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Customer Reviews for Hard Rock Calling

Hard Rock Calling

Read Hard Rock Calling concert reviews and post your own reviews and ratings.

Average rating:

4.6

(2965 Reviews) 2965

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2,755 of 2,965(93%)customers would recommend this to a friend.

Hard Rock Calling Fan Reviews - Ticketmaster

Review 1 for Hard Rock Calling

5 / 5

Bon Jovi rocked the event!

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 25 Jun 2011 @

Favourite moment: The additional encore when they were clearly past the end time. @

Posted 04/09/2011

by Baztaz

Featured Review

It was a very hot day and basically only turned up for Bon Jovi. Queues went quickly before finding a spot on the grass. Got a good view of the stage and the screens.
The show was brilliant. Bon Jovi bashed the hits out for about 3 hours with the crowd singing along (though there was a bloke who sang the right words but to a different song).
Did not make use of the shopping or food stalls as the show was too good. If I had turned up earlier would have seen a number of other bands in the various stages so maybe next time.
The only seating was in the VIP stand who like the rest of us spent the show on their feet singing and dancing to the music.

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 25 Jun 2011 @

Favourite moment: The additional encore when they were clearly past the end time. @

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Review 2 for Hard Rock Calling

5 / 5

Neil Young - unique

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 27 Jun 2009 @

Favourite moment: Seeing Neil Young for the very first time since first hearing Crazy Horse. @

Setlist: Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)
Mansion On The Hill
Are You Ready For The Country?
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Spirit Road
Words
Cinnamon Girl
Fuckin' Up
Mother Earth
The Needle And The Damage Done
Comes A Time
Unknown Legend
Heart Of Gold
Old Man
Down By The River
Get Behind The Wheel
Rockin' In The Free World
A Day In The Life @

Opening act(s): Seasick Dave, The Pretenders with Chrissie Hynd, Ben Harper, Fleet Foxes. @

Posted 17/07/2009

by Lavalla

Location:London

Featured Review

Shambling on in his faded blue jeans Neil Young got straight into the music. Needing no gimmicks, no response enlisting: "Hello London!" - he knew where he was and that we were listening, teenagers and grandparents, all word perfect. Neil sang the songs we loved and hoped to hear. He performed for us, not for himself. An amiable smile lighting him up as he delivered an exhilarating set; satisfying his adoring fans when repeatedly chorusing 'Rockin' in the Free World'. At times I welled up at the nostalgia - no tricky lighting or backdrops - just solid rock music and his touching, well, beauty.
Returning for the final encore, he began: "I heard the news today, oh boy..." Curious, I wondered if he referred to Michael Jackson's death, but a figure moved on to the stage to an increasing roar of delight as we recognised Paul McCartney icon, legend, superstar.
It'd been a long, satisfying day. Slowly, the crowd dispersed into the hot June night. Hailstones over London, but not over Hyde Park. Roll on next year!

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 27 Jun 2009 @

Favourite moment: Seeing Neil Young for the very first time since first hearing Crazy Horse. @

Opening act(s): Seasick Dave, The Pretenders with Chrissie Hynd, Ben Harper, Fleet Foxes. @

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Review 3 for Hard Rock Calling

5 / 5

Where Exactly is Glastonbury?

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Fri 26 Jun 2009 @

Favourite moment: It was all one moment to me but the audience participation when the top 2 acts were on really sealed what the bands themselves were doing. @

Setlist: It doesn't matter. @

Posted 17/07/2009

by Montag451

Location:Aberystwyth

Featured Review

I was there with my son as a post GCSE treat and went in with an open mind (the Kooks? Who the hell are they? Chew Lips? Is that a band or a habit?). Hey, there's nothing wrong with seeing bands you know nothing about - you can enjoy them purely for their musical and visual creativity on the day.

It was a wonderful occasion, a great reminder of what it is like seeing performers live - but that really does depend on the performers and none disappointed.

Chew Lips were a good opening act - a bit like the Eurythmics but I didn't mind - and since I did not have the Guardian's Paul Lester's perspective in comparing them with La Roux I saw them for what they have: interesting numbers of a good sound with a strong voice at the front. And they acknowledged the very recently departed Michael Jackson, so hats off to them for that as well.

