Episode 26: Ireland, Part 2

Following up on Episode 25, we continue our conversation about our recent trip to see Bruce Springsteen in Dublin, but first we talk about recording an episode of Set Lusting Bruce with our friend and podcaster, Jesse Jackson (not that Jesse Jackson; the Springsteen podcaster from Dallas). We had a really great time talking to Jesse about some serious stuff (the rising tide of anti-LGBTQIA prejudice in the US and whether it’s the last gasp of a dying ideology) and some very fun stuff (BRUCE!). 

We’ll post a link to Jesse’s podcast when it’s up. In the meantime, check out other episodes of his podcast, including the most recent episode where he talks with Warren Zanes, author of a deep-dive into the Nebraska album called Deliver Me From Nowhere.

We then we go into an extended discussion about the concert, getting there, getting in, getting close to the stage, and … getting wet. But it was a fantastic show and Bruce was in fine form. The set opened with “My Love Will Not Let You Down,” which was the opening number on his reunion tour with the E Street Band in 2000, so it holds a special place in Springsteen lore. From there, he played a fair number of songs from: 

• The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (“Kitty’s Back,” “The E Street Shuffle”); 
• Born to Run (“Born to Run,” “Thunder Road,” “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” “Backstreets,” “She’s the One”); 
• Darkness on the Edge of Town (“The Promised Land,” “Prove it All Night,” “Badlands,” “Something in the Night”); 
• Born in the USA (“No Surrender,” “Glory Days,” “Dancing in the Dark,” “Bobby Jean”); 
• The Rising (“The Rising,” “Mary’s Place”);
• Wrecking Ball (“Wrecking Ball,” “Death to My Hometown”); and 
• Letter to You (“Letter to You,” “Ghosts,” “Last Man Standing,” “I’ll See You in My Dreams”).

He also played “Out in the Street” from The River, “Nightshift” from Only the Strong Survive (his recent collection of soul covers), Jimmy Cliff’s “Trapped,” “Johnny 99” from Nebraska, and “Because the Night” (an all-time favorite). He did not do some of his lesser known songs that resonate with long-timers (“Roulette,” “Held Up Without a Gun,” “Paradise by the ‘C’”), but it was a very solid retrospective of his career. You can actually down the audio of the performance here.

In addition to that, we talk about our time in Dublin, wandering around O’Connell Street, our adventures on public transport, and hiking in the Dublin Mountains, plus our visits to the James Joyce Centre and the Garden of Remembrance and our thoughts on the documentary, Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman, part of which was filmed right across the street from our hotel.

For more on our Ireland trip, the concert, and reflections on modern Ireland, you can listen to this episode of David’s Clash podcast, Two Minutes Fifty-Nine.

So, please enjoy this week’s episode, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, and, as always, support the rights of LGBTQIA people everywhere! And if you’re new here, you can also follow our Twitter account, @itsotetPodcast.

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