1978-09-21 Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ

Scheduled: 20:00 Local Start Time ??:?? / End Time ??:??

Info & Setlist | Venue

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Final night of three at the Capitol Theatre opens with "High School Confidential". Springsteen introduces "Sweet Little Sixteen" (played for the seventh and last time this tour) as "a birthday song to myself". Bruce messes up "Racing In The Street", forgetting the lyrics. He later asks the crowd to choose between "The Fever" and "Incident On 57th Street", and the resulting cheers are so close he plays both. Particular highlight is the seven song stretch after "Fire", including a rare transition from "Incident On 57th Street" into "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)". The latter features an instrumental snippet of "Macho Man" after Clarence's introduction. There was no scheduled show for Springsteen’s birthday on September 23, so they celebrated it at this gig – and, to his amazement, Bruce receives a very unique birthday cake onstage, courtesy of the band and crew. See it for yourself on our Gallery tab.

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On Stage

• Bruce Springsteen
• The E Street Band
  • Roy Bittan
  • Clarence Clemons
  • Danny Federici
  • Garry Tallent
  • Steven Van Zandt
  • Max Weinberg

Setlist

HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL BADLANDS SPIRIT IN THE NIGHT DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN SWEET LITTLE SIXTEEN INDEPENDENCE DAY THE PROMISED LAND PROVE IT ALL NIGHT RACING IN THE STREET THUNDER ROAD MEETING ACROSS THE RIVER JUNGLELAND SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN FIRE CANDY'S ROOM BECAUSE THE NIGHT POINT BLANK KITTY'S BACK THE FEVER INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) BORN TO RUN TENTH AVENUE FREEZE-OUT QUARTER TO THREE

No Handwritten or Printed Setlist available.

Performances

^{incl. Rehearsals.}

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• 1978-09-21 Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
• 1978-09-20 Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
• 1978-09-19 Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
• 1977-12-31 Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
• 1974-10-18 Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ

Gallery

^{© All credits to the original photographer. We do not monetize a photo in any way, but if you want your photo to be removed, let us know, and we will remove it.}

Media

Recording

Soundboard tape. As with the first two nights in Passaic, the concert was recorded by the Record Plant's mobile unit, both on multi-track and live-to-two track. It is assumed that the show was also filmed on the in-house video system, but no footage has ever emerged. Released on CD 'The Bosses Birthday Party' (BS) and re-issued in 2004 as 'Singin' Our Birthday Songs' (Godfather). Early in 2012 an upgraded version of the soundboard was released, sourced from the master live-to-two track soundboard reels. The quality is similar to the previous night, if perhaps not with the same level of clarity. This recording includes the entire "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out and "Quarter To Three", both of which are missing from the old tapes and is available as 'Coup de Grace' (JEMS/Hoserama). Billboard reported that a total of 10,518 tickets were sold for the three nights at the Capitol Theatre, and gross receipts of $85,791.

Storyteller

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´High School Confidential´
´´Who´s out there tonight?….alright (Max drums)(chuckles) once more (Max drums) do you hear me knocking? (chuckles)….”

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, in middle & at end of ´Spirit In The Night´
"Gotta catch up on the news here … says right here … 'Hazy Davy got really hurt …' (finishes the verse) … Let me see your hands … Excuse me! … 'Like a spirit of the night … Like A Spirit of the night … Like a spirit of the night' … EXCUSE ME!"

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Darkness on the Edge of Town´
´´(crowd sings ´Happy Birthday´) Don´t remind me, alright? (chuckles) what do you got now down there ?…it´s my instant birthday party kit, it says here….is this me or what ?….got a dirty book, oh (chuckles)….horns (chuckles)….(crowd sings ´Happy Birthday´ and the band joins in)….this is a strange night here (chuckles)….here´s ´Darkness on the Edge of Town´…”

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Sweet Little Sixteen´
´´Thank you….what is all this stuff again, huh?….it´s a cake….I´ll plant these on the bus right away (chuckles)….alright….well, since I´m getting all these presents (chuckles)….it´s too hot, it´s hot up here, I wanna tell you….(the band plays some sort of ´stripper music´)….you guys are making, make me crazy tonight….(to the band : ´Sweet Little Sixteen´)….alright (sings to himself….alright, here´s a birthday song to myself, how´s that ? (chuckles)….16 going on a 102, alright (chuckles)(?)….”
(during the intro a big cake is brought onstage and a girl jumps out of it)

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Independence Day´
"Just blowin' my nose on my shirt … (band tuning up) Whew!, this is, that's, is that real ? … this is NOT REAL! … what´s that now? … that's toilet paper! … I know the difference! (chuckles) I'm no dummy! (chuckles) … alright, this is uh … this is a new song, this is called ´Independence Day´ … ”

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´The Promised Land´
´´Are you ready for ´The Promised Land´ ?….”

