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Scheduled: 21:00 Local Start Time ??:?? / End Time ??:??Info & Setlist | Venue
First show of two at the Winterland Ballroom, broadcast live on KSAN-FM radio. Probably the most famous show Bruce will ever do, and often identified as one of the best. The versions of "The Promised Land" and "Prove It All Night" are exceptional and "Backstreets" is better than that. Final tour performance for "Raise Your Hand". "She's The One" includes "I Get Mad". After much controversy about whether "Twist And Shout" was played to close the show long after the show had appeared to end, we have determined that it most likely was not performed on this night based on the available recordings and the vast majority of contemporary and subsequent evidence. A review of the show by Joel Selvin was printed in the San Francisco Chronicle - see our News tab to read it.
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Show
After much controversy about whether "Twist And Shout" was played to close the show long after the show had appeared to end, we have determined that it most likely was not performed on this night based on the available recordings and the vast majority of contemporary and subsequent evidence. |
No Handwritten or Printed Setlist available. |
incl. Rehearsals.
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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.
Official concert recording available for purchase in multiple formats, including CD and high definition audio, from Springsteen's official live download site at nugs.net/bruce (previously live.brucespringsteen.net).
- Running Time: 3:13:26
Note: Also part of the 'Darkness on The Edge Of Town Tour 1978 8-Show CD Box Set', available on February 1, 2021 via Nugs.
FM broadcast (KSAN radio).
FM broadcast and soundboard tapes - this is a master reel recording and includes three tracks not broadcast. It should be noted that the source tape appears to run slightly slow. Released on CDs 'Live At Winterland' (Golden Stars), 'Live In The Promised Land' (Great Dane), 'Winterland Night' (Crystal Cat) and most recently (and in best quality) on CDR 'Prodigal Son at Winterland - 25th Anniversary Remaster' (Prodigal Son). This is a remaster of 'Winterland Night'. Also released to retail in 2014 under the title 'Winterland 15th December 1978' (Echoes). This is not an official release nor a sonic upgrade over previous versions. The interview conducted after the December 13th show is broadcast during the interval of the show and is available through a tape transfer (chrs1961815) and several bootlegs. Tonight's show (and potentially the next night) may have been filmed on the Winterland's in-house video system. However, no concrete evidence has ever emerged that indicate this is the case. Certainly, there is plenty of video of other artists from around the same time, but the most likely scenario is that any film was lost in a fire at Bill Graham's San Francisco warehouse offices in 1985. It is possible that a copy may still reside in Springsteen's vaults.
Note: On listening to 'Winterland Night' and several other releases, it's clear that the recording of "Quarter To Three" is from a different source to the rest of the concert. For some time it's been assumed that this recording is from a different date entirely. However, a review of the concert in the 'Stanford Daily' goes into some detail about Springsteen's performance of "Quarter To Three" and the author's description is an excellent match for the soundboard recording, including of Bruce pausing at one point to state "I think I'm going to throw up", repeated verbatim on the soundboard. While night-on-night there tends to be some repetition in Springsteen's shtick, this particular statement appears to be unique to tonight's show. Therefore, we can state with very high confidence that the soundboard recording is from this concert.
