The Boss Bruce Springsteen delivers hit-filled set list at Sydney concert

HE’S a superstar of the music industry, but Bruce Springsteen has one major obstacle to overcome with every concert he plays, including last night in Sydney.

IT HAS gotta be tough to be Bruce Springsteen.

All those hundreds of songs to choose from with almost 18,000 fans at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on Tuesday all willing him to play their favourite.

Somehow, The Boss and his ever-faithful E Street Band managed to please everyone, uniting the disparate crowd in the pure joy of music played with genuine affection and boundless energy.

Springsteen was greeted on stage just before 8pm by the signature “Bruuuuce” and kept the audience happily engaged for the next few hours.

The E Street Band helped out The Boss. Picture: Getty

He started proceedings in a vastly different fashion than his previous two tours over the past few years.

Wearing his current uniform of red and black checked shirt and black jeans, he went orchestral.

A local, all-female string section joined the band for an epic rendition of New York City Serenade.

After shaking the hand of each violinist as they left the stage, it was on with The Boss show, matchfit after making its way from Perth, through Adelaide and Melbourne.

The nod to his fractured home in American Land, the unity of The Ties That Bind, the defiance of No Surrender and the whoa whoa friendly Out On The Street.

Bruce Springsteen performs onstage with the The E Street Band at Qudos Bank Arena. Picture: Getty

Watching, dancing and rocking out among the local fans were Today host Lisa Wilkinson, football boss David Gallop and members of Midnight Oil.

Their attendance would further fuel the rumours that Springsteen’s Australian tour promoter Michael Gudinski has a hand in The Oils reunion gigs this year which are expected to be announced soon.

The first sign request to be honoured was My Love Will Not Let You Down, which obviously thrilled the fans who wanted it but perhaps not the majority of the audience.

Lisa Wilkinson attended the Sydney concert. Picture: Getty

David Gallop of the Football Federation Australia is a Bruce Springsteen fan. Picture: Getty

And then he hit Hungry Heart, the audience sang the first verse in unison, The Boss went for his customary stroll, slapping outstretched hands and then placed his trust in the strength of their arms with his crowd surf across the moshpit back to the stage.

Hearts and voices soared; it doesn’t matter if it is the first or 21st time you’ve seen him execute that moment, memories are always made.

The sign request of Long Tall Sally reminded you Springsteen was inspired to follow his musical dream by the explosion of rock’n’roll during his childhood.

And how he loves to play it.

“We’re gonna have some fun tonight,” he sang, his face split into a wide grin.

Bruce Springsteen performs to an eager crowd at Qudos Bank Arena tonight. Picture: Supplied

His greatest power remains when he unleashes those stirring, Americana anthems, from the recent addition to the canon of Wrecking Ball through to the heartbreaking American Skin (41 Shots), inspired by the killing of black youths by US police.

One of the big goosebump-inducing moments of the night came when he sang I’m On Fire, one of his most enduring love songs as evidenced by the crowd singalong.

And from there it was a rich vein of musical gold — The Rising, Badlands, Thunder Road, Jungleland, Born To Run, Dancing In The Dark, Tenth Avenue Freeze Out.

And I got my favourite, Because The Night, a song which doesn’t make many of his wildly varied setlists but is always uproariously welcomed when it does.

Originally published as The Boss Bruce Springsteen delivers hit-filled set list at Sydney concert