Bruce Springsteen Concert in Barcelona

Exactly one hundred years ago, Europe was having an exciting debate on patriotism. The continent seemed to go into an inevitable war of incomparably greater proportions than any other before, the socialist left had analyzed the phenomenon in terms of struggle against the imperial supremacy of one country over others. For intellectuals like Lenin and Rosa Luxemburg, imperialism was merely an advanced stage of capitalism and the global war, which would result in inescapable so therefore could not be more contrary to the interests of workers living in the countries involved.

The real enemy was the capitalist exploitation and to defeat it, the workers around the world should join forces instead of wanting to kill each other. Lucidly analyzed the situation, for years the socialist internationalism made an outstanding effort to convince workers that they should not participate in the coming war. However, when the hour of truth came, the national socialist parties were convinced of the necessity of a war, because of the astute inclusion in the government of each state. Co-opted in this way in the name of patriotism and reasons of state, the internationalist left suffered a tremendous defeat and Europe for four years became the bloodiest battle ground ever known over a conflict that killed much of the youth of the time, causing a deep wound to the European civilization of which probably it will never be healed, while creating the germ of an irreparable crisis in confidence in the idea of humanity and progress.

Despite the lessons they might have learned, we seem to remain hostage to the idea of the possibility of the existence of a good patriotism in the name of which, for example Bruce Springsteen, who will play on the 17^th and 18^th of May at the Olympic Stadium ( http://www.nvivo.es/estadio-olimpico-montjuic-salas-390), continues to build his work as evidenced by his latest album Wrecking Ball, which uses the legacy of Woody Guthrie and American folk protest sounds, the Irish songs of rebellion and gospel music furiously to denounce those responsible for the state of moral bankruptcy, economic and social damage caused by the latest crisis on behalf of the purity of a good course for them sullied American patriotism.

Springsteen himself should be aware of the risks of maintaining such a speech but he seems to care so little as his thousands of fans, who are cramming for his legendary stadium tours.

Paul Oilzum

This performance, also offers the promise of a pure Springsteen: powerful, angry, enraged, sentimental and hurt, not only with the situation of the country he loves in a typically thoughtless way – we could refer to all his work as an attempt to judge the distance between reality and the American Dream- but also because of the recent Clarence Clemons’ death, the legendary saxophonist of the E Street Band. Maybe you don’t want to miss this performance if you rent Barcelona accommodation