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, outro to ´The Promised Land´
"Steve Van Zandt on the guitar … Whew! … A BOMB! … I can't show you this … "

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Prove It All Night´
´´The question is…..do you really think you can prove it all night? (cheers)….we´ll see, we´ll see (chuckles)….”

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Racing In The Street´
"Who's here from Asbury tonight, huh? (cheers) … This is for you guys, okay? (chuckles) … "

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Thunder Road´
´´Ready to ride Thunder Road ?….”

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Meeting Across the River´
´´Here´s a song, uh, that we don´t play very often….it´s, uh, it´s for John, this is ´Meeting Across the River´….”

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, after 'Jungleland'
"Thank you … Clarence Clemons on the saxophone … Roy Bittan on the piano … Steven Van Zandt on the guitar, Max Weinberg on the drums … Garry Tallent on the bass, Dan Federici on the organ, C'mon! … Thanks … We're gonna take a 20 minute break and we'll be back to do another set for you, okay? … See you a little later now! … Don't go away"

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Santa Claus Is Coming to Town´
´´Now, it´s a little early in the season for this next one….”

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Fire´
"A little early snow fall, how 'bout that, huh? … Inside too … Whew! … (chuckles) … WOW! … There's a lot of that shit! (chuckles) … And when we kiss, Fire … "

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Point Blank´
"You wake up one morning … and you've been shot point blank … "

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Kitty´s Back´
´´Better behave yourself now ´cause….Kitty´s back…..”

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´The Fever´
"thank you…that's Dan Federici and Roy Bittan on the organ…and keyboards…(crowd: "what about Mighty Max?")…and for the Mighty Max personal fan club, on the drums, Max Weinberg….'cause he said he'd give you the money later, alright? (chuckles) he already, he already did (chuckles) shit, what?….yeah, think so?….tell you what, we´ll play ´Fever´ or ´Incident on 57th Street´, which one, huh?….who wants ´The Fever´? (cheers) ´Incident on 57th Street´? (cheers) oh, God, that´s close….ok, ok, ok….well, we´ll start out with ´Fever´….”

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Incident On 57th Street´
"Now for the other guys , , , What? (chuckles)(Apparently a young woman gives him something to eat and says, 'We love you Bruce') … (laughs) … Thank you … (Miami Steve: 'We're Easy') … Tastes good, alright, Roy … "

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, after ´Rosalita´
"You guys TIRE-ME-OUT! …"

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Born To Run´
"Is it hot out there? (crowd: 'Yeah') … It's real hot up here (chuckles) … It's still early (laughs) … I'll check your watch … then check your heart, alright (chuckles) … Ah, God Damn … I want to thank everybody. How many from down here? You guys must, most of you guys should be down from the shore tonight, eh, eh? (crowd cheers) … Just want to tell you that I missed you (chuckles) … I wanna thank everybody for making it such a great three days that we had here … Thank you all very much (crowd cheers) … And uh, I want to thank everybody for uh, the support they had when we were off for those 2 years. We weren't playing that much (crowd cheers) … As I'd go outside … I'd go down to the Pony or something and people'd say, 'Hey, cut out this laying around, huh!" (chuckles) … But, uh, I want to thank you all very much, that you know it's, doesn't go unappreciated, thank you. This is for you."

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, after ´Born To Run´
"Thank you very much … "

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Tenth Avenue Freeze Out´
"So, you think you're tough, huh? (chuckles) (crowd cheers) … But are you tough enough for the Tenth? (crowd cheers) … "

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, intro to ´Quarter To Three´
"So, you still think you can take some more, right? (crowd cheers) … Well, TAKE THIS! … (song starts) … C'mon New Jersey! … <Q23-1><Sing-A-Long>Q23-2> … SOMEBODY STOP ME! … Before I hurt myself … (music stops-crowd keeps cheering) … Are you talkin' to me? (crowd: 'Yeah') … Are you talkin' to me? (crowd: 'Yeah') … Are you talkin' to me? (crowd: 'Yeah') … Well, you better talk louder than that (crowd really cheers) … <Q23-3> … (music stops) … "I'm just a prisoner … of ROCK AND ROLL!" … (band jams) … A 1, a 2, a 1,2,3,4 …. <Q23-4>"

21.09.78 Passaic, NJ, stage announcement after ´Quarter To Three´ and the band left the stage
"It's been a wonderful 3 nights. It's a great way to uh, help Bruce celebrate his birthday. Thanks a real lot for coming. Good night. Drive home safely. (house music comes on: Swingin' Medallions, "Double Shot (of My Baby's Love)"

Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi and Roulette909

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^{© All credits to the original photographer. We do not monetize a photo in any way, but if you want your photo to be removed, let us know, and we will remove it.}

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