Hard Rock Calling is probably one of my favourite festivals – not that I go to many. Of the festivals in the UK it’s the one that is a closer match to my musical taste (as eclectic as that taste is), with the added bonus that it’s in Hyde Park in the middle of London so its easy to get to and doesn’t require camping in a muddy field.
I attended Hard Rock Calling in 2009 when Bruce Springsteen was headlining and it was without exception the greatest concert I’ve ever been to and probably one of the greatest events of my life, musical or otherwise. Hell, I have Bruce’s performance on Blu-ray and break it out every now and then when I feel like exercising my sound system.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are hands down the best live performers in the world today. I’ve not seen to a concert with half the energy and passion that those guys put out for three hours straight, barely even stopping for a breath between songs. It’s exhausting enough watching it at home on disc, I don’t know how they do it, especially since Bruce is a ripe 63 years old.
Last weekend, Bruce was back at Hard Rock playing the Saturday. As an added bonus, Paul Simon was playing the Sunday, on his Graceland reunion tour. How could we turn that down?
