Bruce Springsteen in Cork review: Brilliance from The Boss at Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Bruce Springsteen in concert at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
We might joke about experiencing all four seasons in a day in Ireland, but it was Christmas in Cork for four minutes on Thursday evening, thanks to Bruce Springsteen.
The Boss spotted a sign held on high from the crowd at Páirc Uí Chaoimh during the show, a sign that said it was 222 days to Christmas and its bearer had been good.
He took the hint, visibly giggling as he and the E Street Band launched into ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ — in mid-May.
“Only in Cork,” he said, laughing about an unseasonal song that he hadn't played on tour in quite a while.
“It’s great to be in Cork, it’s great to be in Ireland,” The Boss added, saying he and the band were in town to “wake you up and shake you up.”
The rumbling crowd rivalled only the weather as they roared in response. Indeed, Centre Park Rd became ‘Thunder Road’ that evening as a weather warning coincided with Bruce’s long-awaited return to Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Excited droves dived into any and all shelters along the way as downpours of hail and rain plagued the walk from Cork city out to the Marina. Amid cries of “ponchos for sale” and “get your hats here” came the sound of Springsteen’s back catalogue pouring out from every shop, restaurant, and pub between Pana and the Páirc.
From the craic in town, no doubt many are treating this as a special Springsteen long weekend in Cork.
Having last played Páirc Uí Chaoimh in 2013, they enjoyed an electric return to the sold-out stadium. While recent gigs in Kilkenny and Belfast basked in sunshine, Cork fans instead found themselves dancing under heavy clouds to hit after hit.
You can’t really knock Bruce for making the fans wait. He was there, front and centre, at 7.30pm sharp, about 20 minutes later than his Kilkenny gig started but perhaps a favour to fans caught in delays en route.
Whether intentional or serendipitous, those latecomers found themselves ‘Born to Run’ to their seats to catch the opening song, a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Who’ll Stop The Rain’, the crowd laughing as one as the downpours eased away.
He played all the favourites, including ‘Hungry Heart’, ‘The Rising’, and of course ‘Thunder Road’. And the crowd loved him.
Arms emerged from a sea of rain ponchos to wave in the air all night, even a Springsteen cardboard cut-out wearing a Cork GAA jersey was hoisted aloft.
During ‘Hungry Heart’ he walked along the barrier before the stage, shaking hands and passing out keepsakes to children in the crowd — his harmonica went to an overjoyed girl sitting on a man’s shoulders, while a young boy became emotional when The Boss gave him his guitar pick.
At 74, Bruce has been touring longer than many modern pop stars have been alive, but he doesn’t just hold his own on stage — he leads the way.
A three-hour set sounds daunting but The Boss moved and sang with ease, the hours racing by despite the looming storm clouds as he and the E Street Band just let loose and had fun on stage.
And then, as part of their encore, The Boss and his E Street Band paid tribute to Shane MacGowan with a moving version of 'Rainy Night in Soho' by The Pogues. As Springsteen said:
It was a pleasure to witness these master musicians at work. He may have been ‘Born in the USA’, but Bruce seems as at home in Ireland as any native son.
He was in Dublin only last year, playing three nights in the RDS, and they move on to Croke Park for their final Irish gig on Sunday night. Dublin, you have a lot to live up to — we just hope you’re not on the naughty list.
