IF YOU are going to start a band recreating the authentic sound of one of the world’s biggest artists you know from the outset that you’ve got a challenge on your hands, writes JOHN ANSON.

When the artist in question is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band, the challenge is an even bigger one.

Renowned for his marathon shows, ever-changing setlists and dynamic on-stage performances, a tribute to the Boss is something most musicians would steer well clear of.

But the Springsteen Sessions, made up of seven musicians from Glasgow and Edinburgh, has taken on the challenge head-on.

“We have been getting great reactions to our shows,” said Pete Clarke, one of two keyboard players in the band.

“I think we have surprised a lot of people including many diehard Springsteen fans who were sceptical that we could pull it off.”

The Springsteen Sessions, who play Kendal’s Brewery Arts Centre tomorrow night (Friday, February 10), are quick to point out that they are not a ‘tribute’ act.

“We don’t wear wigs or run around in bandanas,” said Pete. “For us, the important thing is to recreate the sound of the E Street Band, the music is all important.”

With Springsteen concerts regularly lasting over three and a half hours, are music lovers likely to in for such a marathon tomorrow?

“We don’t try and replicate a complete Springsteen concert,” said Pete. “Depending on the venues, if it’s a theatre show we will probably do two one hour sets with an interval or if it’s a club-style venue we’ll do between two and two-and-a-half hours.

“We will cover all aspects of Springsteen’s career from his First album Greetings from Asbury Park through to his most recent album High Hopes.”

The set includes all the hits which have made the Boss one of the most successful artists of all time including Born to Run, Badlands and Dancing in the Dark.

“When you play the songs like we do, it’s the quality of his songwriting which stands out,” said Pete. “We do a monster version of Jungleland which is like a symphony.”

The Springsteen Sessions got together in 2010.

“I was a secondary school teacher but had been involved in the gig scene for years,” said Pete. “I saw an ad asking for players interested in joining a band playing the music of Bruce Springsteen.

“When I went along to see the guys I took the precaution of saying ‘look, I’m the same age as Springsteen - he’s 67 – is that going to be a problem?’ but they were totally fine with that.

“We’ve got three generations in the band really now.”

You might think that the band were all Springsteen devotees following him around the country whenever he tours.

“Actually I wasn’t an enormous fan,” said Pete. “I had seen him live two or three times and knew some of the songs but I think you could say there are people who are much bigger Springsteen anoraks than me in the group.

“But the whole thing has really gelled together. We have the classic seven-piece line-up of the E Street Band - I take all the organ parts that Danny Federici used to play.

“When we started I told the guys I didn’t want to be like one of those football teams that trains hard all the time but never plays games - I wanted us to be out there playing gigs and that’s what we have done.

“We started off touring venues in Scotland but we have not extended that into England - I think this will be the second time that we have played Kendal and the reactions have been amazing.”

Brewery box office 01539-725133.