Live In Dublin

The last time Bruce Springsteen gave up E Street for Folk Street, the band of fiddles, banjos, and accordions--sans audience--was recording 2006's We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions in the informality of his living room. This time the Boss takes his American-music foray to Ireland for a three-night stint on the north quay of Dublin's River Liffey. The 23 songs drawn from those performances cover most of the songs from the Pete Seeger tribute, but venture drastically into Springsteen's popular back catalog ("Atlantic City," "Highway Patrolman," "Blinded By the Light") while delving further into his affinity for multiple styles of music, from folk and blues to gospel and country. "If I Should Fall Behind" plays like a tear-jerking last call in a dimly lit pub. "Open All Night" has been shaped into pure swing, complete with pedal steel and sax. And "Jesse James," with its furious banjo, spectator handclaps, and Springsteen howl, could pass for the Pogues, circa 1985. A simultaneously released DVD uses nine cameras to capture every sweat-beaded highlight, from the tin whistle of "Further Up the Road" to an arena bursting out in a "We Shall Overcome" singalong. --Scott Holter Amazon.com

Exuberant and Joyous!

Alone in a mountain top condo and turned the TV on and there it was....Live from Dublin.
Was I in heaven? The best band I have ever heard was joyously kicking it with Bruce Springsteen fusing Celitc to gospel and Dixieland with banjos,fiddles & accordion and horns to die for.
I cannot remember ever being happier. What a splendid tribute to Americana agrarian music! Five Stars! October 14, 2008

A must for any Springsteen collection!

This is one of the most brilliant Springsteen performances, with a wonderful ensemble and great songs, from classic Springsteen to classic Irish sound. Fantastic! September 10, 2008

A Must-Have for Bruce Devotees

I opted out of seeing Bruce during the Seeger sessions concert tour, but I watched the concert live from Dublin on television and halfway through the show went online to buy this CD. It's fantastic. It opens with a new version of "Atlantic City" that had me tapping my toes. Being from New Jersey and a huge fan of A.C. I love this song and it's a great opener. It's got a few oldies done in a new way ("Blinded by the Light" in particular) but the new stuff is a real treasure find. Bruce is a musical genius and put together an awesome horn section for this tour. It takes a lot to get me tapping the steering wheel and bopping in the car; but this CD is like being at a Bruce concert. My 5 year old granddaugher has added "get out the way Old Dan Tucker" to her pre-school repertoire! May 26, 2008

expanding the heart

Live In Dublin There is a new book of poetry out by Mary Oliver of which two small stanzas from two different poems may help express my reaction to Springsteen,s Dublin Live. First; "Instructions for living a life/Pay attention./Be astonished/Tell about it." His whole career has been absorbed by observing the details of our ordinary lives like putting your mother in the back seat,going down that tunnel of love, waiting for that sunny day or seeing that smile in a young girls eye. His music is the rapture of sharing in this gift, the wonderfull and not so... But when he tells us or better reminds us of this truth in performance thats when its hard to catch your breath and be still the roaring heart. Dublin, the excursion through folk song Americana has got to be one of the best recordings he's ever done. He captures the spirit and blood trilling inspiration of many generations including his own and offers it up like a prayer to our human connection no matter where in the world. As mary oliver's poem Red BIRD begins ; Red bird came all winter/ firing up the landscape/ as nothing else could. April 8, 2008

Nobody can beat the Boss when he is working

What a great album. Obviously by the time they did Dublin the Sessions Band was really cooking. As always, Springsteen surprises us with new versions of old songs in such a way that they seem like new ones altogether. The version of Open All Night on this is remarkable and performed with such energy and vigor that it has to be seen to be believed. Highly recommended to both Springsteen fans and to anyone who just loves to see a great performance. February 5, 2008

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