One dozen berrys
RIP Chuck Berry 1926-2017
Johnny B. Goode
Sweet Little Sixteen
Back in the U.S.A.
You Never Can Tell
Little Queenie
Carol
Around & Around
No Money Down
Rock and Roll Music
Run Rudolph Run
Betty Jean
News
He’s singing, he’s singing…
Bruce Springsteen finished his triumphal Australian tour last Saturday with a show at Hunter Valley. He’s visited the country in three occasions since 2013 (after a long 10-year absence) offering fantastic performances each time.
The final days of this new tour, baptized as «Summer Tour 2017» (with no reference to The River anymore) included an outdoor show in Macedon, close to Melbourne, in a field in front of the Hanging Rock hills. It was a typical stadium show, with lots of hits and a mass-audience oriented setlist, though there were some songs for the hardcore fans, including «Growin’ Up» and «Blinded by the light», plus «Jungleland» opening the encores.
The next two shows in Brisbane saw Bruce and the band return indoors, to the smallest arena of the tour, where he offered what probably were the best two shows in Australia this year. Particularly the first show, which was exceptional, featuring a mix of hits and unexpected surprises, along with an impetuous and energic performance.
After a memorable rendition of «New York City Serenade» (the biggest surprise and highlight at every show) a very loose and spontaneous Springsteen delivered «Lucky Town», «Janey Don’t You Lose Heart», «Rendezvous» and «Be True» («triple St. Valentine’s Special», he called it). They were followed by an emotive «Back in Your Arms» which was plagued by mistakes but Bruce came out victorious through it.
Bruce forgot the lyrics to some more songs all through the night, but it didn’t detract from the show. The spontaneity and vigor of the performance made it for a more exciting show. Then came «Better Days», «Leap of Faith» (Lucky Town‘s often forgotten gems) and later in the show some super energized versions of «Candy’s Room», «Because the Night» and «She’s the One».
By «Badlands» Bruce was on fire, and ended the set with a thrilling and joyous «Rosalita». The rarely performed «Secret Garden» was the first song in a sped-up encore that finalized with «Bobby Jean» and the whole Brisbane audience in awe.
The second night in Brisbane brought another excellent show, though it was hard to top the first night’s extraordinary energy. Springsteen managed to surprise everybody after another great «New York City Serenade» when he performed more rarely performed songs such as «Working on a Dream», «Roll of the Dice», «Jole Blon» or a full-band «Long Time Comin'». For «Growin’ Up» a fan was invited onstage. Brisbane’s Nathan Testa proved he can play guitar and knows the lyrics to the song. It was a magical fun moment.
Though the performance level seemed to diminish after that first hour (to more ‘human’ levels), Bruce still had some surprises in his hat: «Fire» and «Follow That Dream». The rest of the set went thru more common territory and the usual hits and crowd-pleasers.
Finally, the tour ended with a show at Hunter Valley, another outdoor show which combined rain with hot summer sun, hence opening with «Who’ll Stop the Rain?» and featuring a few more unusual choices like Bobby Fuller’s «I Fought the Law», «Jole Blon» and the Born in the USA outtake «None But the Brave».
Set list Hanging Rock
Set list Brisbane #1
Set list Brisbane #2
Set list Hunter Valley
I’ll Stand By You Always
Canción inédita que se ha filtrado en internet. Springsteen ofreció el tema a los productores de la primera película de Harry Potter, aunque no la usaron (tampoco era un encargo, Bruce simplemente decidió enviarles una canción que tenía escrita en 2001).
Listen to the unreleased song from 2001 that Bruce offered to the Harry Potter film producers, though it was rejected.
Melbourne #1
After the controversy of the Trump/Turnbull heated phone call (read more), Bruce surprised everyone again by opening the show with a cover of The Orlons’ «Don’t Hang Up» (see original song) after saying «We stand before you embarrassed Americans tonight. This is a song from 1965 by The Orlons. We’re going to use this to send a letter back home.»
Next he launched, with the E Street Band, into «American Land», «The Ties That Bind», «No Surrender» and «The Promised Land», in a show which also featured «New York City Serenade» later in the set.
The encores started with an acoustic «Long Walk Home», and closed with a rousing «Twist and Shout».
All the great photos are courtesy of Hans Martin Kern
Adelaide: Springsteen protests
«America is a nation of immigrants and we find this anti-democratic and fundamentally un-American» (Adelaide 30-01-2017)
Bruce Springsteen is angry, like millions of other people in his country and worldwide. And he showed it today with his intro to «American Land» at his Adelaide concert.
The message continued during the rest of the show, in songs like «Land of Hope and Dreams», «Trapped», «Wrecking Ball», «Youngstown» or «Murder Incorporated».
Several surprises awaited for the Adelaide audience: Van Morrison’s «Brown-Eyed Girl», plus Springsteen’s own classic «Racing in the Street» and a beautiful acoustic version of «If I Should Fall Behind» opening the encores.
Richie Sambora was a guest tonight, for «Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out» and «Shout», before the show closed with a festive «Rosalita».
All these nice photos are courtesy of Hans Martin Kern.
