering at VIP bars or chatting policies at the back.
By his own admission, Springsteen likes to shake things up a little and tonight takes us back to ‘The River’ with an extremely rare performance of ‘Fade Away’ which is introduced as Steve Van Zandt’s favourite song. We’re almost two hours into the show and there’s no pausing for breath. There’s been minimal banter from the band although they’re clearly having the time of their lives up there with some Motown-esque choreography slipping out and what appears to be something reminiscent of a Maori Haka during a pedal to the metal tour de force through ‘Born in the USA’ and ‘The River’ era tracks.
‘Open All Night’ / ‘Cadillac Ranch’ / ‘Darlington County’ / ‘Bobby Jean’ / ‘Shackled and Drawn’
‘Waitin’ on a Sunny Day’ features one of those moments at a show that just makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Sure, Springsreen is renowned for plucking members of the audience to join him on stage for a song or a dance but as the sun went down over the King’s Hall complex, eight year old Grace Lynch in the space of two minutes represented the oozing charisma of the E-Street Band, the fearless stage presence of The Boss, the lived dream of every dedicated fan at the show and the hope we cling to that the young people of Northern Ireland are the ones who are “gonna chase the clouds away”. With a gentle cajole from Bruce she takes the whole gig up a notch with a shout of “come on E-Street Band” before rejoining her family and enjoying a broodingly hopeful ‘The Rising’ and a thunderously energetic ‘Badlands’ before the band take their first bows of the night.
The encore is a time for the rest of the band to shine. Michelle Moore heads up a gospel-heavy rendition of ‘Rocky Ground’ ably backed up by 20,000 voices in the cooling Belfast air. An average band would grant you a one or two track encore but tonight it feels that Bruce has been building up to this all night. High octane versions of ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ and ‘Born to Run’ prelude the welcoming onstage of three ecstatic young ladies who boogie their way through the latter stages of ‘Dancing in the Dark’. As the encore begins to get a little ‘E-Street by numbers’, The Boss breaks out a frenetic version of ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out’. He’s pacing the stage, part pro-boxer, part Baptist preacher; He screams “Belfast”. We scream “Bruce”. Hands are raised in the air and things almost take a turn for the divine before the band launches headlong into a cover of the Isley Brothers’ ‘Shout’.
The band are introduced in time honoured rock and roll style. Jake Clemons and Steve Van Zandt are greeted with the greatest applause and emotional tributes have already been paid to Clarence “The Big Man” Clemons and Danny Federici.
You’ve just seen the heart-stopping, pants-dropping, house-rocking, earth-quaking, booty-shaking, Viagra-taking, love-making, legendary E STREET BAND!
We’re all friends now and the show wraps up with a reprise of ‘This Little Light of Mine’. It’s a religious anthem of sorts but not of the narrow-minded, segregating, judgemental religion we’ve become used to throughout the years, force fed by churches, schools and other institutions. When Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band are in town you can believe what you want or in whatever deity you want because the only real truth is that for just one show there’s you, The Boss and the almighty power of rock and roll.
So you’re scared and you’re thinking that maybe we ain’t that young anymore. Show a little faith, there’s magic in the night. You ain’t a beauty, but hey you’re alright.
A second encore offers up a powerfully emotional solo performance of ‘Thunder Road’. Impossible to follow, impossible to better, it brings the curtain down on a special night for each one of those people in attendance. We’ve witnessed something special and for just shy of four hours stood shoulder to shoulder united by a glorious common ground. We’re more than a town full of losers that you got to pull out of to win.