On May 12, 2024, Bruce Springsteen turned his Kilkenny concert at Nowlan Park into an unforgettable night of music, memory, and a little mischief. With the E Street Band by his side, the Boss not only rocked the stadium but also paid a touching tribute to the late Pogues frontman, Shane MacGowan.
Before the full show even began, fans who arrived early were treated to a surprise — Springsteen walked out alone and delivered a rare acoustic version of “This Hard Land.” It set the tone for a night that would balance high energy with deep emotion.
The most moving moment came when Springsteen and the band performed “A Rainy Night in Soho,” one of The Pogues’ most beloved songs. It was the first time Bruce had ever sung it in concert, and as thousands of voices joined him, the atmosphere turned reverent. Shane’s widow, Victoria Mary Clarke, later shared her gratitude on social media, writing: “Thank you @springsteen for your beautiful tribute to @ShaneMacGowan.” The Pogues themselves echoed the sentiment, posting simply, “Lovely tribute to our boss.”
But it wasn’t all tears—Springsteen reminded fans that rock and roll is also about joy and unpredictability. During “Spirit in the Night,” he jumped into the crowd, only to find himself stuck behind a barricade. Grinning, he joked: “I think I’m stuck in here. How the f— am I gonna get back?” With a little help from security (and plenty of laughter from the crowd), he was hoisted back onstage. Ever the showman, he shrugged it off with a grin: “Didn’t need any help. That was fine. Now, where were we?”
Springsteen’s connection to MacGowan runs deep. Just last year, while touring Ireland, he personally visited Shane during his illness. And when MacGowan passed away in November 2023 at age 65, Bruce penned a heartfelt tribute, calling him “one of my all-time favorite writers” and declaring that his music is “timeless and eternal.”
In Kilkenny, those words came alive. It wasn’t just a concert—it was a night where love, loss, laughter, and music all came together. A night that proved Shane MacGowan’s spirit will live on in song, and that Bruce Springsteen, at 74, still knows how to turn a show into something unforgettable.
Leave a Reply