August 23rd: Mansfield
It is usual for Springsteen to start a 2-night stand with a good show, followed by a great 2nd show full of changes and surprises. Well, Mansfield already had a great show on its first night.
Last night’s show had tons of changes, premieres and surprises, all with a hi-energy performance. «Night» and «Badlands» opened the set with fury, followed minutes later with a great «Saint in the City».
«Murder Incorporated» and «Johnny 99» were as hot as usual. The tour debut of «Independence Day» came next, and then an instrumental «(Love’s Like a) Heat Wave«, the great 60’s hit from Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, during which Bruce picked up the sign requests.
And those signs brought «You Never Can Tell» (for the second time in the tour after its debut in Bilbao), «I’m Goin’ Down», «Janey, Don’t You Lose Heart» and «Prove it all night».
«The River» was added before Jay joined the band for the rest of the night. The encores were extra-long, with 9 songs, opening with «Girls in their Summer Clothes», featuring Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphy’s during «American Land», finishing with «Twist & Shout», and then adding three more songs out of the blue: «Hang on Sloopy», «Growin Up» and «Hungry Heart».
foto: Benidorm 2009, copyright Daniel Villanueva