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘Badlands’
“(DJ Norm Winer: …radio station KSAN in San Francisco and tonight you’re gonna hear a concert of your life. We’d like to welcome some of the other stations involved tonight that are listening to this concert live. There’s KZOK up in Seattle, Washington, ‘Hi everybody,’ KZEL, Eugene, Oregon, KQFM, Portland, Oregon, and KZAP, K-Zap in Sacramento, California. And now let’s go to the stage, live from Winterland, Bill Graham will do the introduction) … (BILL GRAHAM: Good evening. Thank you very much for coming. Would you welcome please, the chairman of the board, the great one, Bruce Springsteen) … How ya doing? It’s good to be in San Francisco …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘Spirit in the Night’
"What’s new?….how's the hills?….this is for all the drunks!….”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’
"Alright!….that's disgusting … <long delay> … is everybody comfortable? (cheers)….you guys are too much….I read a book about….a few months ago, was a book called ‘Born on the Fourth of July’ and it was by, by a man named Ron Kovic….and, uh, I loved the book a whole lot…..and we'll do this for Ron….here’s ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’….”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, after ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’
“… we’re gonna do all them songs, okay? We got a long time (fans cheer) … Your guys feet gonna be sore by the end of the night, I tell you that (Backed away from mic)(fans cheer louder) …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘Factory’
"My Pop's listening to me on the radio, so this is for him … <long delay> … my bedroom used to be…. used to back out, back over the backyard and…..I always remember in the morning I used to hear my father out back underneath the hood of the car trying to get it started so he could go to work…..and I remember at night sitting in the dark…..this is for him…..”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘The Promised Land’
“Alright … yeah, alright (chuckles) … It’s Promised Land …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, after to ‘The Promised Land’
“Miami Steve on the guitar … Big Man on the saxophone …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘Prove It All Night’
"I remember when I was a kid…..I used to think….that if I was ok, everybody else would be too…..and that ‘long as when I went to bed and I said my prayers that everything’d be all right…..but you find out…..you gotta prove it all night, every night….”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, after ‘Prove It All Night’
“That’s Roy Bittan on the piano … Dan Federici on the organ … <long delay> … and that was Max …on the drums, playing drums for you …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘Racing in the Street’
"Alright, back home…..one, two, can we get this up a little bit, Bobby ?….oh….back home there's, uh (someone yells out a request) we gonna get to that one later, ok? (chuckles)….that's a surprise, I can’t say, ok? (chuckles) back home there's this, there this like, uh, these two streets, Kingsley Avenue and Ocean Avenue (cheers) … you couldn't ever have been there (chuckles) and it's like….. and they form this big oval, on Friday and Saturday nights…..in the summertime, they burn up about half the gas in the United States, I guess….but this is for everybody back home on Sixth Avenue in Asbury Park ….who, I'm sure, will hear this someday through the magic of bootlegging, alright! (chuckles)….here´s ‘Racing In The Street’….”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘The Ties That Bind’
“Alright….I'm a-here ! (chuckles)….we got a lot of people listening in tonight up in Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, Eugene….so (?) everybody say hello, alright (crowd : ‘Hello!’) alright, this is for all those guys, this is a new song; it's called ‘The Ties That Bind’….”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town’
“I got to tell you this story…..it was about, it was 1970 and me and Steve were working in this bar in Asbury Park called The Student Prince….and we were like….we were making no dough, you know, and doing nothing, just sitting around, waiting to be discovered or something….but nobody can discover you in Asbury Park, you know (chuckles)….gotta get on the Turnpike, at least (chuckles)….anyway, bring it down a little bit, anyway, we were sitting there one night….matter of fact, it was right around this time of year, wasn't it, Steve ?….and you know….it was a night, I think , I think it was just like tonight….except it was about 15 degrees outside….it was cold….it was 3 o'clock in the morning…..and we're sitting there at this table, everybody's gone home, rest of the band's all gone home…..and we're saying ‘Man, what are we gonna do ? here it is’ (someone yells out) ‘We already did that (chuckles) it's like, it’s like, here it is, this is Christmastime’….I say ‘I ain't got no money….to buy no presents….you ain't got no money to buy no presents, how you gonna buy me a present ?’….so we made a deal, I wouldn't buy him nothing if he didn't buy me nothing…..so we were feeling really down, you know, going ‘some Christmas’…..do you ever hear people say that ? (crowd : ‘Some Christmas’)…..right…..so we start to walk home down along the boardwalk…..now it's snowin' like crazy out, right…..he's carrying the guitars, and somehow I got stuck carrying the amps….I don't know how, I'm supposed to be the Boss, I got stuck carrying the amps…..so anyway….we were walking down the boardwalk, I got the amps…..shit, goddamn (chuckles)….he's got the guitars…..and we're going on , we're going ‘Man, I've had it with this Santa Claus stuff, that's a bunch of junk, I don't believe in that stuff, you know, what are we gonna do? gonna go home and watch the ‘Late show’, it's Christmas Eve…..gonna into bed by myself, pull the covers up, everybody else is having a good, I ain´t got no, I didn't even get a Christmas tree, did you get one ?’….so anyway, we’re feeling real down about it, then, all of a sudden, it was funny…..we seen this light…..shooting around the moon…..shifting into fourth scooting down towards the boardwalk….and all of a sudden….there he was…. Steve, look….”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, After ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town’
