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Bruce Springsteen played Tuesday in the Canary Islands for the first time ever. Almost 30,000 people gathered at the Estadio de Gran Canaria in the city of Las Palmas. It was virgin territory so, obviously, that was not a place to unload lots of rarities. It was basically a greatest-hits type of show. There were four premieres: «Two Hearts», «The River», «Working on the Highway» and «Born in the USA».

The show opened with «We Take Care of Our Own», moving «Badlands» to the third slot, followed by «No Surrender». Just 4 songs and the audience was in awe, ready to rock, sweaty (it was also a very hot and humid day in Las Palmas), jumping, singing, dancing… the usual big party stadium show. Though most of the show was of the festive, participative kind, there were moments to dig into the older stuff, with some hot versions of «Seeds», «Prove it All Night» (with Steve doing the final guitar solo -probably for the first time ever-, and it was smoking and very much in the ’78 style) and the tour premiere of «Two Hearts», played after a sign request from a couple of Maine citizens that were at the show. For «Working on the Highway» (another tour premiere) Bruce walked down to sing it in the small stage. He stayed there for the next song, «Shackled and Drawn», and was joined by Cindy Mizelle for a little singin’ and dancin’.

As the show progressed the new audience got more and more into it, had a blast with the «Apollo Medley» and Bruce’s runs to the side ramps and the other side of the pit area. No crowdsurfing in Europe, but tons of audience interaction and close encounters, wich was received with awe and huge roars. «The River» was a clear highlight, done perfectly, almost note by note to the album’s version. Setlist-wise there’s not much else to say, and though this may not be the dreamed set list for most veterans (it certainly wasn’t mine), one has to acknowledge the performance of each and every song was brilliant, and both the audience and Bruce were on fire. And despite our complaints sometimes, the Las Palmas audience literally loved the «The Rising/Lonesome Day» segment. The main set finished with a fantastic version of «Land of Hope and Dreams», which seems to have taken the place of «Thunder Road».

«Born in the USA» (another sign request, and the first encore) was a blast. It was strong, huge, overwhelming, though I’m still wondering why he had to sacrifice «Rocky Ground» when he could have done both and no harm would be done (and it was so very welcome in Seville).

Next on: Barcelona, where he’ll play two nights in a row and, certainly, there’ll be lots of new songs to talk about.

See complete set list.

Photo: Sal Trepat/Point Blank

The beautiful city of Seville was choosen to start the European leg of the Wrecking Ball tour. The stage was set up in the middle of the football field, thus creating a more intimate setting for the 30,000 fans filling the half-stadium configuration. The show started at 9:21 with «Badlands», setting the tone for a very strong performance in front of a very enthusiastic audience, as usual in Spain. The crowd had a blast from the start, and did not stop jumping and singing for the next three hours. Springsteen knows well how to control and audience: he raced across the stage, went down to the front constantly throughout the show and performed many big hits that work so well for a mass audience so willing to participate: «Out in the Street», «Darlington County», «Bobby Jean», «Dancing in the Dark» or the infallible «Waitin’ on a Sunny Day». There were many youngsters everywhere in the audience, singing their hearts out and knowing the words even to songs like «Badlands» and «Because the Night».

Though the set list included «The E Street Shuffle» and «The Promise», Bruce decided to play more recognizable songs. But that’s a good indication that he wants to keep playing some of his oldest songs. Some of the song intros were in spanish. Before «Jack of All Trades» he said in Spanish: «I dedicate this song to the people of the 15-M movement and all the people struggling in the south of Spain». The 15-M movement started a year ago in Spain and was a precursor the Occupy movement in the US.

The mix of old and new stuff worked well in a stadium setting and pleased everyone, and though there was as much as 4 songs from Born in the USA, other albums had also a good representation (2 songs off The River, 3 off Darkness and Born to Run). Some of the highlights included «The Ties That Bind», «Trapped» (sign request from a 14-year old fan), and the tremendous duo formed by «Candy’s Room» and «She’s the One». «Because the Night» featured the classic Nils Lofgren guitar solo, and the audience gave a huge roar of approval.

