Slane resounds to the real thing

By Joe Breen
AGAINST a backdrop of lavish,
praise and high expectations ,
Bruce Springsteen justified his
reputation on Saturday with a
performance that , while restricted
in its emotional range, was never
less than powerful and convincing.
As this European tour progresses
there is no doubt that the sevenmember E-Street Band and its
leader will get better, but certainly
Sla n e's seemingly final show will
go down in memory as the finest
at the venue.
The setting could not have been
better. The country where his
grandmother was born reserved
some beautiful weather for his
first visit and the atmosphere
among the huge crowd in the
natural amphitheatre was a happy
mixture of good humour and eager
anticipation. As the time for the
scheduled start of the concert
approached the buzz of excitement grew and when he appeared
with his superb band at a few
minutes after five the audience
found its full voice.
Looking fit and healthy, he
launched into the track title of his
most recent and biggest-selling
album, "Born in the USA". While
the title may indicate a flagwavi ng anthem , the song is
actually a bitter statement on
behalf of those Vietnam veterans
who are "10 years burning down
the road, nowhere to run, ain't got
nowhere to go." The song is
typical of Springsteen's concern
for those for whom the American
dream is just that. Like the dirty
realism of the new American
writers, Springsteen attempts to
paint the picture as it is, highlighting the simple dignity of ordinary
people as they struggle through
life. It is something he achieves
remarkably well because he has
maintained contact with his
working-class roots.
That spir
it of strength through
adversity has found echoes in
where
recession has cut
Europe,
deep into the heart of idealised
lifestyles. The jobless insecurity of
"My Home Town" and the "The
River" can apply to people all
over the world not just in
America.
Yet although "The River" was
one of the most acclaimed songs
of the three-hour plus show, it is
the softer, more emotional
material that is going to suffer in
these huge concerts. Springsteen
and his excellent band nave built
their reputation as a superb live
outfit not just on the power of the
material' and their playing of it,
but also on the sense of intimacy
and community they can create in
a concert. Four years ago I saw
him twice in Britain and even
before 20,000 fa n s in Birmingha m
he could bring an eerie silence to
the hall with one of his more
emotional songs.

Bruce Springsteen onstage.
In front of 65,000 people in the
broad daylight of the open air this
is just not possible. The added
distractions of the sound delay *
and the video screens do not help
either though the clever use of the
video cameras and the excellence
of the sound were essential to the
overall- success of the concert.
Basicall y, by playing such huge
venues, Springsteen nas to sacrifice one of the most important
elements of his live performance
— total contact with and control
of his audience.
In compensation he rocks a lot
harder and the show adopts a

much more "up" profile. Invari- been through too much to let it
ably the crowd relates more easily slip away now.
to the . pop songs like "Hungry
Certainly watching him and his
Heart " and "Da ncing In The excellent E-Streeters — in particuDark" than to his more difficult lar the "big man " saxman Clar- •
songs. The subtleties of his ence demons — tear through
onstage personality have also been songs "Badla nds,** and wonderful
curbed and his legendary long and pair, 'Cadillac Ranch" and "Pink
involved song introductions have Cadillac", the rock V roll medbeen shortened and in some cases leys, "Thunder Road" and , of
discarded altogether.
course, "Rosalita", it was clear
It is impossible not to regret that this was a band that loves to
,
this but all things change, and not play, that loves to perform. Anyalways for the better. Certainly body who still believes Bruce'
the demands of his own popularity Springsteen and the E-Street Band
now seriously threaten the unique are a rock 'n' roll hype should
nature of his art. It is an old story, think again. They are the real
but one feels that old Bruce has thing.

An aerial view of the concert on Saturday. — (Photograph : Jack McManus)

Concert
held
without
incident
By Michael Foley
THE peacefulness and good
nature of the crowd which
atte nded Saturday 's Bruce
Springsteen concert at Slane
Castle , Co Meath, has mellowed
slightly local opposition to concerts being held at the venue.
Residents of the little village
opposed the concert because of
the violence before last year's Bob
Dylan concert. Thousands of
pounds worth - of damage was
caused and many gardai injured.
This year due to strict security
and attention to detail the weekend's concert went ahead virtually
without incident. Over 65,000
people attended the event for
which the American rock singer
was. paid a reported £600,000.
Yesterday the' spokesman for
the residents' association , Mr
Gerald Breen, said that while the
committee had not discussed the
concert he. believed the way it had
gone ahead would "have a signifi- •
cant effect on our approach to
further conceits. We sull believe
the village is a little bit on the
small side , but with the magificent
security that was evident on
Saturday it shows a concert can
be held without serious incident."
The factors which made the
concert a success, according to
Mr Breen, were the Garda opera- tion , the lack of overnight
camping and the adherence to the
16 conditions made by the residents. Furthermore, "sunshine
and Springsteen go together".
Chief Superintendent Michael
Bohan said the good behaviour of
the crowd "showed to the world
that the Irish can organise a rock
concert which can accommodate
thousands of fans without incident". "There were few arrests
and the crowd were "exceptionally" well behaved. There were
only two cases of malicious
da m age , both to cars and some
minor thefts. Only three people
were arrested for drunkenness.
One man was taken in for questioning after gardai seized forged
tickets and another was held for
possession of heroin.
However, despite warnings from
both the concert organisers, Mr
Jim Aiken and Lord Henry
Mountcharles, and the gardai, that
no one was to turn up without
tickets, a number were sold outside the gates. A spokesman for
the organisers said this had been
done as a precaution so as to stop
trouble if people did turn up.
Touts were also selling rickets —
at only a little above the face
value of £15. There were reports
of fans gaining admittance on
forged tickets.
One hundred members of the St
Joh n's Ambulance Brigade dealt
with 400 cases. Mr Sean McGrath,
of the brigade, said most of these
had been minor accidents ,
fainting, sun burn and cuts and
bruises; 35 people were taken to
hospital.
Many people had to be lifted
from the area just in front of the
giant stage, because the crowds
were pushing forward. At one,
stage, Springsteen appealed to
people to move back.
Some difficulties were experienced getting out. Fans also found
the walk from the Slane road ,
along a path in the woods, a little
frightening with so many people
crammed into such a small area.
This route was chosen so as to bypass the village, so reducing the
risk of any damage being done.
The lack of serious incidents
was due, in large measure, to the
Getting into the spirit of the day. — (Photograph: Terry Thorp)
detailed Garda operation.

Gay Byrne and the Fianna Fail press secretary, Mr P. J. Mara, at the concert.

Fine Gael TDs Mr Michael
Keating, Mr Liam Skelly and
Ms Monica Barnes enjoying
the music.

Photographs, except
where stated , by
MATT
KAVANAGH,

One of the fans in distress is helped away from the fro nt of the stage.

Dancing in the light.

The British rock star, Elvis Costello, and the RTE perso nality, B. P. Fallon.