“… (sounds like ‘Sing it’) … Merry Christmas, happy holidays, New Year’s … best everything …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘The Fever’
"… Alright, somebody requested this one…..this song, we never recorded this….this is a song that Southside recorded, it was, I guess, on some bootlegs and stuff, it's called ‘Fever’…..”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘Fire’
“This is a song, was uh, this song was originally done on Robert Gordon’s second album … and it’s just been recorded by The Pointer Sisters, so, it’s called Fire …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘Point Blank’
"This is, uh….you think everything's all right and you wake up…..and find out you’ve been shot point blank…..”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro & ‘I GET MAD!’ to ‘She’s The One’
“… workin’, workin’ … I gotta work …
(…) WAIT A MINUTE! … Big Man! … I got a problem … (Clarence: ‘Uh-huh. What kind of problem’) … Well, see, you see … (Clarence: ‘Uh-huh’) … I call her up … (Clarence: ‘Uh-huh’) … She ain’t home … I go by her house … (Clarence: ‘Uh-huh’) … She ain’t home … I send her a letter … I get no reply … She doesn’t wanna lay down … (Clarence: ‘No?’) … and look for somebody else … (Clarence: ‘(?) help?’) … I drive by her house … real late … (Clarence: ‘Uh-huh’) … I see two silhouettes … on the window shade … and that’s when … that’s when … I GET MAD! … like Al Capone … I GET MAD! … like Pretty Boy Floyd … I GET MAD! … like Smokin’ Joe … I GET MAD! … like … Popeye! … Sometimes … Big Man … (Clarence: ‘Yeah?’) … Sometimes, she gets me SO mad … (Clarence: ‘Uh-huh’)(Fan: ‘How Mad?’) … How mad? (chuckles) … How mad boys? … (Fans: ‘How mad?’) … She gets me SO MAD … (Fans: ‘How mad?’) … that, I just wanna … I just feel like I gotta … (Clarence: ‘Go ahead’) … I just wanna … (Clarence: ‘Go ahead’) … (band stops) … I just feel like if I don’t … I just wanna … I just gotta … (Clarence: ‘Yeah, go ahead’) … I just feel like if I don’t, I just … (Clarence: ‘Go ahead’) … I just … (Clarence: ‘Yeah’) … I just … (Clarence: ‘Talk to me’) I just …(Clarence: ‘Do it’) … I just don’t know …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, middle of ‘Backstreets´
"Hello baby….it's good to see you back again ….honey you're still looking fine…..it's been such a long, long time….but baby I remember you…..baby I remember you…..and I know you remember me too….and I know you remember….(?) checking outside of town….on the summer nights and you remember….that stripped-down Cadillac….the one you used to take me riding in back…..yeah, the one you used to take me riding in back…..and I know you remember….oh going down and down and down on the inside ….slipping down and down and down to the inside…..slipping down and down and down to the inside…..slipping down and away and I know you remember on the outside, you were crying in the street…..on the inside, slipping down and down and down…..on the outside, the cops on the corner…..on the inside, slipping down and down and down…..and I remember I swore…..a long, long time ago….I swore that for you…..I’d drive all night, anytime, anyplace….I'd drive all night…..just to buy you some shoes…..just to buy you a Christmas present…..just to check you out…..just to see how you’re doing just to…..just for one…..sweet kiss…..just for one…..just to hear you say that you love me…..and I remember that you promised that you'd never leave without me…..I remember way back then, you promised you'd never leave without me ….I remember way back then, you promised…..and like everything else from those days, you promised….and you lied….didn’t you ? you lied…..little girl, you lied….little girl, you lied….I see now you’ve come back and I wanna know why…..I wanna know why…..I wanna know why…..I wanna know why….and I wanna know just what makes you think…..I mean just what makes you think it's so easy…..I mean just what makes you think…..just what makes you think it's so easy to….to stop….to stop….to stop…to stop….to stop….stop, stop, stop, stop….stop….stop……STOP !….”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, after of ‘Backstreets´
“Roy Bittan on the piano … Max Weinberg on the drums …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro & middle of ´´Rosalita”
"This next song….is the saddest song we’re gonna play all night….matter of fact, we don´t usually even play this song any more because I can’t get through it without crying ….you wanna know why?….well, I’ll tell you why…I wasn’t always this useless empty shell of a man you see in front of you….I was in love once….I had a girlfriend…. we ran away from her mother and father and we came to California …. and then she ran away from me…..so ever since that day I’ve been looking, I’ve been searching ….I’ve been on a nationwide hunt disguised as a rock and roll tour….you see, and don’t tell nobody this, alright?….you see, I’m not really, I don’t really play this guitar, see, what I really am is I’m a private detective ….and I’ve been looking, I’ve been searching…. and so if you’re here tonight….Rosie….come back! …
(…) on the piano, Professor Roy Bittan … on the guitar, Miami Steven Van Zandt … on the bass, Mr. Garry W. Tallent … on the drums, the Mighty Max Weinberg … on the organ, Mr. Dan Federici … and last but not least … the king of the world … master of the universe … is it a bird? (Crowd: ‘NO!’) … is it a plane? (Crowd: ‘NO!’) … is it The Big Man? (Crowd: ‘YEAH!’) … on the saxophone, Mr. Clarence Clemons …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ´´Born To Run”
“I wanna thank everybody for coming down to the show. Thank you very much (Crowd cheers) … I know a lot of you guys, wait out in line to get tickets and then you wait out in line to get in for a long time. I want you to know it doesn’t go unappreciated. Thank you very much … Here’s to ya …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro, middle & end to ‘Detroit Medley’
"This is for everybody up in Seattle and Portland, we're gonna be going up there and see them in a few days and for you guys, got your dancing shoes on…..