Patti was absent on this show. Of note: Michelle More was on stage not only for «Rocky Ground» but also during the «Apollo Medley» and the closing «Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out». «I’m Goin’ Down» (another request) had its tour premiere (and featured some extended guitar work by Stevie at the end of the song). Though Bruce went a couple of times to the small stage in the back of the pit, there was no crowdsurfing at this show. It was a very very hot night (with a temperature of around 105 F), particularly in the overcrowded pit, but Bruce worked his ass off nonetheless.

See complete set list

More info (in spanish):
Bruce ruge contra la crisis, by Fernando Navarro (El Pais)
Un indignado Springsteen revienta Sevilla, by Marcos Ruz (Público)

photos: Salvador Trepat & Alfonso Adánez

At 7 o’clock in the afternoon yesterday Bruce Springsteen appeared on stage at the Olympic Stadium in Seville. Wearing a black T-shirt, jeans and sunglasses, Springsteen rehearsed his stage moves, vocal parts and many full songs with his extended E Street Band. But they weren’t alone. A few dozen journalists from across Europe (though mostly Spanish and Italian) had access to the full rehearsal, lasting well over an hour, which was followed by an impromptu and informal press conference on the edge of the stage. Professional as he is, the soundcheck was intense, and the press was allowed to film and take pictures while taking notes and, in some cases, sending reports in real time to newspapers all across Europe, some even tweeting from location.

«We Take Care Of Our Own» and «Death to my Hometown» came first, followed by «Rocky Ground», sung with Michelle Moore, who’ll be also singing on these European dates. The only absence was Patti Scialfa, which apaprently will join the tour next week. Right after performing «Rocky Ground» there were some distant screams suddenly breaking the silence: they came from a large group of fans who were watching the soundcheck from he stadium’s own hotel building, which has windows facing the inside of the stadium.  Bruce joked with them, asked if they wanted to hear any particular songs, and then delivered an inspired version of «Thunder Road». The horn section’s final solo was impressive, particularly in the emptyness of the stadium, which allowed the sound to be perfect and powerful. Seeing that epic ending from just a few meters away was really something.

«Waitin ‘On A Sunny Day» brought the first contact with the small audience. Bruce jumped down the pit, walked through the back of it, shook hands and even had two journalists sing part of the song.

Then came two surprises: the upbeat «I’m Goin’Down», followed by a historic moment: Bruce and the E Street Band gifted us with a full band live version of «The Promise». Something that has only happened four times in public (first show of the ’78 tour, the 2010 carousel show in Asbury Park, the Washington show a few weeks ago, and now in Seville, in this semi-public rehearsal in front of he press).

«Shackled and Drawn», «The Way You Do The Things You Do» and «We Are Alive» closed the session, and then Bruce sat on the edge of the stage for a 15-minute Q&A with the press, mostly to respond to questions about the current political climate in the US, the huge economic crisis in Spain, the Occupy movement, etc. Sadly, there were almost no questions at all related to his impressive musical career.

 

Photos copyright S.Trepat / Point Blank.

 

 

Bruce Springsteen’s European tour will kick off next Sunday, May 13th, with a concert at Seville’s Olympic Stadium.

Works are underway at the stadium right now, where the stage is being built, according to news published in the stadium’s website and its official Twitter account.

We’ll be sending live reports from the show, via Twitter. You can follow us on Twitter: @pointblankspain

Photo: tweet @EstadioCartuja

The first leg of the American tour closed with an extraordinary show full of surprises, premieres and strong performances. The show opened with «No Surrender», which lead the way of an intense show. Soon enough there were two tour premieres: «Bishop Danced», from Tracks, a song he hadn’t played live since 1973, and never (that we know) in a full band version. Next was a hot «It’s Hard to Be A Saint in the City», with its great guitar interplay between Bruce and Steven, and «Candy’s Room», «She’s the One», «Shackled and Drawn», a fantastic «by request» «Talk to Me» and two more surprises for the encores: The Band’s «The Weight», also by request, as a tribute to the late Levon
Helm, plus an unexpected «Rosalita» before the closing «Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out». Next stop: Sevilla, opening show of the Euro tour.

Great refiew at Forbes.com

See complete set list.