And arrive he did, last, but by no means least; The Boss took the Main Stage at Hyde Park Calling 2009. Let me make that London Calling as Bruce Springsteen and his E-Street Band launched their set with a stonking rendition of the 1969 Clash hit. Stately in beat but unmistakably punk in message and tone, this was the perfect opener for the 45,000 strong, mostly local crowd As the opener gave way to rapturous applause and a seamless transition into Badlands, the stage was set for what promised to be one of the Boss’ best performances to date.

Flanked on each side by the menacing black bandanas of Steve Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren, Springsteen’s mood was visibly euphoric and the band bristling with energy, despite having headlined the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury less than 24 hours earlier. “The E-Street Band have travelled thousands of miles to fulfil one solemn vow – to rock the house” preached the Boss.

The set showcased a fantastic cross section of the legend’s back catalogue including his first hit Rosalita, Youngstown from the Ghost of Tom Joad album, rarities such as Seeds and Trapped before bringing us bang up to date with amazing renditions of Outlaw Pete and Working on a Dream. Bobby Jean kicked off a round of requests from the audience and Bruce didn’t disappoint with his trademark collection of signs and scraps of paper from the front rows, showing each one to the band before tearing into some of the fans favourites.



In a reciprocal gesture of musical kindness, Springsteen was joined on stage by The Gaslight Anthem’s lead singer Brian Fallon for a rendition of No Surrender which surely must hint at some future collaboration between the two. Continuing the high spirits, a version of Waitin' On a Sunny Day was nailed as the sun shone and the entire crowd’s arms continued to wave.

As the light faded over London and the pink hue of sunset outlined the clouds, The Boss was still going strong and showed no signs of stopping with what, to my mind, was his best ever rendition of the iconic Jungleland. He even made light of the fact he tripped up the stairs by demanding that next time he would need an elevator on stage!

The set was almost three hours long and the encore came to its zenith with rousing versions of Glory Days and Dancing In The Dark – proving that he is not only a working class hero but that Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street band are one of the most enduring and hardest working acts around today – it really was a privilege and a treat for all who were there.