The fervor of the Barcelona public when it comes to Springsteen comes as standard, even more so after seven years fallow, but that did not stop it from impressing to see last night the Olympic Stadium full for the first time this year 2023 in which the pandemic seems to have been left behind for all. Also for the musician from New Jersey and his E Street Band, who at nine o’clock appeared on stage with a 17-piece lineup full of energy (and years). “Hello Barcelona, ​​hello Catalonia”, he greeted, to immediately attack No Surrender, a clear declaration of intent at a concert adorned with the perfume of memories and the promise of the genius from New Jersey to resist whatever comes his way.

In their twentieth Barcelona concert (third at the Estadi), Springteen jumped onto a sober stage with three large screens and a play of lights as the only elegant visual outfit to accompany a sound that never failed. He came out to defend Letter to you, a record released in 2020 as a reflection on the sadness over the loss of loved ones and the strength that at the same time imprints their memory. This was the subject of Ghosts, the second song of the night with aromas of becoming a new classic where the musician from New Jersey proclaimed that “I can feel the blood flowing in my body, I’m alive and I’m on my way home”, nostalgic lyrics to remember that the strength of its origins continues within it. As he continues within his audience, who came with his homework done, chanting each stanza eager to participate, once again, in the musical coven of The Boss, who satisfied them by performing a string of hits, as befits an artist with a career so long and prolific that it overshadows any novelty it may offer.

With Prove it all night, the seventies feast began last night, along the lines of the performances with which the tour started last February in the United States. A review of a dozen songs from his first albums that, together with the pieces from Born to run and Born in the USA, featured in most of the concert to the delight of the almost 60,000 people who gathered last night at the Estadi (sold out, many others will do so tomorrow) overshadowing the announced presence of Barack Obama and Steven Spielberg, the two most striking personalities of the many attracted last night by Bruce’s call. At 73, now a grandfather, he does not run from one end of the stage to the other, but he has managed to redirect his role and what is more, he is still capable of performing marathon concerts, three hours in which the E Street Band did not fail regardless. that between The Boss, his squire Steve van Zandt and Nils Lofgren add up to more than 200 years.

It was the turn of Letter to you, from the self-titled album, subtitled in Catalan on the screens: “I have tried to show that my heart is certified, and we have sent it in my letter” could be read in an effort by Springsteen for getting your message of sincerity across. And with an open heart, to The promise land to the delight of the oldest fans, who had the opportunity to follow the 1978 song, outlining before the younger audience the superior smile of those who “already listened to it when you were in…”, a rictus that they were able to maintain with the barrage of pieces from the first third of the concert: Out in the streets, with the entire audience following the rhythm, waving their arms while Bruce got closer to two feet from the audience to sing while looking into their eyes. It was followed by Candy’s room, starring the duel on piano and winds by the E Street Band, and Kitty’s back, a walk through the very first years of the band with a saxophone solo to show off Jake Clemons.

Nightshift, a version by the Commodores and the only visit of the concert to the recent cover album Only the strong survive, served to lower the revolutions before moving on to Human touch, a song that he performed for the first time on this tour with the stadium turned into a sea of sparkling white lights. “Catalonia, Spain, us estimem!” Shouted The Boss before playing Mary’s Place while acting as the band’s orchestra director and managing to silence the entire Olympic Stadium for a few moments, surrendering at his feet. The E Street shuffle, another song hatched in 1973 that served as a showcase for Max Weinberg’s drums, followed by the partying Pay me my money down that ended with the winds in the front row. “Una cançó sobre un vell amic”, Bruce said in Catalan to go on to explain in English with subtitles (poorly synchronized) the story of Last man standing, a song that he performed alone with his acoustic guitar dedicated to the last living member of the Springsteen’s first and youthful band, The Castiles, who died in 2018.

After the reflection that concluded with the invitation to enjoy every moment, it was time for another wave of classics that kept the public hooked such as Backstreets, The rising or the inevitable Because the night, chanted by the public while they illuminated the night with their lanterns of the mobile. She’s the one opened the final stretch of the concert, followed by Wrecking ball and recited verses from The rising, sung in chorus by thousands of ecstatic throats led by Springsteen, who relished preparing his parish to sing and jump once more with Badlands!, war cry that preceded Thunder road, unofficial closing of the concert.

And after the obligatory rest, lights on and yes, Born in the USA and nobody, neither on the track nor on stage, seemed tired. He continued with Born to run, Glory days (accompanied by Patti Sciaffa, Kate Capshaw and Michelle Obama, who took the stage) and Dancing in the dark to expend his last energies, which were many, with a long version of Tenth avenue freeze out, the history of the formation of the band. The farewell was left in charge of I’ll see you in my dreams, an elegy with which Springsteen closed his story about life and death to summon the fans until the next stop, or until the next dream.