BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND : LONDON 2024 FIRST NIGHT

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND : LONDON 2024 FIRST NIGHT

Disc One (63:45)

Lonesome Day
Seeds
My Love Will Not Let You Down
No Surrender
Ghosts
Letter To You
The Promised Land
Hungry Heart
Spirit In The Night
Reason To Believe
Atlantic City

Disc Two (62:26)

Youngstown
Long Walk Home
The E Street Shuffle
Nightshift
Racing In The Street
Last Man Standing
Backstreets
Because The Night
She's The One

Disc Three (66:46)

Wrecking Ball
The Rising
Badlands
Thunder Road
Land Of Hope And Dreams / People Get Ready
Born To Run
Bobby Jean
Dancing In The Dark
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Twist And Shout
I'll See You In My Dreams

Label : Nugs.net

Venue : Wembley Stadium, London, England

Recording Date : July 25, 2025

Quality : Soundboard Recording (A+)

Review (Kieran's Thoughts) : Nigh on three months later, the end of the European leg was here, and as a fine bookend it ended as it started: in the United Kingdom. Returning to London’s Wembley Stadium for a double shot finale, Springsteen and the E Street Band were hoping to add two more memorable nights to a leg that was already being looked back with fondness by fans from these shores. It can be said that the extremely exciting tone set by Cardiff wasn’t 100% capitalised on, but it still has fans reeling as a stand out show on the tour outright; Belfast mightn’t be the ideal listen as Live Download, but despite Bruce’s vocal issues they delivered a performance worthy of others from the Emerald Isle with more exciting songs to boot; and the chain reaction caused by the Sunderland show speaks volumes about the intensity and frenzied approach of those onstage. I’m still on cloud nine, and I don’t think I’m the only one. So, with the largest audience of the tour now in front of them, what would Springsteen and the E Street Band have up their sleeve for the first night under the arch? It wouldn’t be a blow away setlist of rarities greeting London like some fans may still be hoping for, but the performance certainly met expectations and the quality of music was exemplified instantly in the opening combination of “Lonesome Day” and “Seeds,” which set the tone for the night’s primary themes: resilience after loss and the state of Springsteen’s country. Both were very strong, but the latter was particularly stupendous, nearly four decades since it made its live debut in the original Wembley. Clapping along with enthusiasm, London wasted no time in showing those onstage that they were with them for the ride ahead, and that participation wasn’t in vain as Springsteen, Little Steven Van Zandt and Max Weinberg’s inspiration showed. Max’s heavy beat pulsated as well as anchored, and Bruce pulled no punches with that scathing guitar solo to see the song out. Like I say, it wasn’t a blow away setlist, but it was a blow away performance. “My Love Will Not Let You Down” brought more stand out efforts from Springsteen, Weinberg, Van Zandt, and Nils Lofgren also, as a thundering continuation of the intensity showcased in “Seeds” and it very nicely laid the foundations for several community enhancing anthems to follow. Each song was a greater example of the E Street Band’s tight-knit quality at the end of this leg than the last, as “Ghosts” soared and “The Promised Land” afterward saw them take London even higher. It was “Hungry Heart” that served as the most exciting song in this sequence, however, as it was the first song to see Bruce truly lost in the music, feeling that connection with his audience. After many shouts of “woo!” and the apparent end of the song, he called on Jake Clemons for a reprise of his coda solo, and as a perfect summary of this show’s energy, a song that has featured nightly this tour found itself as a delectable highlight. “Spirit in the Night” and Bruce’s commanding calls of “Can you feel the spirit?!” and “That’s right let me see your hands!” served as further examples of his inspiration in front of this audience, and the song performance these interrogatives and imperatives led into magnified that – “theeeeeeeeee night! … grewwwww bright…”. It wasn’t the most unique set, but it was the right set for an engaging experience in London. Any fans looking for setlist oddities would be pleased by the ‘Election Pack’ that followed “Spirit.” No matter the consistency of this sequence since July 12th in Helsinki, these songs aren’t to be taken for granted, and it remains a thrill to see them featured. It was all the more thrilling here, too, as what had recently been a trio became a four-pack with both “Reason to Believe” and “Atlantic City” played. Remembering the political happenings of July 21st, it felt fitting that Bruce enhanced this part of the show, and to have the intensity of “Reason” and despair of “Atlantic City” definitely made this pack all the more compelling – the coda of the latter was outstanding! The impact of the “Youngstown” and “Long Walk Home” that followed was felt even more as a result of the extra song, from Nils’ mesmerising outro