Age has not mellowed legendary rocker Bruce Springsteen, who blasted the 'greedy thieves' and 'robber barons' of the banking and finance industries in both Germany and the US this week.

Speaking to a 58,000 strong crowd of fans in Berlin's Olympic Stadium, Springsteen spoke in fluent German about the tough economic times that have put people out of work worldwide and led to debt crises in Greece, Ireland and a host of other countries, Christian Science Monitor reports.

'In America, a lot of people have lost their jobs," Springsteen, 62, told the crowd. 'But also in Europe and in Berlin, times are tough. This song is for all those who are struggling.' Springsteen then led into Jack of All Trades, a scathing meditation on the world's financiers.

Springsteen's point of view found a enthusiastic audience at the concert, after all, Europe has been been particularly hard hit by 2008's financial meltdown and rolling debt crisis.

Berliners still vividly recall Springsteen's July 1988 concert in East Berlin, which at the time was still shrouded by the so-called Iron Curtain.

160,000 East Germans attended what was the biggest rock show in the country's history to hear Springsteen speak out against the 'barriers' keeping East Germans imprisoned in their Soviet controlled side.

Some historians maintain the concert helped inspire the movement that eventually tore down the Berlin Wall 16 months later in November 1989.

'Once in a while you play a place, a show that ends up staying inside of you, living with you for the rest of your life. East Berlin in 1988 was certainly one of them,' Springsteen told the crowd.

In his song 'Death to My hometown' Springsteen blasted the 'greedy thieves and robber barons' who 'destroyed our families, factories and they took our homes.'

A concert-goer named Matthias Beck, 46, told CS News: 'I think it's great the way he's taking on the banking industry - he's got it dead right. There's hardly anything good about banks. They take advantage of the little people, and it's always hard to find someone who'll take responsibility when it all goes wrong.'