'Laying here in the dark you're like an angel on my chest just another tramp of hearts crying tears of faithlessness'
We took Mike’s brother Trevor and his wife Val to the Emirates with us. They were Springsteen virgins.
Now Val strikes me as a woman who is pretty open minded about music but Trevor … well Trevor does not like Bruce. He doesn’t like his voice. Mike and Trevor have been indulging in friendly banter over many many years during which time we have tried to convert him without success. Come to think of it we haven’t had much success in converting anybody!!!
I am not sure what the compulsion is with us Bruce fans. We seem to have a need to try and get everyone else on board. I think it’s because if you do ‘get it’ it is one of the most fabulous feelings of your life and we somehow want our friends and family to be able to enjoy that experience as much as we do.
I am the classic example of didn’t-get-him-until-I-saw-him-live but after one show I was absolutely irrevocably and completely hooked. Will this happen to Trevor and Val?
So we were going to night 2 - Saturday night and staying over to have a bit of a sightseeing day on Sunday. Val had never been to The Tower of London so that, at least, was in our plans. Well Trevor didn’t want the trip to be a complete waste of time!
We set off early Saturday morning for the train from Leeds to Kings Cross. We had hotels in Kings Cross but not the same hotels. Our hotel - The Premier Inn let us check in early but Trevor and Val met with strong resistance at Comfort Inn round the corner.
Anyway once sorted we headed off for the nearest Wetherspoons which wasn’t where it should be.
How often have we done this? We are the perfect example of why forward planning isn’t the best option. Mike and I are both planners so we often do our research and plan what we are going to do before setting out. At least half the time the place we plan to go to isn’t there any more or is closed or we just can’t find it.
Only last weekend in London we headed off to a pub near Kings Cross to watch the footie only to find the place was shut.
Anyway back to 31 May 2008. We finally settled down for a drink somewhere near Mount Pleasant sorting office. Sat outside on a lovely warm day and finished our picnic. Then quick change back at the hotels and off to the Badlands party near the Emirates Stadium. Mark Wright did a set. We had a couple of beers and off to the show.
We were sat in the lower tier - Clarence’s side of the stage a bit more than half way back. Trevor and Val were in the upper tier almost directly above us.
Usually I have a good memory of the crowd around me but I can’t remember much about this lot. There was a chap in front of us who was very surprised when Bruce started collecting signs. He turned to his mate and told him he had never seen him do this before. Obviously he wasn’t the type of fan that follows Bruce’s every move on line - I ask you who would do that anyway?!!
This night was apparently much shorter than the previous night - perhaps because they didn’t want to break the curfew again. There had been a lot of controversy over the concert being staged here at all. Bruce was the first - the locals didn’t like it - nothing personal against Bruce you understand just concerts in general.
The set list was a great one for me. ’Out in the Street’ was a surprise opener and we got ’Sandy’ with a story about Danny - can’t imagine what Trevor and Val made of this as they had no idea of the history.
I hadn’t realised until afterwards that ’Downbound Train’ was such a rarity and ‘I’m on fire’ was great - I have chosen this clip because it shows the adoration of the crowd.
My love of ’Backstreets’ started here. I had always liked the song but, as is often the case, when you hear Bruce’s live take on a song it becomes so much more magical.
Mike and I had a thoroughly good night. Trevor said it was just some bloke singing a load of songs he didn’t know (or words to that effect) and he'd bought a foot long hot dog for a fiver which was a rip off. There was a bit of a crush getting home and a whiff of trouble at Kings Cross so Trevor whisked Val off to their hotel and we arranged to meet up next day after breakfast.
So Sunday - we found The Tower of London without any trouble - luckily it is still where it is supposed to be. We had a very enjoyable tour - our guide was a bit of a comedian - and then off for some lunch. Trevor treated us - said the price was what he thought Bruce was worth - can’t remember how much, about a tenner each maybe or was it a tanner? (for those youngsters out there this is pre decimal currency).
Trevor admitted over lunch that ’American Land’ wasn’t bad and Val said she would rather go and see Bruce again than David Bowie - Bowie is Trevor’s Springsteen.
Neither were converts - hey ho you can’t win ‘em all.
Set List
Out In The Street
No Surrender
Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Gypsy Biker
Radio Nowhere
4th July Asbury Park (Sandy)
Growin' Up
Downbound Train
I'm On Fire
Because The Night
She's The One
Livin' In The Future
Mary's Place
The Promised Land
Backstreets
The Rising
Last To Die
Long Walk Homw
Badlands
Girls In Their Summer Clothes
Jungleland
Born To Run
Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
American Land
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