Bruuuuce!The Boss, Bruce Springsteen himself came to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Tuesday. Getting old, I opted for a seat rather than to stand for what everyone knew would be a marathon session.
True to form, Bruce came on stage at 7:40 and hauled himself off, completely drained, at 11:15. During that time he did not stop being the ringmaster to a wonderful show featuring the E Street Band and a host of supporting musicians (I counted 17 in all). Not bad for a 63-year-old.
He collected requests from the audience, including one, TV Movie, which he claimed he had never played live before. He got some people out of the audience to dance on stage. He mugged with the crowd at the front. And he got a 7-year-old on stage to help him sing Waitin' on a Sunny Day.
I still find it strange to see Steve van Zandt in person. I still see him as Tony’s sidekick in The Sopranos. And he plays the same role here – as the foil for all of Bruce’s antics and jokes.
That’s my third time seeing Bruce. The first was at Wembley way back in 19xx and the other was Bruce’s only other visit to Cardiff in 2008. One of the best concerts you could ever wish to see, and comfortably in my Top 3 of all time.
Setlist
1. This Little Light of Mine
2. Long Walk Home
3. Adam Raised a Cain
4. Prove It All Night
5. TV Movie
6. Cynthia
7. Roulette
8. Death to My Hometown
9. We Take Care of Our Own
10. Wrecking Ball
11. Spirit in the Night
12. Hungry Heart
13. My City of Ruins
14. We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place (with Eric Burdon)
15. Boom Boom
16. Cadillac Ranch
17. Summertime Blues
18. You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)
19. Pay Me My Money Down
20. Shackled and Drawn
21. Waitin’ on a Sunny Day
22. The Rising
23. Badlands
Encore
1
24.
Tougher than the Rest25. Born to Run
26. Ramrod
27. I’m a Rocker
28. Dancing in the Dark
29. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
30. Shout
31. This Little Light of Mine
Encore
2
32.
Janey don’t you Lose Heart (Solo Acoustic)33. Thunder Road (Solo Acoustic)
It’s
been an exciting week. Finished reception class last Friday and went home with
three certificates for good behaviour, lovely work and for being a great member of the class.
Then on
Saturday I lost my first tooth. The tooth fairy duly arrived on Saturday night
and left me with one pound. Going to use that and my piggy-bank money to buy a
Disney princess book on the weekend.
As
school is closed, this week I’ve been to gymnastics (RSD gymnastics in
Treforest) and playgroup (Rhydyfelin) where I used to go before big school.
Today its Nanna’s turn. It’s a busy life for me.
Radio Notes
One of
the few time I listen to the radio nowadays is for BBC Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I
Haven’t A Clue. Wonderfully funny, and a throwback to the days when you could
be funny without saying f*** all the time. Any smut is entirely in the mind of
the audience. For example “The lovely Samantha went to the church where the
vicar is fond of brass etchings. She helped him rub one out in the vestry.”
It’s
only a six-week run, so catch it while you can.
Music Notes
I am
getting old. Or at least I am a worried parent. Why is it that on any given
search through the “music channels” on Sky (their word, not mine) you are bound
to stumble upon Rhianna, Beyonce or some wannabe warbling away with next to no
kit on. What sort of role model does this set to Ava? A world where Liam
Gallagher keeps his parka on but Rhianna is stripped down to her pants?
Oh, and
don’t get me started on “lyrics”. It’s all bitches and hoes (garden hoes?
letter Os?) But I’ll leave that particular rant to The Kraken, who does it far
better than me. Exhibit A – this wonderful dissection of Robin Thicke’s current
ditty Blurred Lines:
Travel Notes
I had
the pleasure of a mobile sauna last week. It was cunningly disguised as the
14:00 Bangor to Shrewsbury “service”. “Oh, it’s the 175 model has air-cooling”
the guard helpfully pointed out, as though I had somehow deliberately chosen to
ride a sweltering train.
Beer Notes
Spending
a quiet lunchtime in the City Arms on a day off is one of the joys of life. A
proper pub, with proper beer.
In
honour of Bruce later that evening I went for Ed’s American Red from Downton
Brewery. A great 4.8% tipple.
Things I’ve Seen This Week
Saw a
Peter’s Pies van on the A470 on Monday. Amongst the advertising for their
savoury products was a warning, Securicor-style that “No sausage rolls are left
in this vehicle overnight.”
Tweets of the Week
“Apparently
in Australia they don’t drink tea when it’s hot. Amateurs.”
-
@YorkshireTea
(sponsors of The Ashes on Channel 5)
“The
kid next door just challenged me to a water fight. I thought I’d tweet this
while I wait for the water to boil.”
-
@itsWilly
Ferrell (Not Will Ferrell)
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