Marathon-like live shows are the norm for Bruce Springsteen. Attendees may take it for granted that The Boss can still put on a convincing three-hour performance. Those who have seen him work his magic live will know it’s a mix of proving he can still do it and a genuine love for playing. His Land of Hope and Dreams tour was a showcase of how Springsteen has still got it. What “it” in this instance is, is longevity and honesty in the contemporary field. His twenty-seven-song set from Hyde Park, released as the London Calling: Live at Hyde Park album in 2010, is a masterclass performance. Fifteen years on, and it still stands as one of many great examples of how Springsteen has continued as a tremendous live act. London Calling feels like an inevitable opener, and though it is, it doesn’t stop The Clash cover from being an explosive start to the show.
Nothing short of magnificent, and it’s a brilliant tone carried through this three-hour release. Between The Clash cover and Badlands is an incredible instrumental selection. Springsteen wailing away on his guitar, the brass section, and the crowd singing back to The Boss, it’s the dream of an experience for dedicated listeners. For the passing fan it’s an essential guide in how well Springsteen songs still translate to the stage. He’s a performer who feeds off the energy of a crowd better than most. Those wanting a complete understanding of just how great a live performer The Boss is, look no further than London Calling: Live at Hyde Park. Fifteen minutes in, and he has perspired more than most would on stage in two hours. A fascinating experience to note intermittently through the show, which is stacked with more than a few hits. But it’s the deeper cuts, the cover songs, which bring out the best in Springsteen.
There’s a real joy to hear in him performing pieces like Night and Johnny 99. Well-known pieces which have since been dropped from the setlist. Even lesser songs like Outlaw Pete sounds rejuvenated on stage. Such is the madness of a live show. Out in the Street shows this best of all. Not only an incredible performance of a classic, but Springsteen wading around the front row of the crowd is a wonderful image. It’s the little details which bring a performance together. Land of Hope and Dreams had Springsteen taking pints from fans at the Co-op Live Arena. Considering the price of a pint there, that’s a polite mugging carried out by The Boss. Boisterous energy carries London Calling: Live at Hyde Park. Seeing a performer truly love what they are doing is half the battle for a stage show, and it could not be clearer than it is with Springsteen and The E Street Band here.
Overwhelming sincerity means the rock and roll highs are phenomenal, but it also has those emotionally tight moments when slower songs feature. From Bobby Jean onwards, it’s a hits-laden set, one where the quality never dips. Some of the very best performances from Springsteen’s career can be found here. He still sounds incredible, has a burning passion for these songs, which are adapted very well into modern times. No Surrender is still an empowering classic, while the run of songs from The Rising to show closer Dancing in the Dark is nothing short of perfect. You would be hard-pressed to find a better example of Springsteen’s on-stage charms from this period of his career. He still sounds as brilliant as he does on the London Calling release, but for those yet to see The Boss live, this is the best at-home experience you can get.
