Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Land of Hope and Dreams Tour’ kicks off in Manchester and I’m lucky enough to have a ticket.
So, I queue up with the other concert goers, who, despite being of a certain age, seem reluctant to relinquish their youth. No blue rinses, sensible tweeds or hush puppies for them. Bandanas are out in force amidst an abundance of bald heads and white hair. Denim is stretched tight over dodgy knees and ankle supports. And the place is awash with drugs – blood pressure tablets, cholesterol lowering pills and acid reflux lozenges.
But gaining admission to the Arena proves exhausting in itself. The mental and physical dexterity needed to engage with digital tickets is beyond the capacity of several tech-challenged oldies. Body scanners beep overtime at the multitude of hip replacements. And, once inside, the ability to scan bar-coded burgers means the difference between eating or not.
But at least this sea of sixty-year-olds ‘does not go gentle into that good night.’ The ‘White cliffs of Dover’ will never make their play list, for they are born to run and dance in the dark. And when specs have been put on to find seats and discreet hearing aids adjusted to minimise the bass, then the audience is ready to welcome ‘The Boss’ to the stage.
And what a performer Springsteen is! He may be a grandad, but he’s definitely got a gym subscription. I’d like to believe that inside his funky red shoes are comfy orthotics, and that his rock’n’roll, leather bands conceal arthritic wrist aids. But whatever vitamin supplements that sexy senior is taking, they definitely do the job!
He owns the stage and works the crowd. The mosh pit, where all the under forties have been corralled, goes wild. Because everyone has a hungry heart for his music, his lyrics and, most of all, his energy. He not only sings, but plays guitar and harmonica and his passion for his message shines through.
As the songs keep coming and the fans keep singing, I realise that Bruce has been the soundtrack of my life for the last forty years – so many hits over so many decades! And as he works his magic, a subtle change takes place. Wrinkles unravel, muscles untense, aches are forgotten and the audience is transported by the music to a timeless zone, where the message in the lyrics is what truly inspires and uplifts. It reminds us that, whatever our age, we can all make a difference. Mother earth is our home town and our city may currently be in ruins but, even if it’s a long walk home, we can all rise up.
And so, we do. Fists thumping into the air, we harness the power of a youth forgotten. We are only as old as our energy, not our age, and tonight belongs to love in this land of hope and dreams!
