Fourth of July - Independence Day

Hello, and Happy Independence Day to those of you who are celebrating the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.  Today I am going to share with you my own 4th July story: it was 1985 and I need no prompt or prop to recall that day as it is burnt into my memory.

 

I went to Wembley Stadium to watch Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band in concert.  I was twenty years old and, suffused with the memory of youth, friendship, optimism and summertime, it was the best concert I have ever been to. 

 

It was a hot, sunny day and I made my way there alone on the train to meet college friends who were travelling in from different parts of the home counties.  I was running a little late but I didn't think it mattered because in my experience, concerts never began at the stated time.  I was wrong: as I came out of the underground station and began walking up to the stadium I could hear The Boss singing Independence Day - well, what else would he open with on 4th July?  I hurried.

 

He was amazing.  The concert began at 6pm and ran for over four hours, finishing after the best version of Twist And Shout I have ever heard - it lasted for twenty minutes, he called and we responded, all 72,000 of us.  People edged towards the exits but nobody actually left because we were all under his spell.  For more than for hours he leapt and bounded across the stage, full of energy, making sure we got our money's worth, all £14.50 of it.  He was amazing.

 

See you soon.

 

Love, Mrs Tiggywinkle x