Bruce Springsteen, Wembley (Part One): A perfect set, an utterly magical gig

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The list of superlatives to describe a Springsteen gig has been used up. We need to invent new words.

If Cardiff was a mesmerising UK tour opener, then the first night in London, which marks his departure from these shores, surpassed it in every possible way.


A flawless set delivered with such energy and intensity he didn’t actually pause to formally say hello to the crowd. The Boss had business to attend to - a jaw-dropping, highlight reel show of 31 songs over three and a quarter hours.


It’s incredible to think this came on the cusp of the 50th anniversary of his first ever UK gigs - modest affairs at the Hammersmith Odeon which entered Springsteen folklore as he bristled against the hype surrounding the release of Born To Run, and famously tore down a poster from the front of the venue declaring “finally London is ready for Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band."


London was more than ready for this first of two Wembley gigs. Standing on the pitch, I’d forgotten just how vast Wembley is. The phone torches which lit up Racing In The Streets seemed to sparkle as far as the eye could see, from the turf to the very top tier.


Roy Bittan’s piano solo was a thrilling highlight for many as it soared across the stadium, creating a perfect trilogy with Last Man Standing and Backstreets to sit at the heart of this show, but this was a night of many wonders.


A rollicking Seeds so early in the set was a hint of what was to come, and we got a magnificent Reason To Believe back to back with Atlantic City and then on to Long Walk Home which he offered as “a prayer for me country.” We can only guess what gems he may throw into Saturday’s farewell show…  


Springsteen kick-started the first encore with a magnificent Land Of Hope And Dreams, and then it was lights up for the final leg with Born To Run, Bobby Jean, Dancing In The Dark, Tenth Avenue Freeze Out and the utterly joyful Twist And Shout which never fails to bring a smile to folks faces as they danced with glee.


With talk of 2025 bringing him back to places such as Liverpool and Glasgow - please make that Edinburgh instead so we can avoid the dump that is Hampden Park - it’s clear Springsteen is far from done. At 74, he performs with a commitment and energy that defy explanation, and every time I think he has delivered his best gig yet, he raises the bar one more notch.


Wembley, night one, was magical. Utterly magical. Now for night two …

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