cupure logo
eurovisionreviewstarcassiediddyseanmissionimpossibletomfinal

Bruce Springsteen review – a roaring, rousing ​s​how that imagines a better America

Co-op Live, ManchesterThe Boss and his E Street Band pluck hope from the depths of despair with a fiery show that hits out at the US administration but ends with loveBefore Bruce Springsteen sings a word on the opening night of his European tour, he has something to get off his chest. “The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock’n’roll in dangerous times,” he says. “The America I love is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration.” The band then launch into a roaring, rousing version of Land of Hope and Dreams, as strings swoop, brass soars and Springsteen gives an impassioned take of the song he sang for Clarence Clemons on his deathbed. Followed by Death to My Hometown – with the titular lyrics delivered with venomous sting – it sets the tone for an evening that is bruised and angry yet also hopeful and filled with love.The band – who Springsteen calls a “booty-shaking, lovemaking, Viagra-taking, history-making” outfit – are a hurricane force; so tight and in lockstep that they actually feel loose and relaxed. Darkness on the Edge of Town purrs along, almost grooving; The Promised Land is as potent as it is poignant. Continue reading...

Comments

Culture