In the 1960s and seventies everything was political, starting with music. Today nothing, perhaps, is political. Or we delude ourselves that it is, lost as we are between an infinite scrolling on social media, mass desertion of the polls and ended up dialogue with chatgpt on existential issues.
Then he comes, Bruce Springsteen, and in a three -hour rhyme concert in the boiling basin of San Siro All sold out – a penultimate stage of the European tour that closes Thursday, always in Milan – puts politics in the center. Attacker Donald Trumpof course, but not only.
Sing and try to relaunch politics as hope for the future, as a sacred land of rights, as respect for the weakest, As a voice of those who have no voice, as the continuation of the (American) dream with the perfectible weapons, of the debate, democracy, freedom of criticism and not of the performance of ferocity and the ostentation of money.
On an essential stage, with the American and Italian flags hoisted at the top, the boss does not need phantasmagoric shows, special effects, fireworks, dancers and sequins, His vest, guitar and scratchy voice are enough to drag the almost sixty thousand of San Siro Where white hair is a very folled representation.
Yes, because among other things – and sorry if it is little – Bruce Springsteen has this extraordinary ability that many leaders no longer have: to combine generations. Parents and children, grandparents, uncles and grandchildren. The boomers and the generation Z, Who grew up to eaten and who with YouTube and Tiktok. Next to me there was a 3 year old boy who enjoyed himself despite the headphones. A little further below, a couple of grandparents had a ten month old baby in his arms, also with a lot of headphones. Because in Bruce Springsteen’s concerts you have to immerse yourself from infants to feel the atmosphere, savor the taste, say “I was there”.
Ready, away and when it hasn’t fallen yet, we start with the epic rock and pulled of No surrender And My Love Will Not Let You Downtwo almost twin songs of the era Born in the USA When the boss duel and argued with Ronald Reagan That he tried to hire him not understanding that that song told a America other than the hedonist of the eighties.
On stage there is also Stevie Van Zandtin a strong doubt after the appendicite operation to which he was subjected about ten days ago in Spain, who forced him to jump two dates in Germany. The pirate is there, keeps up, even if with less duets shoulder shoulder to which he had accustomed us.
An almost obliged start because iThe return of the boss to San Siro also coincides with the fortieth anniversary of the first, memorable concert in Italy, That of June 21, 1985, always here in San Siro. A concert that has become an identity brand, a reason for pride, the seal of belonging for an entire generation that was able to say “I was there” and transmitted the fire to the children and children of the children.
Then, before Land of Hope and Dreams Bruce like every stage of this tour turns to the crowd with clear, simple but weighted words: «My house, the America I love, the America I wrote of, which was a lighthouse of hope and freedom for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and traitor administration “. Other than sorceress, the boss sings America “land of hope and dreams”, as the title of the tour and the homonymous song.
To all Bruce asks to “make his voice heard against authoritarianism”. And away with the classic One Two Three Four while the And street band He sinks the blow again. Now it’s the turn of Rainmaker, song born at the time of Bush son, and dedicated to today’s “dear American leader”. The text, subtitled in Italian as for other songs whose words make the story, is another attack on Trump painted as a snake enchanting, one who promises the rain (said: peace) to save the crops, a leader halfway between magic and demagogy.
Fan listen, they sing more than to resume obsessively with smartphones. “Now things are happening that alter the true nature of the democracy of our countries and are too important to be ignored,” says the boss, «In America, my house, they are persecuting the people who exercise freedom of speech and give voice to their dissent. This is happening now. The richest men find satisfaction in abandoning the poorest children in the world to illness and death. In my country they are satisfied in a sadistic way of the pain inflicted on honest American workers ».
A rally? No, because there is always rock and roll to keep dream and invective together, story and hope, past, present and future.
Bruce Springsteen, in spite of his 75 years, runs along the stage, approaches the fans of the first rows, to one gives his harmonica, to another autographed the shirt. He enjoys, drags and enchants, by once again, his detractors who say that he has not invented anything and that we accuse us Springsteenian of being a sect of boomer devoted to the acritical cult of the personality of an honest remainder of the American tradition. Here, they did not understand the essence of the boss. And maybe not even rock.
«In Dublin, in Ireland, I knew what he was talking about. Here is one who had Brando, Dylan and Elvis inside him. A John Steinbeck singing, a Van Morrison on a Harley-Davidson, but it was also something new. It was the anticipation of Scorsese, the first starting point for Patti Smith, Elvis Costello and Clash, “he said about him Bono Voxthe leader of U2.
Before intoning My City of Ruins He tells his fans that no, he didn’t make a mistake, and they didn’t be wrong as many as they believed in the American dream: “The America I have sung for you for about 50 years is real regardless of all its defects: it is an incredible country with incredible people. We will survive at this moment “, he marks,” I have hope because I believe in the truth set out by the great American writer James Baldwin: “In these world there is not all the humanity that you would like to exist, but there is enough”».
Dust off Long Walk Homea song written to express dissent for the former American president George W. Bush and his amazement for the fact that friends and neighbors could have voted for him. Before singing it, the boss explained that “this is a prayer for my country”. And before I intone in the solo House of a Thousand Guitars has made an appeal “To the shared values of democracy, the only possible weapon against authoritarianism”.
Now the hot night of San Siro becomes intimate with the desire to I’m on firewho was not in the lineup. And as was not enough, the boss square Because the night With the usual solo of Nils Lofgren.
The hymn arrive Badlands To blow San Siro, one Born in the USA which can no longer be more misunderstood. The stadium lights up for the open work which is the sum of the Springsteenian poetics (and also its favorite song): Born to Run.
Bobby Jean Celebrate the friendship once again, Dancing in the Dark It recalls the eighties and the first time of Springsteen in this stadium where he came nine times. The epilogue are two covers of Twist and Shout To bring out the latest energies (but fans would go on three hours) and PoThe chimes of freedom by Bob Dylan, a gem of the Springsteen 2025 and the perfect conclusion of the concert, with the pupil who sings the master’s words on “Bells of freedom that light up for the ranks of confused, mistreated and disillusioned”.
The rock and roll is not over, the American dream either, even if we don’t feel so much well.
