Bruce Springsteen opens Toronto show with rallying cry ‘For My Country,’ then lets the music do the talking

On Wednesday night, Bruce Springsteen finally took the stage at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena, over an hour late. He apologized to the audience, explaining there was a problem with his plane. But once he started, it was clear the wait was worth it.

Before singing his song "Long Walk Home," Springsteen said, “This is a fighting prayer for my country.” His words set the tone, and he performed with so much energy. After "Long Walk Home," he sang "Land of Hope and Dreams," another song full of meaning.

These two songs are very important to Springsteen. "Long Walk Home" was written about tough times in America, and "Land of Hope and Dreams" is about hope for the future. 

The night before the 2024 U.S. election, these songs had even more meaning. Springsteen didn’t talk much about the election, but the songs he chose spoke for him.

Springsteen’s setlist was full of strong emotions. His music, including songs like "Candy’s Room" and "Adam Raised a Cain," showed anger and frustration. These songs are about tough times in life, and Springsteen played them with lots of energy. His guitar was loud and raw, and you could feel the emotion in every note.

Springsteen also sang some songs from his 2002 album The Rising, which was written after the 9/11 attacks. "Lonesome Day" has been a part of his shows since 2023, and it sounded different that night. The line, "The joke's on me, but it's gonna be okay," took on new meaning. Fans seemed to find comfort in the message of hope.

Another special moment was when Springsteen performed "Waiting on a Sunny Day." This song is usually played when it’s raining, but he sang it anyway. The song’s message of hope, "Don’t worry, we’re gonna find a way," was just what the audience needed.

Throughout the night, Springsteen mixed songs from his whole career. The themes of life, aging, and struggle were clear in the music. Even new songs from Letter to You fit well with old favorites. He performed "Reason to Believe" with a fun, bluesy twist, getting the crowd involved in a call-and-response.

One of the sweetest moments of the night happened when a couple held up a sign asking for the song "Better Days." This song from his 1992 album Lucky Town is about finding hope in tough times. Springsteen played it for them, and they were thrilled.

Later in the show, a fan handed Springsteen a Santa hat, leading to a surprise performance of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." It wasn’t the first time Springsteen had sung this holiday song, but it added a fun moment to the evening.

Not everything went perfectly, though. During "Hungry Heart," Springsteen noticed people pointing at someone in the crowd. It turned out to be former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a big Springsteen fan. Even though the crowd was excited to see him, Springsteen didn’t mention him. Christie left the show before it ended, and his presence felt strange because of Springsteen’s strong political beliefs.

Despite some small mistakes, the show was full of fun and excitement. Springsteen and his band played hit after hit, even messing up a part of one song. The audience laughed and cheered as the band fixed the mistake.

At the end of the night, Springsteen played "Last Man Standing," a song about losing people and holding onto memories. Before performing "Backstreets," he raised his guitar high, showing it to everyone. The crowd cheered as he sang, "Until the end… until it ends," making it an emotional moment.