Bruce Springsteen confirms Dublin date

As predicted several months ago in these pages, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band fly in on May 31 2003 for an al fresco headliner at the RDS, Dublin.

Tickets priced between ¤65 and ¤75 are on sale now.

The more downbeat news is that the Boss had to pull a string of Rising World Tour dates last week after an on-stage collision with his own sax left Clarence Clemons with a detached retina. The operation to repair the damage was deemed "a complete success" by doctors who say that Clemons should be ready to resume playing this week.

There was drama of a more positive kind of November 2 when Bruce made an unbilled appearance at a New Jersey fundraiser. His hour-long set included his own 'Fire' and 'Light Of Days', covers of Otis Redding's 'Can't Turn You Loose' and John Lee Hooker's 'Boom', and Gary U.S. Bonds-assisted versions of 'Jole Blon' and 'Quarter To Three'. A good night's work which raised $30,000 for local Parkinson's Disease charities.