Bruce Springsteen's Cork gig ‘is going to be electric’, says promoter

THE music promoter who is bringing Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band back to Cork this month has told The Echo he can’t wait to see the show.

Peter Aiken said he wouldn’t miss the Thursday, May 16, gig in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh for the world, and he joked that he wouldn’t let it happen without him. “It’s going to be amazing, I can’t wait to bring him back to Cork, the atmosphere is going to be electric,” he said.

“I look up the setlists of all the shows he did in America in the past month, he’s mixing it up a lot and it’s a different setlist from the shows he did in Dublin last year.

“It’s incredible the amount of shows he’s done and the amount of tickets he’s sold, I think he’ll be brilliant in Cork.”

Million fans

By the time Springsteen completes his latest Irish tour in Croke Park on May 19, Mr Aiken reckons he will have played to a million fans on the island of Ireland since his first gig here at Slane in 1985.

Mr Aiken said he didn’t know when the Boss and Co will arrive Leeside, or where they will be staying, but “he definitely will be in Cork for a couple of days anyway”.

Some 40,000 fans are expected in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on May 16.

There will be no support band, and because Springsteen gigs are ‘born to run’ well over three hours, the gig will start at 7pm sharp, with the venue open from 5pm.

With no shuttle bus service, fans are advised to allow plenty of time to get to the venue, because, out of respect for local residents, early queuing and racing in the street are not allowed.

If you are attending, then to paraphrase the man from Jersey, grab your ticket, but not your suitcase, and be sure that thunder is not rolling down the track.

Tickets

Tickets should be checked in advance for entrance and routes, and bags over A4 size will not be allowed in the venue, while checking the weather forecast and dressing appropriately is advised as you may not find yourself in fields where sunlight streams, and no umbrellas will be allowed.

Those attending are asked to download their tickets from their Ticketmaster account to iPhone wallet or Google Pay wallet as screenshots or printouts of digital tickets will not be accepted. A fully charged phone is advised.

Concert-goers are urged to use public transport, as An Garda Siochána will have a traffic management plan in operation, with full details available on www.garda.ie, and there will be no parking in the vicinity of the stadium.

Access

Access to Páirc Uí Chaoimh will be by three routes: with the yellow route on Centre Park Road covering pitch and north stand access; the red route on Monahan Rd for south stand access; and the blue route on Monahan Rd for pitch and south stand access.

Construction works are occurring around Páirc Uí Chaoimh, particularly around the Atlantic Pond and Blackrock end of the stadium, and this may affect travel time.

No U14s will be allowed entry to the standing/pitch area and will only be permitted in seating areas, and all U16s must be accompanied by a person aged 18 or older.