It's been said there are only two kinds of people in the world: Those who like Bruce Springsteen and those who've never seen him perform live. Springsteen's been one of the greatest of rock and roll performers for nearly 40 years, and has been said to be one of rock's "last true believers." Live in Dublin captures the end of his 2006 tour with The Seeger Sessions Band, with whom he recorded last year's album of folk standards, and while his concerts have always had a strong element of fun in them, his music has never sounded as joyous.Backed by a band even bigger than his fabled E Street Band, Springsteen recasts many of his own tunes in a Cajun folky flavor, and the results are great: "Open All Night" (this is the first live version ever released) swings like you never thought it could; "Further On (Up The Road)," a rocker from his 2002 album The Rising, has a playfulness never even hinted at before; and "Long Time Coming," an acoustic number on 2005's Devils and Dust, gains from the polished ensemble behind him. Springsteen wrote an original on the tour, "American Land," which is among his finest songs of the last 20 years. It's the history of American immigration for the past 100 years, condensed into four minutes and change.
But it's the old standards which are the stand-outs here. Springsteen
manages to simultaneously pay homage to his roots (musical, political and personal) while breaking new musical ground -- not a small feat for someone who has been at this since Nixon was president. "O Mary Don't You Weep" showcases the band at its most cohesive and most fun. Damned if you don't find yourself swinging your arms and dancing to a song about Moses parting the Red Sea and Pharaoh's army getting drowned. "Eyes on the Prize" is every bit as soulful as one would expect. "Jacob's Ladder" is a show-stopper and a declaration of purpose for this band and this tour.Some songs here weren't included on the We Shall Overcome album, and it's good news for us that Springsteen has expanded the repertoire. "This Little Light of Mine" - which many know as a children's song - is a rocking show-closer, every bit as powerful as "Rosalita" ever was. "When the Saints Go Marching In" is recast as a prayer, in a slow, solemn take.
Even a more obscure song like "Love of the Common People" will stay with you for days after you hear it.Don't let the joyous sounds fool you though - this is no light-hearted affair. Springsteen's politics are front and center as always, and the passion he pours into these songs show how serious he is. "Mrs. McGrath" is an age-old protest of war mongering, "Eyes on the Prize" intentionally recalls the Civil Rights movement, "American Land" speaks to how the USA treats its immigrants, and Springsteen's updated version of "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live" is an indictment of the Bush administration and its attitude toward the role of government, which caused its failures following Hurricane Katrina.
The show is available as a DVD, a double audio CD, a Blu-Ray disc, and in a CD-DVD combo. The audio quality of the CD is great, but the multi-channel sound on the DVD is the way to go. (Springsteen hasn't yet followed Neil Young's example and put out just one package with everything in it.)
The DVD video has less of the annoying quick cuts that plagued his Live in Barcelona release (and which destroyed Paul McCartney's Back in the U.S. film). The video has sufficient close-ups and wider band shots to make you feel you were at the show, from the front row to the back of the theater.There is also a PBS donation bonus audio CD that is worth tracking down for the Sessions Band's version of "My City of Ruins." It also includes great versions of "The Ghost of Tom Joad," "For You," "Johnny 99," and what surely must be Springsteen's favorite concert song (because he never stops playing it) "Bobby Jean. "
Live in Dublin is a great document of a unique period in Springsteen's career. You won't find audience members pumping their fists or wearing any stupid bandannas, and you won't hear these songs on the ever-increasingly lame rock radio, but you will be moved to your feet by a man and a band that bring out the best in our collective histories.
