Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band at Coventry Ricoh Arena - Thr 20 June 2013

My first gig at the Rioch Arena in Coventry was launched in style with Glastonbury style rain on the drive up, delays on the M6 Motorway and car parking carnage outside the stadium, but in the stand by the third song, I was happy.  

Thousand’s were squeezed into the moderately sized stadium and they were standing shoulder to shoulder on the pitch. Looking at the size of venues that Bruce and the band usually play though tonight, could quite easily be classed as an ‘intimate’ occasion for 30,000 souls.

With the usual, no support, three plus hours show, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band show no signs of slowing up. The undoubted highlight of this show and perhaps standout moment of any gig attended so far this year was when; Bruce announced that in tribute to "Our good friend James Gandolfini" they would dedicate a performance of the entire "Born to Run" album in this memory.

For us grey haired veterans in the crowd this album also carries many personal memories, with the tragic passing of James Gandolfini on the previous evening, the man who made Tony Soprano a household name, this made the performance truly remarkable.

The earlier request spot had seen a tremendous version of ‘Trapped’ (Jimmy Cliff cover) and Long Time Comin' from 2005's "Devils & Dust" album. It was the first time Bruce had ever performed the song with the E Street Band in concert, so this really was, a special evening.

Needing a breather after ‘Born to Run’, for a trial run of the Coventry City pies (very tasty), it was back in the stands for rousing  versions of Lonesome Day’ ‘Badlands’ ‘Born in the U.S.A’ and ‘Bobby Jean’ plus many more.

All quite civilised with a 10.30 ish finish, we headed off singing into the night. Just like we have after every Springsteen gig since the beginning!

Pete

Set

1. Ghost of Tom Joad

2. Long Walk Home

3. My Love Will Not Let You Down

4. Two Hearts

5. Seeds

6. Trapped

7. Long Time Comin'

8. Wrecking Ball

9. Death to My Hometown

10. Hungry Heart

11. The River

Born to Run album dedicated to James Gandolfini

12. Thunder Road

13. 10th Avenue Freeze-Out

14. Night

15. Backstreets

16. Born to Run

17. She's the One

18. Meeting Across the River

19. Jungleland

20. Pay Me My Money Down

21. Shackled and Drawn

22. Waitin' On a Sunny Day

23. Lonesome Day

24.Badlands

Encore

25. We Are Alive

26. Born in the U.S.A.

27. Bobby Jean

28. Dancing in the Dark

29. Raise Your Hand

30. American Land