1973-11-03 Putnam Gymnasium, Ricker College, Houlton, ME

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Bruce's first ever appearance in Maine. One show, a co-headlining double bill held in the school's Putnam Gymnasium, with Springsteen and band opening and Orleans closing. Springsteen and John Hall, the leader of Orleans, had often performed with their respective bands on the same bill at the Café Wha? in New York City in late 1967 (see listings). Bruce and the band arrived in a mini-bus in the afternoon and were given a walking tour of the campus by students in the Ricker Concert Committee. Ed Malloy, chair of the College's social board organised Springsteen's appearance, and writes: "Late that afternoon with sound checks going on, a guy walks up to me and asks, 'Where does the Springsteen band set up?' I ask if he's the road manager. He says, 'No, man, I'm Bruce.' Forever embarrassed, I show him to their dressing room (the girls locker room - girls not included). Frank Wingate is shooting hoops with Clarence Clemons and Scott Berry is getting him loaded. At Showtime, Orleans comes out cooking and wins the crowd over. I'm in the wings dancing and grinning. Bruce walks up beside me with his guitar slung over his back and starts dancing as well. He points to the The Raunchy Bunch in front of the stage - they're in full swing. He shouts over to me "Good band" I nod and smile in time and say 'yeah'. He comes right up to the side of my face and says "we're going to blow them away." If you were there you know he backed that up and them some. In a December 2006 Washington Post interview John Hall (now a U.S. Congressman) recalled this gig and jokingly commented: "Bruce was supposed to play for 45 minutes…he played for two hours and 45 minutes."



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