Yes, it was a great night

I really enjoyed yesterday's concert with Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band. I liked the energy, the happiness on stage, the enthusiastic versions of all these old songs, and some of Bruce's old songs as well (like "Open all night").

But most of all I hope this was an eye-opener for quite a few people. The history of American folk music is a very deep well, full of good music and political consciousness. To hear some 8 000 Swedish people scream: "Pay me my money down -- pay me or go to jail -- pay me my money down" was fantastic. Even though not everyone in the audience was aware that they were singing a protest song of black stevedores in Georgia and South Carolina.

Also, to hear Bruce criticize George W. Bush always feels appropriate if you have your heart to the left of center. "We have hard days in the USA", Bruce said.

Everything was not perfect though. I thought that some of the songs carried on too long, and a few versions of the old Bruce-songs were not that exciting ("You can look but you better not touch", for example). And he did not surprise us with an unexpected version of, for example, "Working on the highway" or "Tougher than the rest".

But it an all it was a superb, fun night with political music from the US of A. Since I have liked both Bruce Springsteen and American lefty folk music for quite a few years, this was a night when a few parallel worlds collided: politics, rock'n'roll and folk music. And I'm always happy when things I like make sense and fit together.

[Reviews of the show: Aftonbladet, Expressen, SvD, DN.]