Bruce Springsteen thanks fans who sang at gatherings for postponed gigs

7 June 2024, 15:01 | Updated: 7 June 2024, 16:49

The Born To Run legend was forced to axe some of his European dates after suffering from vocal issues.

Bruce Springsteen has paid tribute to fans who gathered together on the days of his cancelled European shows.

The Born In The U.S.A. icon was forced to axe his live dates in Marseille, Prague and Milan after being told by doctors to rest his voice due to vocal issues.

Now, the legend has apologised again for the postponements and paid tribute to his fans who gathered to sing his songs instead of watching The Boss himself on stage.

In a video shared onto Instagram, he said to the camera: "It’s Bruce Springsteen, calling from the wild lands of New Jersey, where I’m just getting over my vocal bug.

"I have to apologise again for missing those concerts, but more importantly than that, I have to thank our incredible fans in the cities of Marseilles and Milan and Prague for their beautiful serenading when we weren’t feeling so good.

"It was really touching, deeply emotional, and it’s something I won’t forget. We will be back and we will give you the show of your lives. Thank you very much!"

The video ended with a moving clip of crowds singing some of his well-known songs, including Dancing In The Dark and Badlands, in each city.

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A post shared by Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen)

Bruce Springsteen is expected to return to the stage on 12th June in Madrid, Spain.

Meanwhile, Springsteen officially became a Fellow of The Ivors Academy last week.

The moment saw him become the first international songwriter the Academy has inducted into the Fellowship in its 80-year history.

Beatles legend Paul McCartney presented him with the award in a ceremony, which took place at Grosvenor House in London on Thursday 23rd May and chose to roast his fellow singer-songwriter with a series of jokes.

“Like Bruce’s concerts, I’m going to keep this brief,” Macca began, making a comment on Springsteen's epic sets.

The Let It Be singer continued: “He’s known as the American working man, but he admits he’s never worked a day in his life.”

McCartney, who is a Fellow of the Ivors Academy himself, also noted that Springsteen was the first American to receive the honour, joking that he couldn't think of anyone more fitting, "except maybe Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Beyonce or Taylor Swift".

In Springsteen's own Ivors acceptance speech, he admitted: "While I was stone-cold born in the USA, at 16 I desperately yearned to be British. I had a pretty good fake British accent – that’s what the checkout girls at the local supermarket thought."

He added: "To be the first international artist to be granted this Fellowship – especially as an American, who I always suspect the British to be suspicious of our strange ways – it makes today a meaningful experience to me"

Watch his speech below, courtesy of The Ivors Academy

Bruce Springsteen Ivors Fellowship acceptance speech

Springsteen joins McCartney and a list of esteemed artist to become an Ivors Fellow, including Elton John, Kate Bush, Pater Gabriel and Joan Armatrading.

Last month also saw Springsteen pay tribute to Shane MacGowan by opening his main set at Nowlan Park in Kilkenny, Ireland with a rendition of The Pogues' A Rainy Night In Soho.

Bruce Springsteen pays tribute to Shane MacGowan in Ireland

The Boss returns to this side of the pond next month to play two remaining UK dates in London at England's national football stadium.

See Bruce Springsteen's remaining UK tour dates below:

• 25th July: Wembley Stadium - London, UK
• 27th July: Wembley Stadium - London, UK

• A Bruce Springsteen concert documentary is coming to Disney+: Everything we know
• Bruce Springsteen pays tribute to Shane MacGowan in Kilkenny's Nowlan Park