Bruce Springsteen Berlin 2025: Concert Review & Video Highlights
Bruce Springsteen came to Berlin with a message. What began as a powerful, almost troubled performance soon transformed into a celebration — and a reminder of just how brilliant the E Street Band still is.
In 1988, Bruce Springsteen performed in what was then East Berlin. Invited by the FDJ, the East German youth organisation, he took to the stage at the Weißensee cycling track in front of an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 people — far more than the 160,000 tickets originally issued. It was billed as a concert in solidarity with Nicaragua, but Bruce was careful to remain apolitical. Speaking in German, he told the crowd:
“I’m not here to represent or support any government. I’ve come to play rock and roll in the hope that one day all the barriers will be torn down.”
Roll forward to 2025, and Bruce is back in Berlin — but this time, it’s political.
Since the opening nights of this European leg in Manchester, Springsteen has been vocal about his disillusionment with the current state of American politics. On stage, he hasn’t held back, taking aim directly at the US president and what he calls “his enablers.” If 1988 was a message of cautious hope, 2025 feels more like a warning bell.
For almost two hours, Bruce’s attention seemed firmly fixed on the troubles at home. This wasn’t a nostalgic greatest hits show — it was a statement. The setlist reflected that mood: Ghosts, Land of Hope and Dreams, Death to My Hometown, Rainmaker. The tone was intense and introspective, with very few lighter moments.
That’s not to say it wasn’t brilliant. These were powerful performances — tight, impassioned, and deeply felt. Hungry Heart gave the crowd something to shout back, The River was beautifully delivered, and Because the Night absolutely soared. But even these were paired with harder-edged songs like Murder Incorporated, Long Walk Home, and House of a Thousand Guitars. By the time we reached the two-hour mark, it felt like we’d been holding our breath.
And then, the gear change.
Badlands exploded with urgency. Thunder Road followed, and suddenly the tension gave way to joy. There was no encore pause — just Bruce walking to the back of the stage and returning with Born in the U.S.A. and Born to Run. Then came the real celebration: Seven Nights to Rock — a rollicking tour debut from Moon Mullican — followed by Bobby Jean, Dancing in the Dark, and Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.
Twist and Shout would have been the perfect ending — and we got it, in all its stomping, joyful brilliance. But Bruce had one more message to deliver. He closed with Bob Dylan’s Chimes of Freedom, dedicating it in German to “die Fans aus Ost-Berlin, 1988.” As we made our way out into the Berlin night, This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie played through the stadium speakers — a final reminder of everything this night had meant.
From where we sat — just above the pitch, off to the side of the stage — we had a perfect view of the performance. What really struck me was the way Bruce moved down to the front of the crowd, over and over again. This is clearly part of his show, part of who he is, but seeing it in person was something else entirely. Hugging fans, reading their signs, handing guitar picks to kids, climbing up on the barrier with a grin — the connection was real, and the showmanship was fantastic.
This wasn’t just a concert. It was deep, powerful, and moving in a way few shows ever are. For someone who came late to the Springsteen party — I only really discovered him in the last decade — I thought I’d missed the legendary performances. But I hadn’t. On one hot Berlin evening, Bruce was on fire.
It made for a striking contrast to Robbie Williams’ performance in Bath later that same week — where the focus was on pure entertainment and playful showmanship. Two incredible artists, two unforgettable nights, but worlds apart in tone.
You’ve just seen the legendary E Street Band!