Not that I have ever seen him perform live, but all available evidence suggests that Bruce Springsteen is the greatest rock performer on the planet. I like what I read about his shows. The setlist changes, as well as the classics The Boss incorporates new songs; here is a music great who is still pushing boundaries, still at the top of his game.
Not only have I never seen him perform, I probably never will. Such is the level of popularity he enjoys, he will probably only ever play at stadia and I do not enjoy stadia shows. Doubtless Springsteen does very well financially out of the big shows, but with him I truly believe that it is about the music. No one plays sprawling three hour plus shows for fun when they could get away with 90 minutes. There is a connection with the audience shared by very few artists on the planet, ever.
I own pretty well all of Springsteen’s back catalogue. Each album is different, in terms of style, in terms of structure, but never different in terms of quality. Especially with his genuinely great albums, like The River, Darkness on the end of town, Born To Run, there is no filler. Even the later albums made out of out takes and songs which were not used still ooze musical greatness, leaving the listener to wonder why they were not released before, but grateful that they were.
It is pointless comparing Springsteen to other musical greats. There were parts of other greats in his style, but as with all greats, Springsteen’s music is unique, the devotion he instils absolutely special.
I have seen many rock acts who have long passed their sell by dates, some who really should no longer be performing at all. Springsteen remains at his peak, at the top of his game, a true great of all time, up there with Dylan, maybe not far behind the Beatles and the Stones.
If he ever comes to the Bristol Colston Hall, I’ll be in the queue for tickets, that’s for sure.
