The radio plays Roy Orbison singing for the lonely

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Crystal Palace National Sports Stadium, London, Monday/Tuesday May 26/27
Lancashire County Cricket Club, Manchester, Thursday May 29

So I spent most of last week concentrating on Bruce Springsteen. Because of the number of gigs I've been going to lately the E Street Band concerts rather crept up on me. The shows were unbelievable. I've seen him six times before, three in 1988 and three in 1993 and these shows were not only the best of all, but the best shows I've seen in my life. Each show was substantially different, especially the two nights in London, with Bruce complementing the songs from The Rising by pulling out songs I'd never heard him do and thought I'd die before hearing; most of which were among my all-time favourites - "The Ties That Bind", "Darlington County", "Candy's Room", "Night", "Jungeland","Racing In The Street", "Sherry Darling", the marvellous "Devil With The Blue Dress" medley that he's hardly ever played in Europe and probably best of all "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" which hadn't appeared anywhere on the tour. Over the first two nights in London alone he played all but two songs from Born To Run and managed to air half of Darkness On The Edge Of Town.

The choice of non-Rising songs was almost spooky; on the way to the first London show I was listening to The River as I bowled down the M40 and was reminded of how much I loved "The Ties That Bind" which was the first non-Rising song that night, after opening with "The Rising" and "Lonesome Day". On the way the next day I listened to "Sherry Darling" thinking what a shame it was that I'd never hear it live. It's been among my favourite Bruce songs since I first listened to him 18 years ago and for me sums up in four joyous minutes pretty much everything that makes Bruce and the E Street Band great: the sound of riding in cars with the windows down, the sun blazing and rock'n'roll music on the radio; what Bruce himself once described as "that rollerskating sound". And there it was in the middle of the show. Then he threw the "Devil With The Blue Dress" medley into the encores which I loved maybe even more because I was so convinced I'd never hear it. And then the first encore he did in Manchester was the 30-year-old "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" from The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle, which must be one of the best-loved of all his songs among the long-term fans.

And then there's the legendary and ludicrous energy level he puts in every night. He ran around the stage and sang at the top of his voice for three hours and ten minutes in Manchester (and bear in mind that he longer takes an interval). No wonder he looked absolutely knackered. I hope I'm even half that fit when I'm 53 years old. Not only that but without having to arrive at the venues obscenely early I was still lucky enough to be very close to the front each night with a clear unimpeded view of all ten members of the band. Even the weather was great - bright and sunny on Monday, dull but dry and warm Tuesday and blazing sunshine yesterday - in Manchester, the rain capital of England! Just an utterly wonderful week. If you didn't make it, here are the setlists to make you jealous :-)

London, May 26
London, May 27
Manchester, May 29