solo in the former to the way London complemented those ultimate declarations of Bruce and the E Street Choir in the latter. In using underplayed gems as a timely prayer for his country, these twenty-five minutes felt like everything you could ask for in the year 2024 from a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band show. Luckily for London, there was more to come. A romping rendition of “The E Street Shuffle” reeled them in further as a sensational performance very worthy of the applause it received, and it led into a “Nightshift” featuring an equal parts jarring and joyful moment at the end. Upon finishing their vocals, Bruce gave his nightly shout out to Curtis King Jr., but was caught off guard when Curtis shouted “Bruce Springsteen!” in response. I can’t recall hearing Bruce laugh quite like he did here, and it meant that this largely reflective performance ended with all in Wembley feeling the purest joy. Tears of joy then surely flowed as “Racing in the Street” followed. Expected on night two as was the case in Madrid, Barcelona and Stockholm, Roy Bittan’s opening notes took many by surprise, and increased their emotional response all the while. That response was justified, because this was a stunner – arguably the best “Racing” of 2024 – that saw Bruce enthral with his reading; notice his little touch of excitement as he first sang “we’re goin’ racing…” and his shame as he sang “drove that girl away.” You best believe the E Street Band bewitched Wembley as well, and the endearing audience applause before the coda was a fantastic example of that; but we can only imagine that those onstage heard it and thought “oh you thought that was great?” as they started the finale. Led as always by the seismic efforts of Roy, Max and Charlie Giordano, for the final minutes they left everything played before in their wake by way of the most masterful music. On this night they weren’t just complemented by Soozie Tyrell’s violin and Bruce’s guitar either, because as far as Soozie was concerned they were perhaps outshone by the absolute grace of her efforts! We were so fortunate to get one performance of “Racing in the Street” last year (albeit imperfect) amidst a mostly locked-in setlist, and now here was the tenth of 2024 featuring another unique detail for us to play over and over. If the twenty-five minutes of the ‘Election Pack’ weren’t all we can ask for in the year 2024 from this man and his band, these nine and a half minutes were it. Despite the appearance of “Racing,” the setlist afterwards shaped up more like Bergen than it did Stockholm night two, although “Land of Hope and Dreams” returned to the encore like on the first night in Solna for a final political statement, Bruce’s cry of “Say amen somebody!” very powerful at the finish. Bridging London to the encore was the central combination of “Last Man Standing” and “Backstreets,” which took the show’s themes of resilience after loss to its summit; a “Wrecking Ball” with significance on a site with memories that long precede the opening of this Wembley Stadium; and towering performances of “She’s the One” and “Badlands” that further exemplified the hard hitting power of Springsteen and the E Street Band. Ending the main set, “Thunder Road” would set the tone for “Land of Hope and Dreams’” call for community, and that would be the theme of the home stretch. A hearty “Born to Run” was paired with an inspired “Bobby Jean” and both had eighty-thousand people singing and swaying along to every word. They didn’t stop when “Dancing in the Dark” started either, oh no, and this version was a little more notable in the UK as Bruce declared “This is for Phil!” at the top of it. If you’re out of the loop, Manchester City’s Phil Foden was serenaded nightly during Euro 2024 with a chant sang to the melody of “Dancing in the Dark,” and it actually got the song back into the charts, landing it at #36. If you were out of the loop, don’t worry about it, because in this moment Bruce and Stevie shared a hilarious look of “Who?!” after Bruce’s dedication, so you’re in good company! London would continue singing along into “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” and “Twist and Shout,” and they’d even echo the efforts of Stockholm on July 18th with unrelenting chants of “WOAH-OH-OH!” during the latter finale for the E Street Band. Before Bruce even had an opportunity to suggest going home they had him repeating “Say what?” in encouragement to strengthen that connection built over three hours, and the energy of all involved here not only made for a perfect end to this night, but also a mightier bond for Bruce and the Band to feed off on July 27th. “I’ll See You in My Dreams” would be the final cherry as one more intimate moment shared between Bruce and London on this night, but in reality the work had been achieved long before the home stretch got started. All eyes would be on the tour finale upon the end of the emotional finale, and with this one unlikely to leave any attendee any time soon, all leaving Wembley on July 25th knew July 27th was going to be a Part Two.