The boring-to-me group were very talented - there is no doubt they could play and were a tight outfit. I was surprised to think that their kind of sound (a cross between Gabriel-era Genesis and the Bee Gees) would resonate with the youth of Boston Massachusetts to such an extent that some of them would want to form a band and play that kind of stuff. Had they done a shorter set I might have enjoyed them more, but plenty found them popular, so what do I know?

The Howling Bells were fine, and if Chew Lips were fronted by an Annie Lennox lookalike then I guess this band had another Chrissie Hynde. Both female vocalists so far had a good visual style and, compared to most of the men in all the bands, looked like more like stars than stage crew.

The Kooks' appearance brought the crowd up a gear and the atmosphere started to really kick off. None of them looked like stage crew and they knew exactly what they were doing. They played all the hits (my son informed me) which had an edge over their pressed versions and are recommended viewing whoever you are.

The Killers carried on where the Kooks left off, with the added bonus of terrific lighting. The atmosphere was in overdrive by now and their performance highly impressive. The drumming is awesome and everything else just grows from that healthy strong root.

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Fri 26 Jun 2009 @

Favourite moment: It was all one moment to me but the audience participation when the top 2 acts were on really sealed what the bands themselves were doing. @

Setlist: It doesn't matter. @

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Review 4 for Hard Rock Calling

5 / 5

Still The Boss

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sun 28 Jun 2009 @

Favourite moment: Clarence's 'Jungleland' sax solo @

Opening act(s): Dave Matthews Band @

Posted 17/07/2009

by RickRick

Location:London

Featured Review

After the absolute horror of seeing Oasis at Slane Castle the weekend before, which was a bit like watching an (admittedly outstanding) Gallagher brothers on the set of 'Apocalypse Now', I had certain reservations about seeing a second outdoor gig in a week. But as I seamlessly entered the venue, blinking back the glorious summer sunshine, I saw before me what could only be described as a five-star concert experience - plenty of bars with corresponding picnic tables, merchandise stalls with laminate flooring and mood lighting and above all, a wonderfully, relaxed atmosphere. This was going to be like having the Boss play in my back garden!

We only got to the venue in time to see The Dave Matthews Band, missing out on the excellent Gaslight Anthem. It is hard to imagine a band further away from the E Streeters than DMB - a typical souless, pretentious college rock band, but their set (which seemed to consist of the same song played five times, just getting exponentially longer and more agonising) did nothing to dampen the spirits of a crowd who had only come to see one fella and his pals... and somewhere just after seven, one-by-one the E Street band filed onto stage and ripped into 'London's Calling', the local crowd vociferously joining in on '... live by the river!' and continuing their communal bellowing straight into 'Badlands'. From then on the crowd enthusiastically lapped up a stream of earth-quaking, soul-shaking hits, with new song ‘Working on a Dream’ and mid-eighties classics ‘Bobby Jean’ and ‘No Surrender’ (with Brian Fallon from Gaslight Anthem) particular highlights. Make no bones about it, we were in the presence of greatness here, experiencing musicians at the height of their powers, demonstrating that peculiar E Street ability to get under your skin, leaving us feeling at once both in awe of the people we were watching, but totally among them as equals.

The set-list did not disappoint, with a couple a hidden gems, mixed in with the stone bonker classics. In true Bruce tradition, the set progressively picked up pace, getting better and better with each song… ‘The Rising’, check. ‘Born to Run’, check. ‘Rosalita’, check. It was a glorious experience… by the time the Big Man busted the sax solo out in the middle of an epic version of ‘Jungleland’, there wasn’t a dry eye in the field. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, just when you thought your heart couldn’t swell any more and your lungs had screamed out their final chorus, The Boss hit us with ‘Glory Days’ and ‘Dancing in the Dark’ (which, by this time, we all were)… we literally flew with wings on our feet back to the train station, ecstatic at what we had just seen. The rumours that this may be the E Street band’s last performance in our wonderful city, made it all the more poignant. The Boss – the best there is, the best there was, the best they’ll ever be.