(….) Oh, wait a minute….bring it down….excuse me….I just talked, bring it down, we gotta make an emergency announcement, I just, uh….talked to the hall manager and he wanted me to announce that if there's anybody, if there's anybody in the house tonight, that has a weak stomach or a weak heart, could you please, during the next section of this song, step out into the lobby as it might be dangerous to your health….see, it ain't so bad….when me and the Big Man do this…..and it ain't so bad when me and the Big Man do this….and you could even get off with light injuries and a short trip to the emergency room…..when we do this…..now I bet all them guys on the radio are wondering what we're doing (long cheers) I didn't do it yet !…..when I do this, you're in trouble….Are you ready?….Are you ready?….Are you ready?….Are you ready?…. Ready? …Ready? … Yeah!…..
(…) It’s over the guitar … ”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’
“Are you ready for the Tenth? (Crowd cheers) … Are you ready for the Tenth? (Crowd cheers) … Are you ready for the Tenth? (Crowd cheers) … 1, 2, 3, 4 …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, <Encore Break> – KSAN-FM DJ Norm Winer
“Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, live in Winterland in San Francisco, that was uh, their second encore, my, a Mitch Ryder medley, that hit me, that warmed the cockles of my heart, you know. Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels, and uh, well, the audience wants more, do you want more? … Well, we’ll be back, we got … ah … what a great show, this is really, you know, uh, a, a rock show that many, many people will remember … and whether you’re uh, uh, listening in the state of Oregon, or the state of Washington, or here in California, or maybe in Nevada, we hope you’re enjoying it along with us. It’s coming to you live from San Francisco at Winterland … Well, the lights are still on for you Winterland. The crowd’s still on their feet … Well, between the time of uh, Born To Run and, and uh, Bruce Springsteen’s most recent album, Darkness On the Edge Of Town, some 2 years and 9 months elapsed, an awfully long time to wait, especially after that great success of Born To Run, a record that really made, uh, Bruce Springsteen, uh, a star, certainly on the east coast, it’s taken him a while to, really establish himself in some other parts of the country but after tonight, and uh, well, the people really after, after seeing him live and after a great broadcast like tonight, you gotta admit that Br … <Bruce does intro for Raise Your Hand> … Bruce Springsteen has arrived …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, intro to ‘Raise Your Hand’
“… (?) … Raise Your Hand …”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, middle of ‘Raise Your Hand’
"I wanna tell everybody who’s listening at home…..I want you to get up, I want you to turn up the radio as loud as it'll go….I want you to open up all the windows in Sacramento and Eugene and Seattle and Portland and San Francisco., if you're driving your car, roll down the window, when you get to the light, jump, jump out, dance around in the street, get back in, hit your head on the steering wheel, and drive on…. and if the cops come knocking at your door, send all your complaints to Bill Graham, care of Winterland, San Francisco, and tell 'em, if there's something they need, if there's something they want… they got to raise their hands!…..”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, <FM Closing> – KSAN-FM DJ Norm Winer
“Well, there it is, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band live from Winterland. It’s been a great night of rock and roll and it’s really been fun doing this. I’m Norm Winer from KSAN and it’s rare you get a chance to hear great music and be involved in uh, a labor of love with the spirit of rock and roll so, on behalf of Bruce Springsteen, we’d like to thank the following stations for making this broadcast possible, KZOK in Seattle, Washington, KZEL in Eugene, Oregon, KQFM in Portland, Oregon, KZAP in Sacramento, California, and of course, KSAN, here in San Francisco. This network was produced by Starfleet Studios of Boston, Massachusetts, helping to keep radio alive all over the U.S.A., the Smooth Jam Popper executive producer, the Doctor Dan _ unit manager, and the mix of this evening’s concert, done by Jimmy Iovine, in the Record Plant West mobile unit. We’d also like to thank the following people who helped make this network broadcast possible, Jon Landau, Paul Rappaport of Columbia Records, Bill Graham and everyone at FM Productions, Peter and Bob Barstodi … <quick fade out>”
15.12.78 San Francisco, CA, ALL of ‘Quarter To Three’
“ … (fades in) … <Q23-1><Sing-A-Long><Q23-2> … (band stops) … Somebody stop me! (band starts and stops) … before I hurt myself … (band starts & stops) … Are you talkin' to me? (Crowd: 'YEAH!') … Are you talkin' to me? (Crowd: 'YEAH!') … Are you talkin', TO ME? (Crowd: 'YEAH!') … You better talk louder than that … <Q23-3> … (band stops) … I think I’m gonna throw up … a-1, 2, 3, 4 <Q23-4> … I'm just a prisoner … OF ROCK AND ROLL! … Do we understand each other? ,,, Good! … <Q23-5> … (?) … You guys been great … (?) … <End>”
Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi & 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.
