On the second of two shows on Sunday night, May 29, 2016, of The River Tour’s stop in Dublin, Ireland, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band were joined by the nation’s biggest rock star, Bono of U2. To the delight of the huge crowd in Croke Park, they performed “Because The Night,” the song penned by Springsteen and Patti Smith that was a #13 hit for the latter in 1978.
Bono, born May 10, 1960, had just turned 56. He and The Boss seem to enjoy singing the song together. The Irish singer joined Springsteen and the E Streeters in 2003 in Miami, FL to perform it. The two also sang it with Smith in 2009 at the 25th anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Over the two Dublin gigs Springsteen entertained some 160,000 fans. Also at the show along with Bono were his U2 bandmates the Edge and Larry Mullen. Tickets to see U2 in concert available here.
Read our review of Springsteen and the E Street Band on The River Tour from earlier in 2016.
He also enjoyed some of the social offerings of the Irish capital city while visiting. On Saturday afternoon May 28, Springsteen did as Dubliners do and went ’round to the pub—The Long Hall on St. George’s St.—for a pint. Later that evening he headed to the suburban village of Stillorgan to go bowling at its Leisureplex; when he played Dublin in 2012 Springsteen rented out the entire complex for the enjoyment of his band, crew and entourage.
One more time #Dublin @CrokePark @springsteen . A lot of #brucebuds meeting for the first time. Enjoy pic.twitter.com/KVS538n73w
— Nils Lofgren (@nilslofgren) May 29, 2016
Bono and Bruce seem to have something of a mutual admiration society. The U2 singer gave Springsteen’s induction speech when he became a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. Springsteen won over another fellow superstar on his European tour. At the Rock in Rio show in Lisbon, he loaned his coat to Adele so she could stay warm while watching his show, and she declared him a “gentleman.” Tickets to see the E Street Band are available here and on StubHub.
