Spending 13 months living in Spain gave us so many new experiences and opportunities. One highlight was seeing Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in Barcelona on April 30, 2023. The show was practically in our backyard at Olympic Stadium.
Getting Tickets
Originally, Springsteen only announced one night in Barcelona, April 28, 2023. Tickets went on sale while Nik and I were visiting Belgium and seeing Mavis Staples in concert. I tried everything I could to get tickets and had no luck. Fast forward a few hours, we were at La Pharmacie Anglaise, a cool cocktail bar when I read that a second show (April 30) got added. Luck was on my side and I got two tickets. I was ecstatic. They weren’t cheap, but YOLO.
The timing of these shows in Barcelona was also perfect because we knew we would be returning to the States sometime in May.
Springsteen at Olympic Stadium
Getting to Olympic Stadium on Montjuïc is not an easy thing to do when there are events. Roads are closed and there are bus detours. While waiting at one bus stop near our apartment, we met a woman who was in town from Germany. We all figured out the bus wasn’t stopping, so the three of us walked to another stop that was packed of people. Then a downpour opened up and the buses passing by were full and not stopping. Eventually we were able to hail a cab and get close to the stadium.
Once we got to the top, there was a long line of people and no one seemed to know why or what to do. I read in some Facebook groups about the first night being a disaster in this case and people missing the first few songs. I wasn’t going to let that happen to us.
Rosie, our new friend, and I decided to go walk and scope things out while Nik stayed in line. Once we started walking, the line was moving and really it was an unofficial line. There was a little bit of a route to follow to get to security check and ticket scanning. People standing in line was not necessary. I called Nik and he met us and we eventually made our way through the checks and into the stadium.
After a slight rain delay, the show started and it was amazing. Springsteen and the E Street Band played for just under three hours.
The setlist on the tour had been pretty standard the whole time so we were pleasantly surprised when the show opened with a performance of “My Love Will Not Let You Down.” We also got a performance of “Trapped.”
Highlights of the show for me included outstanding performances of “Because the Night,” “Badlands” and “Glory Days.” New songs such as “Nightshift,” “Last Man Standing” and “I’ll See You in my Dreams” were also really well done.
Springsteen at Wrigley Field
Since that show in April 2023, I saw Springsteen again twice more in Chicago at Wrigley Field on August 9 and 11.
Bruce and the band were great but the crowds nowhere near as fun as the Barcelona show. So much more talking and less paying attention at the Chicago shows.