Walking in a Wonder Winterland |
The home stretch of the Darkness tour in late 1978 may look like a victory lap, but its purpose was to return to key markets and seal the deal. The final push raised Springsteen and the E Street Band up from theaters played on previous legs to bigger rooms, with dates in arenas in cities like Cleveland, which closed the tour with a pair of shows at the Richfield Coliseum on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 1979.
In the Bay Area, that meant graduating from the Berkeley Community Theater and San Jose Center For the Performing Arts, played in the summer, to back-to-back nights at legendary promoter Bill Graham’s Winterland, capacity 5,400.
The first night at Winterland would also serve as the fifth and final live radio broadcast from the Darkness tour, thrilling listeners around the Bay Area on KSAN-FM and strategically extended via simulcast to audiences in Sacramento, Eugene, Portland, and Seattle on their respective rock stations. The simulcast primed the pump in two of those markets, as Bruce would play the Rose and Emerald cities in just a few days’ time.
By that point, Springsteen’s management and Columbia Records had recognized that the Darkness tour broadcasts which preceded Winterland (The Roxy in Los Angeles, Agora in Cleveland, Passaic, and Atlanta) were a powerful marketing tool, not only reaching established fans in core and adjacent markets but converting fence-sitters who were loyal listeners to those all-important rock radio outlets. Live concerts were already a staple of FM radio at the time, including nationally syndicated shows like the King Biscuit Flower Hour and Rock Around the World. Simulcasts of local concerts were equally common on FM stations like WMMR in Philadelphia and WMMS in Cleveland.
But Springsteen’s strategy and tactics were unique. No artist I know of had ever done five live broadcasts from the same tour and simulcast the shows regionally — taking over the airwaves for three hours at a clip, no less. In the process, Bruce built an alliance of rock stations, and their listeners that would remain loyal for years to come. Springsteen had long enjoyed incredible word of mouth about his concerts, but the ’78 broadcasts provided tangible, recordable, and shareable proof.
There was also an idea in the air that the follow up to Darkness on the Edge of Town simply had to be a live album. The broadcasts provided an opportunity to roll in a remote recording truck and kill two birds with one stone, sending the show over the air and capturing it to multi-track tape for potential future release. It just took a few decades longer than expected.
Fans and collectors have spent millions of pixels on message boards discussing and debating which shows were recorded on multi-tracks and wondering why more early Bruce gigs weren’t done. Beyond the expense (which was significant), the act of recording a live concert to multi-track itself was no simple feat circa 1978.
A 24-track, two-inch, reel-to-reel tape recorder is a massive piece of heavy equipment with a large footprint. The recorders are mounted on carts with industrial casters so they can be rolled into position. Two-inch recorders also require a lot of power to operate, and they are extremely sensitive to the conditions of their environment, particularly temperature.
Oh, did I mention you need two of them to record a concert without gaps? Two-inch tape and recorders were designed to record one song in the studio, not a three-hour concert. Given their short tape lengths, a recording engineer had to start a tape going on one machine, wait for it to run most of the way through, then fire up a second overlapping tape on the second machine and so on. Back and forth they would go: loading, recording, and switching tapes in real time on two machines to preserve a full performance. Today, you can record an entire show to multitrack on a laptop and a breakout box that fits in a backpack.
