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Scheduled: ??:?? Local Start Time 19:40 / End Time 00:15Info & Setlist | Venue
There were only a couple of poor turnouts during the entire 1975 leg of the Born To Run Tour - and this was one of them. Although Springsteen had by this point made a solid impact in the major cities along the west coast, he was still not well known in regional areas. The following day's Sacramento Union newspaper reported only 600 of the venue's 2,500 tickets were sold. Jonathan's recollections: "In October 1975, I was stationed at Travis Air Force Base In Fairfield, California about 45 minutes down the road (Route 80) from Sacramento. Bruce had just made the cover of Time. Unexpectedly my flight mission overseas had been cancelled and I talked my then wife (who knew nothing of Bruce) into going to see Springsteen. We arrived just before show time and figured we would have to buy tickets from scalpers if we could even get in. I was stunned to be able to buy third row floor seats at the auditorium kiosk. The reports said 600 tickets sold but I don't believe there were even 500 people actually there. (Ironically we came back the next week to see Fleetwood Mac and the place was all but sold out). Springsteen came out and spoke to the crowd. Springsteen said he would give us the same show as if the place were sold out. For the opening he sat on a metal chair and did a solo slow acoustic version of "Thunder Road". By my watch he played from about 7:40 until 12:15 AM. I don't remember the set list except he seemed to play extended versions of most of the album tunes and a couple I did not recognize. My wife was blown away not believing that one person could play that long."
A very positive review in California State University's State Hornet confirms that the auditorium was only half full, and says that lights were on at around 11pm after the show began some 40 minutes late, opening with "Thunder Road". The review adds the other songs listed above, and notes that a twelve-minute "Detroit Medley" included "Little Queenie", which would be unusual if accurate. It's perhaps more likely that it was played as a standalone song, as elsewhere the same month. Final encores were a solo-piano "For You", followed by "Quarter To Three", with the band carrying Springsteen off stage at the conclusion. The author, Bill Van Wormer, concluded the review with the following point: "The Springsteen concert could be the best concert in Sacramento this year. If you missed him, you denied yourself the talent of a fine performer. However, I'm sure this is the last and only time he will be appearing here due to Sacramento's usual lack of response to new talent. And due to the small crowd, Bruce Springsteen will probably never be back here again." As a side note, Bruce did return, but not until 1992.
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