Jon Landau cemented his place in the pantheon of music criticism with his oft-quoted “future of rock and roll” review of an early Bruce Springsteen concert. In that review he said of Springsteen: “On a night when I needed to feel young, he made me feel like I was hearing music for the very first time”.
Well, after eighteen months of what could only be described with an optimist’s generosity as tumultuous, it is safe to say that we all need to feel young again.
This past Saturday (25th October) I found myself in London’s East End with other Springsteen fanatics, all gathered together for The Boss’s 72nd birthday, at the first “live action” Hungry Heart event since COVID struck. I can say with total sincerity and utter conviction that the night had a galvanising effect on all in attendance; the multi-generational crowd had their youth reaffirmed, or else were transported back to those days for just one night.
Hannah and Jon (Hungry Heart’s tireless organisers) pulled out all the stops. With a Springsteen photo-booth, big screen footage from classic concerts, a light show, and cheap drinks (£5 a pint is unheard of in London!), the feeling that something special was occurring was almost overwhelming. Yes, we were there ostensibly to celebrate Springsteen’s birthday, but we were also celebrating each other. The mood was one of complete unification, so much so that my friend kept repeating to me throughout the night: “This is so cool. Everyone’s here for the same reason!” He was right. It felt like there were no strangers to be found.
The Oval Space in Hackney was a fantastic venue for this type of event. Easily accessible and spacious without losing the feeling of a shared experience, the place was comfortably crowded, with areas for sitting or catching a breather, as well as dancing shoulder-to-shoulder with other excited fans.
Although Hannah and Jon have entertained and guided us through lockdown with many live streams on their Twitch channel, there is nothing like being there in person. Armed only with a confetti cannon and seven hours of Springsteen’s best music, Hungry Heart gave everyone who attended a reason to believe.
Talk About A Dream 