I arrived in Barcelona last Thursday and settled in a room at the youth hostel Pere Tarrés that I shared with seven other women.
Later that afternoon I went over to Camp Nou, which was just 15 minutes walk from the hostel, to check out the arena. I looked at the gates and found the place for the line for the pit, but there was really nobody there. Then I went inside, walked around a bit, bought a t-shirt in the FC Barcelona souvenir shop and strolled back. I spent some time at a café, drinking ice coffee and planning what to do the next day.
On Friday I managed to get me a ticket to the Saturday show. A spanish guy that i met in line last year, helped me, his cousin sold me a seat, and that made me very happy! 😀
La Padrera, a building created by Gaudí.
I walked around town, despite my sinus infection I felt strong enough to do it and I spent most of the day strolling about. I visited the Casa Batlló, one of the houses the famous architecht Antoni Gaudí created. It was very beautiful. I had hoped to visit La Pedrera, another Gaudà building, but there was to much people in the line. Then I walked over to La Sagrada Familia, which was also crowded, but I walked around it and it’s a very spectacular church.
Later that evening I visited some friends who were in line at Camp Nou and sold one extra ticket I had. When I came back to the hostel, a dutch woman had moved in. She was also in Barcelona for Springsteen, we shared memories, talked about the shows we’d seen during the European leg and amused our australian room mate with our “nerdiness”.
La Sagrada Familia isn’t finished yet.
On Saturday I spent the day walking at Las Rramblas and in the old town, sightseeing and shopping. In the evening I picked up my ticket and went to the arena. Camp Nou is huge and the best thing with the show was the Spanish audience. they were on their feet, singing, dancing and enjoying every moment. I’ve never seen any crowdbe so into a show! The setlist was fairly standard, not as playful as in Scandinavia and Finland. The highlights for me was Brilliant Disguise, Tunnel of Love and The River. The encores with Glory Days and Twist and Shout was also incredible good. During Glory Days all the people on the field were jumping and the people in the stands was clapping and cheering almost in a frenzy. What a crowd! 😀
I was glad I had a seat the first night, though I felt better, my illness got the better out of me and I was very tired afterwards. The spaniards do smoke a lot and that’s not nice if you’re sick, I was coughing a great deal because of their poison sticks. After the show I talked with my dutch room mate and a Belgian women that we met in the lobby about the concert. It was great fun!
For the last show I had a GA ticket, so on Sunday I got up at nine, had breakfast and went over to Camp Nou about 10.30. I got number 904 and was told that the next roll call would be at noon. I met swedish friends, talked with them and just hung out. At noon they were trying to get people to stand in number order, apparently a very difficult thing since it took hours to arrange. But when it was our turn we also got our wristbands and at two o’clock we were done. Me and a finnish guy went for lunch, had some ice cream and got back by four. People had lined up, and we found us a spot in the line where number order was something long time forgotten.
Casa Batlló is a beautiful house.
At six the gates opened, we walked calmly inside and got ourselves spots in the back of the pit, sitting against the fence and resting. We chatted with some dutch people and a lovely welsh couple.
The show begun with a very powerful 10th Avenue Freeze-Out, the crowd was roaring and the band was just electrified. One of the best openers I’ve seen! My favorites was Spirit in the Night, Light of Day, Tougher Than the Rest, Youngstown and Murder Incorporated. I’m Going Down was also a real treat as was the Detroit Medley, Rosalita and Twist and Shout that closed the show.
The trip to Spain was lovely, but being ill affects your capacity to appreciate a show very much. I wasn’t feeling very well and at the end I didn’t have the strenght to do much more than listen. That was a pity, but I’m glad I went to Barcelona anyway.
