What a fantastic weekend!
Where do I start? The beginning I suppose.......
We arrived at Gatwick on Thursday night in torrential rain……I see a pattern developing here Mr Springsteen
Brought my own wellies this time though.
Had a wonderful few days at Chez Govangirl and had the privilege of joining her at work on Friday too, thanks year 10 for a lovely day!!
And then it was Saturday………
We will skip over the bizarre meeting on the train
, the map reading skills, and the fact that Sheik was probably late because he saw the weather and thought he’d leave us to queue in the rain, arriving just in time to be watered, seated and fed
So, after good blethers and one or two sherbets at Hard Rock Café off we went on the short walk to Hyde Park.
Trying to find our spot in the park, it was quite bizarre to recognise a voice and look up to see The Boss in his checked shirt and shades giving it laldy on stage to “Rockin’ all over the world’ with John Foggerty!!
But then to the main event and the highlights for me……
I can’t put into words any better than what has already been said about the opening and “Thunder Road”. As a latecomer to Bruce, this has only become one of my favourites since seeing it live 3 years ago and what a rendition this was…..absolute class performance! The hairs on my arms were standing on end, and still do when I think about it.
Of the newer tunes “Wrecking Ball” again was brilliant but “Death to my Hometown” with Tom Morello joining The Boss was very special.
“Because the Night” had the whole park rocking with Nils Lofgren giving his all in a wonderful guitar solo. I loved the quote, after the end of concert fiasco, in one of the papers yesterday which said “officialdom gone mad. “Because the night” is now a lousy excuse as well as a fine rock anthem.
Johnny 99, another of the oldies, was also a favourite for me.
We all had to laugh at Bruce singing to the crowd before one song “Hey-hey do you hear me calling, working while the rain is falling” and falling it was by then!!
Have to thoroughly agree with Govangirl that the absolute highlight, and not a song I was very familiar with at all, was “The ghost of Tom Joad”. Spine-tingling fantastic, again with Tom Morello who was unbelievable on guitar. I have been playing it constantly since we came home.
The finale with Sir Paul coming on stage was brilliant. I’m not a massive fan of his, but the man is a legend. To see the two of them on stage together, and for Bruce to say he has “waited 50 years for this moment“, was truly awesome.
After a 10 hour door to door trip on Thursday, followed by a 2 hour journey there and back on Saturday to see The Boss, and that 10 hour journey again yesterday, was I p****d off when they pulled the plug? You better believe I was. We missed out on the great E-street Band goodbye, you could see they were doing it, but we couldn’t hear a thing!!
Another quote I read yesterday said “we live in a pretty sh***y world sometimes and when thousands of people get together from lots of different age groups, religions, colours and creeds, having a good time, with one thing in common, some d***head makes a decision to end the party”. Well said…..!!
I also loved the quote from Boris Johnston who said if they had called him, he would have told them to “continue to jam in the name of the lord”!!
As with Govangirl, there is a teenage convert in this house now. I think she was maybe just too young to appreciate it the last time she saw Bruce.
“Land of Hope and Dreams” , “Thunder Road” and “Born to Run” the favourites for her. She now has an I-pod full of tunes, and all her pals to convert!
Iain still a bit hoarse today but totally buzzing after such a wonderful weekend.
I can’t thank all of Clan “Govan” enough for their generosity and hospitality over a fantastic weekend. It was great to have a “Kintyre Forum Day Out” with them and Mr and Mrs Sheik at what will surely be a rock event which will go down in history!!