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sun 28 Jun 2009 @

Favourite moment: Clarence's 'Jungleland' sax solo @

Opening act(s): Dave Matthews Band @

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Review 5 for Hard Rock Calling

3 / 5

the quiet boss

Hyde Park @

- London @

Posted 04/04/2013

by whittox

Location:London

nice concert, but couldn't hear the music; rock music simply needs to be loud, it is all part of it; I wonder if the Boss knows that sound quality has been deteriorating, when they played at the Emirates ( also volumes controlled by local authorities ) the sound quality was dreadful. Prices go up, the megastars get mega rich, but the fans are slowly being given an inferior product.

Hyde Park @

- London @

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Review 6 for Hard Rock Calling

5 / 5

Brilliant!

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

Posted 01/09/2012

by nedkellyshirley

Location:souhampton

Weather was a worry but all was well prepared for so all was brill

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

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Review 7 for Hard Rock Calling

5 / 5

Bruce Springsteen - wow

Hyde Park @

- London @

Favourite moment: The personal touch, picked one person out of the crowd to play his favourite song. @

Opening act(s): John Fogerty @

Posted 25/08/2012

by MelonHead99

Location:Ramsgate, kent

Excellent event, typical English weather Sun, Rain, clouds but nothing could deter the excellence of Bruce Springsteen.

Hyde Park @

- London @

Favourite moment: The personal touch, picked one person out of the crowd to play his favourite song. @

Opening act(s): John Fogerty @

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Review 8 for Hard Rock Calling

4 / 5

brilliant

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sun 15 Jul 2012 @

Posted 23/08/2012

by BigAl79

Location:North West England

My 1st festival and certainly not my last. we needed wheelchair access and disabled viewing and we were a bit undecided on whether to go because of this but, the staff and the festival were amazing. Got to see everything we wanted and more. Brilliant, would recommend to anybody (old, young, young, family, 1st timer or experienced festival go-er).

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sun 15 Jul 2012 @

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Review 9 for Hard Rock Calling

4 / 5

Paul Simon is the BEST!

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sun 15 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: Paul Simon singing Sound of Silence to a hushed Hyde Park as darkness fell. @

Setlist: Graceland and more. @

Posted 16/08/2012

by Anonymous

Location:Surrey, UK

Fantastic concert and day/ night. Thank you so much, Hardrockcalling , for making it possible for me with your Disabled Access arrangements. All worked very smoothly, so thank you very much indeed.

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sun 15 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: Paul Simon singing Sound of Silence to a hushed Hyde Park as darkness fell. @

Setlist: Graceland and more. @

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Review 10 for Hard Rock Calling

5 / 5

Amazing

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Fri 13 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: Signing "Black Hole Sun" at the top of my lungs while it started to rain. @

Posted 15/08/2012

by Anonymous

This concert was amazing. If it were not for the line up this concert would have been just okay. But because the line up was full of several amazing bands on several different stages not just the main stage. I would for sure suggest that this venue be visited by all provided the bands are at least somewhat know by the crowd.

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Fri 13 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: Signing "Black Hole Sun" at the top of my lungs while it started to rain. @

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Review 11 for Hard Rock Calling

4 / 5

No Guiness!!

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

Posted 10/08/2012

by UKHippy

Location:Cambridge

Fantastic performances. Shame about the jobsworth who pulled the plug on the duet of the decade - Bruce and Paul McCartney. Shame about the mud - but that's a British summer. John Fogarty and Lady Antebellum were great. But the worst part was no Guiness tent, just some rubbish lager and cider. Come on guys, real festival fans enjoy good beer, not the rubbish made by the clowns who pay you the highest sponsorship fee. This was a major, and I mean major downside, and is something I'll be checking on in the future. Come on, decent beer isn't much to ask for - most other festivals manage it, why can't you - are you just plain greedy?

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

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Review 12 for Hard Rock Calling

4 / 5

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

Posted 08/08/2012

by Anonymous

Great atmosphere and event. Disgrace that they pulled the plug on Macca and Bruce ;-)

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

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Review 13 for Hard Rock Calling

3 / 5

Speak up Bruce

Hyde Park @

- London @

- 14/07/2012 @

Favourite moment: First sight of the Boss waiting to join John Fogerty's set. @

Posted 06/08/2012

by TwoJs

Location:Essex

Seeing the 'Boss' is always fabulous and a great set from John Fogerty was a bonus. Saw some good acts on the other stages too so a good event all round. Shame the 'summer' had ruined Hyde Park but that's open air events! One major criticism (and I've read the same in some newspaper reviews) - the sound. Or rather lack of it. This was Bruce. This was a rock concert. I was stood pretty much next to the lighting gantry so I was close enough (though I still needed the screen to make sure who was actually on stage) but I could barely hear him when he spoke and when he played I could hear the conversations of people around me and they weren't shouting! If that's a local restriction on sound levels, don't use Hyde Park is my suggestion.

