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Hard Rock Calling Tickets

After last year’s Hyde Park disaster, there was more than a frisson of excitement to see the Boss play the Olympic Park with - hopefully - his usual disregard for curfews. It was evident immediately that Springsteen was the man that everyone was there to see, but there was still no shortage of other acts that were determined to give it their all - despite the boiling hot weather.

It kicked off with Crowns at the Hard Rock Rising stage, blasting their particular brand of folkpunk out under the blazing hot sun. From there, it was time to take in Bruno Major’s music - formerly a session guitarist, and now doing his own thing. The Flamin’ Groovies were a must-see, performing cult classics as a reformed line-up, and showing no sign of being past it and still showcasing some brilliant rock ‘n’ roll - despite the fact they’ve been around since the ‘60s.

The big names took over from there, with the Alabama Shakes sharing some Southern Americana rock ‘n’ roll over at the Main Stage. The Black Crowes soon followed, but by this point, everyone just wanted to see the man himself. And Bruce Springsteen made sure not to disappoint.

Together with the E Street Band, he opened with the rousing ‘Shackled And Drawn’ from latest album Wrecking Ball. The stomping rhythm and rebellious atmosphere meant that despite not being a classic, ‘Shackled And Drawn’ got a great reception from the crowd and left everyone waiting for more.

After playing a number of songs, including ‘Badlands’, ‘Atlantic City’ and ‘Wrecking Ball’ itself, Springsteen informed the crowd that he would now play Born In The USA - in it’s entirety. Springsteen is a definite Americana legend, but manages to transcend that to appeal to Americans and others alike. The ‘Born In The USA’ singer had the crowd in the palm of his hand and didn’t he know it - in fact, at times it was difficult to tell who was enjoying the concert more, the audience or the Boss?

There’s something very special about the way that Springsteen never fails to connect with his fans - even when he’s performing to a crowded park, he still manages to retain a sense of intimacy - and at no point was this more evident than when he lifted a young fan onto his shoulders for ‘Waiting On A Sunny Day’, allowing her to sing a few lines. He was constantly in and around the crowd as well, sometimes even disappearing from view as he leaned in close to the barriers, choosing signs from the audience with song requests on and holding them up to the cameras as he began to play them.

After three hours, Springsteen finished off with ‘My Lucky Day’, and everyone reluctantly began to shuffle out of the park. This time, there was no curfew - and there’s no doubt that Bruce Springsteen definitely made the most of it.

Below: Springsteen proves he is still The Boss at Hard Rock Calling