On 25th July, Nathan Collett joined Springsteen and the E Street band for a night to remember under the iconic Wembley Arch!
After a long wait in the Wembley sunshine (with the occasional threat of rain), Springsteen’s penultimate show of his European leg of the 2024 tour was worth every second waiting, and every penny spent to attend.
In a thirty-one-song set, lasting three and a quarter hours, Springsteen wowed the 90,000 people in attendance from start to finish. With a few deviations from his usual setlist the inclusion of Seeds as the second song of the night set the tone going forwards.
Towards the end of The Promised Land, one lucky couple was gifted a harmonica by way of an engagement gift after Bruce caught the eye of a lady in the front row holding a sign reading: ‘My boyfriend says he will propose if you give him your harmonica’. This got an immense applause and a collective ‘awwww’ from the stadium of onlookers as the gentleman stooped to one knee before kissing his newfound fiancé on the big screen for all to see.
Moving on with inclusions of Spirit in the Night, and a completely reimagined rendition of fan favourite Reason to Believe, Springsteen played other unexpected hits like Atlantic City, Youngstown, and absolute personal favourite The E Street Shuffle.
After introducing Long Walk Home as ‘a prayer for my country’, his opinions on the current political and social state of America are always at the forefront of his performances.
With lyrics such as :
Well Veteran’s Hall high upon the hill
Stood silent and alone
The diner was shuttered and boarded
With a sign that just said “gone”.
His social commentary and choice of introduction to the song is ever poignant and thought provoking in the increasingly politicised times we live in.
Covering Nightshift by The Commodores, Bruce gave the opportunity to each of his soulful backing singers to demonstrate their incredible vocals in a song which got every foot in the stadium tapping away.
Springsteen’s inclusion of another surprise in Racing in the Street ensured that there wasn’t a dry eye in the building (not least because it was at this moment that the heavens decided to open). In actuality, the rain provided a perfect backdrop for Roy Bittan’s incredible piano outro as everyone clutched their loved ones and simply appreciated the master at work.
"His social commentary and choice of introduction to the song is ever poignant and thought provoking"
With some reflections on mortality, which have been present throughout this tour, through songs like Last Man Standing and Backstreets along with Bruce’s introductions to them, this section of the show remained to be thought provoking and emotional.
Having wiped away the tears, the remaining forty minutes on stage were dedicated to pure joy as the band went into hits like Badlands, Thunder Road, Born to Run and Dancing in the Dark, with a nice surprise of Land of Hope and Dreams to excite those who have heard these songs multiple times throughout this tour.
After Bruce had plucked a sign from a lady earlier in the show reading ‘Tits Out for Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’, the band went into their signature celebration of lost band mates Tenth Avenue Freeze Out, as the crowd applauded for the faces of Clarence Clemmons and Danny Federici on the big screen. Playing a long cover of Twist and Shout where the crowd were challenged to ‘outlast the E Street Band’, they were cheered off stage for Bruce to finish with his ‘goodbye’ to his fans I’ll See you in my Dreams, with tears in his eyes. The crowd remained silent as Springsteen rounded off the show with his acoustic farewell. The same thought in everyone’s mind: “God I hope he comes back, one more time, in 2025.”
With one final Wembley show to go, on Saturday 27th July, Springsteen rounds of the European leg of his 2024 tour. A show with ups and downs, joyous moments and moments of reflection and emotion, Bruce Springsteen and the E Steet Band really do, after 50 years, still put on the best show on Earth. If they come back, the best advice I can possibly give you is to book yourself a ticket, because this group (most of whom are in their mid-70s) does not disappoint.
Nathan Collett
Edited by Alice Beard
In article image courtesy of Nathan Collett, cover image courtesy of Bruce Springsteen via Facebook
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