Bruce Springsteen is stopping off at Boucher Playing Fields in Belfast for the first date of his Irish tour – and second date of the European leg of his tour – on Thursday, May 9th.
Next up will be Kilkenny (May 12th), Cork (May 16th) and Dublin (May 19th). Some 40,000 are expected at the Belfast concert. In the past calendar year, Springsteen will have sold 350,000 tickets in Ireland, a million in total since his first concert in Ireland back in 1985.
Can I still buy tickets for the show?
Although the concert is officially sold out, promoter Aiken says some tickets are being made available on Ticketmaster. The promoters advise to only buy tickets from authorised sellers.
Where are Boucher Playing Fields?
The venue is off Boucher Road in south Belfast, backing on to the Westlink. Nearby is Windsor Park, Lisburn Road and Stockman’s Lane.
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What time does the gig start?
The venue opens at 5pm, and Springsteen and his band will be on stage at 7pm sharp. There is no support act and he’s expected to play for three hours.
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What songs will he play?
His setlists are inherently unpredictable as he can pick a song from placards held up by fans and play it. It certainly keeps the E Street Band on their toes. Here is what The Boss played on Sunday, May 5th, at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium:
- So Young and in Love
- Lonesome Day
- No Surrender
- Prove It All Night
- Darlington County
- Ghosts
- Better Days
- The Promised Land
- Spirit in the Night
- Hungry Heart
- If I Was the Priest
- My City of Ruins
- Nightshift
- The River
- Last Man Standing
- Backstreets
- Because the Night
- She’s the One
- Wrecking Ball
- The Rising
- Badlands
- Thunder Road
1st Encore
- Born in the USA
- Born to Run
- Bobby Jean
- Dancing in the Dark
- Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
- Twist and Shout
2nd Encore
- I’ll See You in My Dreams
How do I get to the venue?
Concertgoers can avail of special bus and rail services running on the day which will bring them to Belfast and the Boucher Road.
Translink has put on a special bus that departs from Foyleside bus centre in Derry at 4.30pm. The bus pick ups in Drumahoe, Claudy, Dungiven, Maghera and Toome before arriving at Boucher Playing Fields. After the concert, the bus will depart from Boucher Road at 11.30pm and return to Derry. Passengers need to be back to the coach at least 15 minutes before it leaves. Tickets for the bus service are now sold out.
For those planning to travel by train, they can use any Bangor, Coleraine, Larne or Portadown line service to Balmoral Train Station. There are shuttle services to get home after the concert, operating between 10:30pm and 11:45pm from Balmoral Train Station to Belfast’s Great Victoria Street Station. There will also be trains stopping at selected stops on the Portadown line. Train tickets are still available and can be purchased here.
Concertgoers are encouraged to use public transport to get to the venues. Plan your journey online from anywhere in Ireland to a venue via transportforireland.ie and the Translink journey planner. With traffic diversions due to be in place in the areas surrounding the venue, parking, drop off or collections will not be possible.
What are the entry requirements to the venue?
Download your tickets from your Ticketmaster account to your iPhone wallet/Google Pay wallet in advance of show day. Screenshots or printouts of digital tickets will not be accepted.
No under-14s will be allowed entry to the standing/pitch area and will only be permitted in seating areas.
All under-16s must be accompanied by a person 18-plus. All under-14s must have seated tickets as they will not be permitted on the pitch/standing area.
Children under six will not be admitted. All persons entering the stadium must have a valid ticket.
Can I queue early at the venue?
Early queuing is not permitted. Ticket holders are requested to please respect the privacy of the residents and businesses in the local community.
What can I bring or not bring to the concert?
Prohibited items include flag poles, selfie sticks and sticks for banners. Umbrellas, professional cameras and recording devices (this will apply to cameras that have detachable lenses), bottles, glass vessels, cans, flasks, flares, laser devices, prams/push chairs, inflatable and folding chairs are also prohibited. Concertgoers are advised not bring a bag unless it is totally necessary. People without bags will be fast-tracked.
Can I leave and re-enter the venue throughout the day?
No. Once you leave the venue on the show day, re-entry will not be possible.
Will roads be closed in the area around the venue?
Temporary road closures will be put in place as required before and after the show on Boucher Road and Stockman’s Lane. The PSNI said it would try to keep traffic disruption to a minimum.
What’s the weather going to be like?
Although we can’t make any promises, the outlook appears favourable, with dry, sunny conditions and temperatures of about 19 degrees, accompanied by light winds, expected.
People are advised to dress sensibly and to bring something waterproof just in case.
Will there be a designated area for wheelchair users at the concert?
Yes. Please note space within this area is limited. Please check availability through ticketmaster.ie.
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