Hyde Park @

- London @

- 14/07/2012 @

Favourite moment: First sight of the Boss waiting to join John Fogerty's set. @

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Review 14 for Hard Rock Calling

5 / 5

Paul Simon Rocks Hyde Park!

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sun 15 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: Hugh Masekela and Ladysmith Black Mambazo did fantastic individual performances during the show! It was an entertaining and enlightening experience. @

Setlist: 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Mother and Child Reunion, That Was Your Mother, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Nomathemba, Homeless, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, I Know What I Know, The Boy in the Bubble, Mandela, Stimela, Crazy Love, Vol. II, African Sunset, Under African Skies, Gumboots, Graceland, You Can Call Me Al, Encore: The Sound of Silence, The Boxer, Late in the Evening, Encore 2: Still Crazy After All These Years. @

Opening act(s): Christina Perri, Alison Krauss & Union Station @

Posted 04/08/2012

by QueenOfCorona

Paul Simon kept his fans waiting on a gloriously sunny day at Hyde Park’s Hard Rock Calling weekend. I was part of the excited crowd, and when Paul Simon walked on stage he was met by a deafening roar. He performed “Graceland” in its entirety as well as some of his greatest hits including "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" (one of my personal favourites) although it seemed that each song hit a nostalgic soft spot. The 25 year old, hugely acclaimed album "Graceland" moved the 60,000 people at Hyde Park as the 70-year-old Paul Simon began to sing. His voice is still soft and his lyrics still have the same conversational, uplifting quality and when he began playing the sing-a-long crowd pleaser "You Can Call Me Al", a celebration of the music rang through the park. It was an ecstatic moment as we all instinctively began screaming along with the saxophone "doo doo do-do, doo doo do-do!” The entire audience bounced along with the beat of the drums and the bass to "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" which had arms waving and people singing along with momentum. The original band of musicians that played along with Paul Simon was a highlight of the show, including bass solos and individual sets by Jimmy Cliff and trumpeter Hugh Masekela. During Masekela's set we were reminded of the album's true importance and context during the South African Apartheid. He performed songs such as "Mandela" and "Coal Train (Stimela)", the latter is a haunting song about the train that came from countries such as Botswana, Zambia and Namibia that carried young and old men to work in the mineral and goldmines in Johannesburg. The concert would not be complete without the fantastic collaboration with the dazzling Ladysmith Black Mambazo on tracks like "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" and "Homeless", where they performed beautiful and poignant vocals as well as entertaining choreography. For his two encores he performed solo versions of some of Simon & Garfunkel songs, namely "Sounds of Silence" which brought a hush over the entire venue. It was a very emotional ending to a beautiful and passionate performance. I feel very lucky to have seen him live and being only 19 I feel special to have been part of “Graceland” as it was before my time. Paul Simon brought the timeless album to life for many of his fans, young and old and spread joy to those who were lucky enough to hear it live. It's something that one day I'll be sure to tell my grandchildren about.

“For reasons I cannot explain, there’s some part of me wants to see Graceland”

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sun 15 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: Hugh Masekela and Ladysmith Black Mambazo did fantastic individual performances during the show! It was an entertaining and enlightening experience. @

Opening act(s): Christina Perri, Alison Krauss & Union Station @

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Review 15 for Hard Rock Calling

2 / 5

Bruce rocked but Hyde Park sucked

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

Setlist: excellent @

Opening act(s): OK @

Posted 01/08/2012

by dicharlibby

Location:leicester

Having been to Hyde Park last year for same Hard Rock Calling concerts was very disappointed to note that a fair chunk of the field had been sectioned off for VIP's - this area was only half full and meant that the rest of us Bruce fans were too far away despite getting there at a decent hour to get a good spot.
Very very frustrating, and then of course they unplugged The Boss on his last song which put me off ever going to a gig at Hyde Park ever again. I am hoping some good acts boycot this venue as this is no longer a good one for fans who want to go and get close to their favourite bands

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

Setlist: excellent @

Opening act(s): OK @

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Review 16 for Hard Rock Calling

4 / 5

WONDERFUL EVENING

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sun 15 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: "you can call me Al" @

Opening act(s): Alison Kraus was excellent and the Punch Brothers were fun. @

Posted 31/07/2012

by HJLM

Location:New Forest

such a fantastic reunion. (and the weather was kind!!)

