Bruce Springsteeen (...Slight Return)

Never spoke of the fantastic, none more rocking, return of Bruce Springsteen to Dublin a week and a half ago. Bruce had booked three nights in the open air environs of the Royal Dublin Showgrounds. On the first night, I was busy at a charity quiz for my cousin but as luck would have it, the boozer was near the venue so every time I went out for a cigarette, I got to hear Bruce in the distance. At the quiz itself I won tickets to Crowded House on the 16th of June which are useless to me as I'm already going to Prince the same night, typical. After the quiz, I took a bus into town which was full of people back from the gig. I spoke to a couple of old dears from the North who said he was, without doubt, the best thing they'd ever seen. Appetite well and truly whetted.

Work was, as always, an obstacle to be surmounted on the Friday before I could hit the boozer with the boy Kenny at about 4.30 and eventually Willie and The Coff made it in and off we went to the RDS.Took us a while to get in the door and when we did, it appeared that the bar was closed! Getting over the shock we squeezed in a side door and could see F. all so back outside the main arena, bar open, loaded up on pissy beer, decided at the behest of Kenny to "Do One" outside and then headed in the back. Got a great spot where we could see and hear everything and proceeded to enjoy one of the finest gigs I've seen. The whole thing was a highlight but let me pick out "Murder Incorporated", "Devil's Arcade" and "Glory Days" as being especially good. There is video footage on Willie's phone of me throwing shapes which I'll post when I get it. Suffice to say the famed "Carty Kick" is much in evidence.

Took us a while to get back into town where the night descended into drunken mayhem involving Martinis (!) and Bloody Marys.

Bruce took a break on the Saturday but I didn't. A day full of concoctions of various hues, one highlight was running into E-Street Band member, and ex Stray Gator for Neil Young fans, Nils Lofgren and he was decent enough to say hello and chat. Watched Munster win the Rugby with little interest, saw a bit of the Eurovision which, in this weekend of all weekends, proves finally that there are just two types of Music - Good and Bad, and saw Hatton fight. Ate some Chinese and collapsed into bed.

Sunday, drinking a beer by 11.30, joined the lads, enjoyed a pint or three with Mark Collender, took a very long taxi drive during which I nearly burst for want of urination, more booze, Jason Quinn joined us and back to the same spot in the RDS. Bruce was just as good again but it was marred slightly by the wind which interfered with the sound. That said, any gig where he plays "Badlands", "Because The Night", "The Ties That Bind" and "Glory Days" has to get pretty high marks. More booze, home, bed.

Monday - bad, bad shape.