Bruce Springsteen had been here, there, and everywhere ahead of his first Irish concert in seven years.
But now, finally, he was at the RDS, under blue skies and opening an epic gig with ‘No Surrender’ from , the album which cemented his stardom on Ireland when he brought it to Slane 1985.
Springsteen has always been a maverick and heading towards his mid-seventies continues to defy convention. This was an extraordinarily muscular performance from an artist who has never done things by halves and here was full throttle from the outset.
“Come on,” he shouted during a thumping ‘Ghosts’ from 2020’s . He pumped his fists and was soon running down towards the crowd as his band — including wife Patti Scialfa on backing vocals, Steve Van Zandt on guitar, and Jake Clemons on saxophone — followed him over the top.
The weather was the perfect bonus for the crowds streaming towards the RDS. En route to the venue, vendors were doing a healthy trade in Stars and Stripes cowboy hats. Inside the RDS an American flag looked down on the stage as Springsteen and his band charged through 50 years of hits.
A full-throated ‘Prove It All Night’ from saw Springsteen share the mic with Clemons, who channelled the spirit of his late uncle Clarence.
Elsewhere he dedicated ‘Land Of Hope and Dreams’ to “my friend Charlie Bird”. Earlier this week, Mr Bird admitted that he wanted that very song to be played at his funeral, saying he goes “to sleep nearly every night playing this song.” Mr Bird, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2021, also revealed that meeting ‘The Boss’ is the last thing on his bucket list.
Springsteen has clearly been taking care of himself. His health regime is rumoured to include just one meal a day and running at every opportunity. Whatever his secret, he was determined to push himself to the limits in Dublin. Again and again he charged to the barriers, encouraging the audience to punch the air as he reached for those big sky choruses.
Springsteen is a blue-collar rock icon. But he demonstrated his soulful side when singing with his “E-Street choir” backing ensemble, their harmonies swirling around Springsteen’s throaty vocals on a cover of The Commodores’ ‘Night Shift’.
He could do quiet as well as loud, too. “Ssssh,” he said during ‘Mary’s Place’, which was expanded into a balmy sundown ballad greeted with joy by the hardcore fans up the front (including someone waving a lifesize Springsteen cut-out).
The evening culminated with an encore crammed with hits. ‘Born In the USA’ boomed out as darkness descended while ‘Born To Run’ and ‘Glory Days’ raised goosebumps in every corner of the venue (though there was no appearance from Michelle Obama who had come on stage to the latter in Barcelona earlier in the week).
It was age-defying, full-throated, and hard-punching. “Dublin… a little bit louder,” Springsteen said at one point. “Come on!” As the crowd roared, Springsteen stood in the dimming May sunlight and smiled, hewn from granite, eyes twinkling with mischief and wisdom.
