This is so good on so many levels.
As you may have heard, concert promoter Live Nation pulled the plug on a July 14 Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band concert in Hyde Park, London while they were performing “Twist & Shout” with Sir Paul McCartney. (Have they no respect for the nobility?)
Local officials—from the Westminster Council to the British Health & Safety Executive, to the London Mayor Boris Johnson—quickly disclaimed any responsibility for Live Nation’s actions.
The band’s next concert was last night, in Dublin. For those who can’t see the video, after walking on stage Springsteen and guitarist Steve Van Zandt flipped a giant “electrical switch” (conveniently placed front and center) from OFF to ON. Then Springsteen strolled to his mic, said “Before we were so rudely interrupted…”, and—to the delight of the audience—kicked into a closing chorus of “Twist & Shout” before jumping immediately to the Clash’s “I Fought The Law” to kick off a concert that lasted 3 1/2 hours.
Ridiculing the powers that be never gets old.
(Full reviews of the concert from an Irish and an American perspective.)
Crossposted at: http://masscommons.wordpress.com/
