Springsteen at the Lane
On July 9 and July 10, 1988, Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band performed in front of over 80,000 fans at a packed out Bramall Lane, which hosted a concert for the first time. Despite the Sheffield United pitch becoming a bit of a ‘mudbath’, the two-day event was hugely successful and became the biggest concert ever held in South Yorkshire.
Excitement for the concert built up hours before its beginning, with fans waiting outside the stadium at 8am – all in anticipation of a 3pm opening. Fans of the band flooded to the stadium from all around the UK to watch the stars on stage, with each paying at least £18 for the all so valuable ticket to the concert. The event ran very smoothly, with very little trouble and police praising the behaviour of the majority of fans. Even fans at the back of a full Bramall Lane could see clearly with the aid of a big screen set up at the side of the stage.
Beginning with the title track of their latest album, Tunnel of Love, Springsteen and the band went on to perform all of their fan favourite songs that got the community bouncing and singing along, including tracks such as The River, Tougher Than The Rest, Cover Me, and Brilliant Disguise. The event ended with a version of the ever-popular Twist and Shout, with the entire concert joining in to give the show the ultimate ending it richly deserved.
Many of the fans at the event were impressed by Bruce’s ability to not only put on a show with the music, but also his ability to entertain and involve the crowd to really make it an unmissable and memorable experience. Each day of the event lasted almost four hours and left the 80,000 visiting fans more than impressed.
Environmental health officers from the council, who were monitoring noise levels of the event, said it was likely the concert exceeded noise levels – but not that many locals seemed too bothered, with many living on the streets nearby seen coming out to listen and capture the music despite not being inside the packed stadium. One fan remembers hearing the songs on the Manor!
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Source: Sheffield Star
