WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE IN "LUCKY TOWN"
by Edith Suppiger

16./17.04. 96 London, Royal Albert Hall

London has always been my lucky town, ever since I used to live there for a while. Whenever my feet touch London ground, I'm bound to have a good time and usually luck is on my side.

4 years ago during Bruce's "Human Touch" tour I met Silvio at the Wembley Arena concert and that's how we both ended up becoming a very active member (Silvio) and a pretty passive member (Edith) of the Drive All Night Club.
I had a ticket for the show of 16^th April, a couple of friends to see while in London, heaps of memories at every corner and my first aim was to find another ticket for the Show of the 17^th April.

Arrived at Heathrow airport, the information told me that tickets had been available on the block market for as much as 100 to 150 £. I was told to try my luck at the box offices in the West End. It looked like I was bound to spend a lot of money for my second ticket. I checked in at the hotel and then wandered through the Hyde Park to the Royal Albert Hall. Almost for fun and for the sake of trying I went to the box office there and I was the lucky one. They had got back 5 tickets from an agency the same morning and I was the 3rd person queuing for a ticket. That's how I managed to get a ticket for the 17^th April for just 25£.
Wow, I was soooooo happy and in a great mood, being in London, having two Bruce Shows ahead of me, what else could I possibly want??

Show of 16^th April 96 - R.A.H.

The hall opened at 6 pm, I checked my seat first and then had a look around all the bars and restaurants in the RAH (I thought maybe I'd see someone of the "Drive all night" but there was nobody). A cool beer and a hot heart was beating faster and faster, getting more and more excited, the closer the great event came.
Finally, the lights went out and the ghost came onstage. This was my second "ghost show" so I was prepared to the usual Set. The first time I was completely overwhelmed was when Bruce was playing "Straight time" - how I love that song's live version. It took a few Songs until I could feel the direction this concert was gonna take. The London public mostly did what Bruce had asked them to do, very quiet during the Songs, great applause afterwards, but somehow, the people where almost in trance, listening attentively to whatever Story Bruce was telling, to the songs and messages he brought across. Another highlight was Nebraska, for me it was the first time I heard a "Nebraska song live", another great wish that had finally come true, Right afterwards, Bruce had some sexy jokes to tell, he made sure nobody in the hall was below the age of 18. In case somebody was below 18, he asked them not to listen to the next song that was up. I had never heard it before, and it was so funny and in Bruce's excellent mood "Pilgrim in the temple of love" was a fun piece for everybody.

Another favourite of mine, "Brothers under the Bridges" (maybe cause I have just recently been in Saigon) was extremely affective. I was completely one with the music, the wonderful smooth voice of Bruce, I felt more connected to him than in any other concert before. Then there was the "mexican part of the Show". Bruce told his usual Story about the Mexican guy he met in a motel on a hot Southern California night and like always, he dedicated "Sinaloa Cowboys" to his unnamed friend. An overwhelming success was "Across The Border" at the end of the set, everybody who has been at one of the shows, knows how this song gets straight to the hearts.
Then, after a standing ovation, a great applause, it was time for the "encores". But, all of a sudden, Bruce wanted the public to wake up and no more quietness was asked for, actually what nobody expected, he wanted us to sing "Bobby Jean" and "No Surrender" with him. Most people were so astonished that Bruce complained and said we were not loud enough. He had so successfully put everybody in a condition somewhere between heaven and the hard reality of the unprivileged that his request for a sudden change and a contribution to the farewell of "Bobby Jean" had only a pretty fair response. It was clear, the public was not able to change mood and rhythm as quickly as Bruce did. During "No Surrender" people had awoken and a great atmosphere ruled over the RAH, before Bruce calmed us down again with "Galveston Bay".

The concert came to an end with the best ever version I can imagine of "The Promised Land". Tears of happiness in my eyes, falling into the arms of a few english fans sitting next to me, it was a great celebration of the one and only Bruce, for my taste, the best Bruce ever.

For years I had been Ionging to see Bruce on a solo, acoustic tour, this year, Dreams did finally come true.