Concert Review (Mojo Magazine) : During the first of two nights at Wembley Stadium that mark the end of Bruce Springsteen’s current European tour, it’s abundantly clear that The Boss is primed for the occasion. Take for example, his ecstatic run through The Promised Land from Darkness On The Edge Of Town. It wraps only once he has set a couple on the path towards holy matrimony, having dutifully fulfilled the requirements of a sign in the crowd reading: “My boyfriend will propose if he can have your harmonica.” Springsteen follows this with a rendition of The River’s Hungry Heart in which he doesn’t need to deliver a single word before Wembley takes over. Cutting a dashing figure in his waistcoat, soon enough he is busy eyeballing the front row, trading hugs, and holding aloft an inflatable doll bearing his own likeness. This kind of showboating normally signals the end of most stadium gigs. Only we’re 30 mins in. And there’s still 23 songs to go. To be fair, Springsteen declared his intentions back in May as he took to the stage at the Ivor Novello awards for a quick acoustic detour down Thunder Road. As MOJO reported, the night before he had successfully defied some torrential freezing rain while playing in Sunderland but not the toll it had exacted upon his immune system; still he fought through the lurgee at the ceremony to reflect on what his first visit to London had meant to him, some 49 years ago. “As we flew towards the UK in 1975, I was wondering, ‘What do I have that I could conceivably give back to those people who gave me so much?’” he said, noting the profound impact British music had on him. “And the answer is, everything I’ve got.” Tonight, Springsteen honours his enduring commitment. His three-hour-plus expedition through his back catalogue begins with a rousing Lonesome Day from 2002’s The Rising, with Born In The USA off-cut Seeds as a brilliant chaser. Neither appeared during his triumphant two-night stand in Hyde Park last year, which is telling. While his 2023 tour saw him keep things more or less the same, Springsteen’s latest jaunt has seen him deliver on his promise to shake things up. There remain reliable load-bearing pillars in his set ranging from old classics (No Surrender, Backstreets) to newer staples (Letter To You, Ghosts), but in 2024 you can never be fully sure what to expect. One of many highlights, itself arriving after stunning Nebraska closer Reason To Believe, is Atlantic City – its haunting acoustic strains retrofitted for stadiums with electric guitar and gospel embellishments. It is a deft move to place it next to Youngstown from 1995’s The Ghost Of Tom Joad, Springsteen singing the latter while wreathed dramatically in red light and the song ending with an orgiastic solo from Nils Lofgren. Migrating from the boardwalks of New Jersey to Ohio factory floors, here are two stories that could have been the basis for novels, or inspiration for a director, but have instead found perfect expression in song. The cinematic, one-two narrative punch they offer is both an overpowering combination and the mark of a masterful setlist tactician. The power and poignancy of such moments are, of course, only accentuated by just how readily he can light a fire under proceedings elsewhere. The ticket says Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band for good reason. Forget BST, tonight Wembley has set its watch to Max Weinberg Time long before his exuberant drum spotlight on My Love Will Not Let You Down. For all the setlist variations, one of the great joys of any Springsteen show remains fundamentally unchanged: it’s the glimpse of him leaning with his back to the crowd and gawking at his own band, every bit as transfixed as the fans behind him. During Hungry Heart he refuses to let the song end. “Go back into that!” he urges Jake Clemons. You don’t argue with The Boss. “My first real rock and roll band lasted for three years… Pretty good,” Springsteen quips. “But The E Street Band? These old fuckers have lasted for 50 years – and I’m only 45! It’s a magic trick!” Disappointments exist only insofar as the set lasts for a mere three-plus hours, instead of, say, five, or ten. Some songs have to necessarily fall by the wayside because of this. The Rising’s Mary’s Place – a highlight at Hyde Park last year – has been lost in the reshuffle, at least for tonight. Radio Nowhere meanwhile – a song that recently came out of exile for the first time since 2017, and which is crying out for permanent integration into whatever setlist he curates – is also missing. Still, Springsteen gives a nod to that track’s parent album, 2007’s Magic, with a beautiful, meditative Long Walk Home, which is introduced as “a prayer for my country”. No matter what songs you might have personally wanted to hear, it’s hard to argue with what is presented. This holds doubly true with the arrival of Racing In The Street, the song MOJO christened as his greatest moment, arriving back-to-back with a spectacular rendition of Last Man Standing from 2020’s Letter To You. Anthems beget anthems from there, with Wrecking Ball, Badlands, The Rising and Thunder Road all receiving rapturous applause. Another procession of heavy hitters constitute the encore, but there are some changes afoot. Out from the closing run witnessed in Sunderland in May is Glory Days, and in are Land Of Hopes And Dreams and Bobby Jean. When Born To Run begins, meanwhile, Wembley’s floodlights come on so everyone can bear witness to the euphoria it induces. After Dancing In The Dark has well and truly shaken its leg, at precisely 22:09pm, something significant happens. As Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out begins, Springsteen’s dapper waistcoat finally comes off. The shirt exposed beneath is presumably radioactive with sweat, and now far beyond the salvation of any legally manufactured detergent. The maroon tie he fixed-up with a little wink to the crowd hours before during Spirit In The Night has now been shaken loose. “I think it’s time to go home,” says Springsteen, leaning on his mic stand as he gestures to Little Steven to initiate their comedic schtick. “Stevie, you want to go home?” “Naaaaah,” the guitarist deadpans, forever a man sporting the cheekiest of cheeky grins on his face. “I don’t waaaanna go home!” A quick survey of Wembley takes place. It soon transpires that no-one is ready to be catapulted back into reality. A riotous cover of Twist And Shout follows. Thirty songs in, and he’s still not done. “The UK has been so good to us on this tour, The E Street Band loves you,” he says, harmonica at the ready, the house lights fading. “Thank you for such a wonderful time tonight, it’s the end of the tour and it really means a lot.” Springsteen ends with I’ll See You In My Dreams, its elegiac potency undiluted despite the frequency with which it now serves as his preferred farewell kiss. As he strums away, a solitary figure standing in the dark with the whole stadium hushed before him, the gulf between a Springsteen At Wembley spectacle and the piercing intimacy of Springsteen On Broadway feels non-existent. That he manages this feat with such consummate ease and grace should not be overlooked. Indefatigable. Imperious. Incomparable. Just another night in which Bruce Springsteen elected to give London everything.