Given the complex logistics, it should come as no surprise that multi-track recording could occasionally go wrong, even with experienced engineers and producers in the truck. Whether there were complications on the night or tapes were lost over time, the surviving multi-track reels of the first night of Winterland cover less than half the show. The inclusion of “Fire” on Live 1975/85 from 12/16, not the better-known 12/15, may be a clue that the problems occurred on the night in question.
Luckily, remote recording units typically carried a third reel-to-reel deck with them as well: a high-quality, 15-IPS, two-track recorder to serve as a back-up/reference capturing the front-of-house mix as it happened. That’s exactly what the Record Plant’s R2R did on December 15, 1978, recording a pre-broadcast stereo feed from the mixing board.
Forty-one years later, we’re fortunate those two-track, 15-IPS masters from the familiar 12/15 show were recently unearthed, along with the complete multitrack masters from the previously unheard 12/16 set. Both sources have been newly transferred via Plangent Process, restored (12/15) and mixed (12/16) by Jon Altschiller and mastered by Adam Ayan to deliver a complete document of the Winterland stand, both the beloved broadcast performance from night one and the fresh-to-the-world set from night two.
A bounty of two peak Darkness concerts should be at the top of anyone’s holiday wish list. Most will know the celebrated 12/15 set like the back of their hand from tapes and bootlegs of the broadcast, but for 12/16, here’s a user guide to this wonderful addition to the live Darkness canon.
1) Bruce changed the set on night two in deference to fans attending both shows, opening with “Good Rockin’ Tonight” and playing “Rendezvous” for the first time on the tour. Incredibly, “Rendezvous” is one of six unreleased originals performed in the 25-song set, along with “Independence Day,” “The Fever,” “Fire,” “Because the Night” and “Point Blank.”
2) Introducing a weighty “Independence Day,” Bruce says, “This is a song I wrote a couple years ago. I was originally going to put it on Darkness on the Edge of Town. This is called ‘Independence Day.’ This is for my pop.” With his parents living in nearby San Mateo, we can assume that Douglas was very likely in the audience for the performance.
3) Bruce tells a completely different and much longer story than night one setting up “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.” The tall tale includes entertaining references to Johnny Carson and Kellogg’s Pop Tarts, plus some audible chiming in from Stevie Van Zandt, who wants a new amplifier from Saint Nick.
4) Bruce dedicates “Racing in the Street” to “all the San Francisco night riders,” but after singing “Tonight, tonight, the strip’s just right” he goes totally blank. “I forgot the words,” he says. It is an endearing and rare moment of vulnerability, which he not only recovers from gracefully, but which seems to inject the show with an adrenaline shot: from that point forward, Springsteen and the band are en fuego. “Jungleland” brings the first set to a crackling close, riding the powerful dynamics of Clarence Clemons on saxophone and Van Zandt’s guitar solo, setting the table for a stunning second act.
5) “It’s Hard to Be a (Saint in the City)” is another set list change and serves as a stonking start to a second set for the ages. The guitar tone on this one should be bottled as a stimulant.
6) “Because the Night” begins with what might best be described as an experimental guitar intro that is more a sonic survey of echo, delay, and sustained notes than strumming. It’s the most Frippertronics approach I have ever heard Springsteen explore. Fascinating.
7) How about the version of “She’s the One”? The intro weaves “Mona” and “Preacher’s Daughter,” while Bruce later riffs on Van Morrison/Them’s “Gloria.” Stevie sings soulful retorts all over the performance, all in the service of Bruce’s heightened lead vocal. Listen to the incredible run he takes through, “Just one kiss, she’ll turn them long summer nights, with her tenderness / The secret pact you made, when her love could save you, from the bitterness… WHAAAAHOO!” Holy crap.
8) “The Fever” is focused and luscious, providing a deserved spotlight on the band, especially Danny Federici and the Big Man, who shine ever-so-brightly as they thread their solos around each other. Rest in peace, E Street icons.
9) A slightly shambolic “Detroit Medley” features a rare foray into Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.”
10) Finally, connoisseurs of audience noise (and I know you’re out there) should be extremely pleased with the level of fan interaction in Jon Altschiller’s mix. The crowd is ever-present and in full voice throughout the night and who can blame them?
Thanks to former Columbia product manager Dick Wingate for supplying contemporary information and documentation about the Darkness tour broadcasts.
| By Erik Flannigan via Nugs.net. |
Links:
- Darkness on The Edge Of Town Tour 1978 8-Show CD Box Set (PRE-ORDER) (BruceSpringsteen)
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