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sun 15 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: "you can call me Al" @

Opening act(s): Alison Kraus was excellent and the Punch Brothers were fun. @

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Review 17 for Hard Rock Calling

5 / 5

Unforgettable night!

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: Entrance of Sir Paul McCartney for the jammiest session ever @

Posted 31/07/2012

by lindaanne

Location:Croxley Green

Top 1000 Contributor

Springsteen showed he's still The Boss in a three hour set that ranged from a haunting opening of Thunder Road to jamming with Sir Macca at the finale. Where does his energy come from as he continues to rock, swagger, run and greet fans and - of course - dance into the dark.
Such a shame the powers that be saw fit to cut him off and we never got to know what the final song would have been - come back soon Bruce and make sure Paul is free too that night!

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: Entrance of Sir Paul McCartney for the jammiest session ever @

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Review 18 for Hard Rock Calling

5 / 5

amazing concert

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

Posted 29/07/2012

by 1234ajaj

It was unforgettable experience with such an artist. Brilliant, recommend to everyone.

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

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Review 19 for Hard Rock Calling

5 / 5

The Boss was outstanding!

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

Posted 29/07/2012

by Fred44

It was my boyfriends christmas present to see the Boss. It was a first time for both of us and it was absolutely amazing, I would go again and again and again and again!

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

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Review 20 for Hard Rock Calling

3 / 5

Twist and ... silence

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: Let's say Born to Run - both versions :) @

Posted 28/07/2012

by StephenB

Location:Oxford

Top 10 Contributor

I've been to HRC several times, but this one was a bit weird due to the recent heavy rain. They had covered the entire site with wood chips, which worked fairly well - there was still quite a lot of mud but not deep and much of it was OK. However it made the footing a bit uncertain, it had a rather strange smell, and overall gave the feeling of standing on a blasted heath rather than a park on a summer's day. There was some rain on the day but not too much by usual festival standards, although strangely it looked a lot worse on the video screens. The food and drink seemed better than I remember in the past, and in good weather it would have been very pleasant - special mention goes to the exotic spicy lemonade.

Due to the weather I arrived somewhat after the opening time, and didn't manage to see much of the fairly large range of bands on offer - the ones I did see were OK but nothing special. I did however make an effort to see Amy McDonald who was very good (and popular) in a rather dark and dank tent - among other things doing her own version of Born to Run. Unfortunately she under-ran her time slot by 20 minutes, apparently to avoid clashing with Bruce ... who was supposed to start at 7 but in fact came on at 7.25.

I'm not a particular Springsteen fan but I do of course know a lot of his songs. Last time he was at HRC it sold out before I could decide whether to go, but since he has such a big reputation as a live act I thought I should see him this time. Overall it was fine - there were quite a lot of things I didn't know and early on they seemed to be all quite slow, but later on he picked up the pace and played more of the hits. Having Paul McCartney at the end was a bonus although not that special for me - in fact I seem to remember him similarly joining Neil Young there a few years ago. I was too far from the stage to see much except the video screens. In better weather it would have been very enjoyable; as it was it was OK, but not that memorable - except of course for the way it ended.

Given the fuss about the ending I feel I have to say that I broadly agreed with the decision, and to me it seemed surprisingly unprofessional by Bruce - he clearly knew there was a curfew as he referred to it several times. Considering the length of his set you might have thought he could have just dropped/shortened a couple of things to even out the late start. As it was I was leaving anyway to catch the last train, and there was a huge police operation to marshall 80,000 people with inter alia Park Lane completely closed to traffic so they couldn't have just gone on indefinitely - they did allow about 10 minutes beyond the curfew. (The train turned out to be extremely full - fortunately I had the sense to bag a seat in first class before that filled up too!)

Hyde Park @

- London @

- Sat 14 Jul 2012 @

Favourite moment: Let's say Born to Run - both versions :) @

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