Dublin was absolutely BUZZING on May 19, 2024! Why? Because The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, and the legendary E Street Band were in town to rock Croke Park! The streets were electric, American flags were spotted in pub windows, and you could just feel the anticipation for what was set to be an epic night at one of Europe’s largest stadiums.
And let me tell you, at 74 years young , Bruce was a human dynamo! Forget slowing down; this man was pure energy, especially after a previous tour postponement due to illness. We heard whispers from fans about him being “shirt soaked in sweat” and “outperforming rock stars half his age,” and honestly, after a performance lasting nearly THREE hours with 29 songs, we believe it! He blasted through classics, and the energy was just off the charts, truly “courting band and crowd alike”. Talk about defying age!
Of course, the E Street Band – all of them, from Roy Bittan on piano to Max Weinberg on drums and the fantastic E Street Horns and Choir – was right there with him, sounding absolutely massive and “ever-expanding”. They rolled out hit after hit: “Lonesome Day,” “No Surrender,” “The Promised Land,” “The River,” “Badlands,” “Born To Run” – the list goes on! Plus, Dublin got some special treats, like the tour debut of the powerful “Reason To Believe” and the first “My Hometown” of 2024.
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The 80,000 fans at Croke Park? Oh, they were LOVING it, creating an “outpouring of love and devotion”! We’re talking massive singalongs (seriously, the “who-oah” chant in “Badlands” was something else, with one fan saying they’d “never heard such a sing along before”), hands waving during “No Surrender”, and everyone just soaking up the “pure joy”. There were even super touching moments, like an old gentleman getting emotional during “My Hometown”. Bruce, ever the showman, even cheekily promised to send the crowd home with their “feet hurtin’, your hands hurtin’, your sexual organs stimulated”!
And then came the moment that truly captured the heart of Ireland. To close out not just the night, but his entire Irish run of shows, Bruce and the band delivered a stunning, heartfelt rendition of The Pogues’ classic, “A Rainy Night In Soho”. It was a powerful tribute, especially with Bruce dedicating it: “For Shane, for Dublin, for Ireland”.
A beautiful gesture from the great man. The whole of Croke Park felt that one, a truly special end to an “emotion-filled evening”. It was more than just a song; it was a shared moment of respect and love for Irish music and for the legendary Shane MacGowan, who wrote the song. From the roaring classics to that poignant finish, it was clear: The Boss, looking dapper in his shirt, tie, and waistcoat, still knows how to make a night unforgettable. Dublin won’t be forgetting this one anytime soon – and neither will we!
