Party Lights

Party Lights JEMS / Steve Hopkins’ Master Tapes   02.12.1975 - Music Hall, Boston, MA   Disc 1 1. Thunder Road 2. Tenth Avenue Freeze-out 3. Spirit In The Night 4. Lost In The Flood 5. She's The One 6. Born To Run 7. The E Street Shuffle (slight cut) 8. Growin' Up 9. It's Hard to Be A Saint In The City 10. Backstreets Disc 2 1. Kitty's Back 2. Jungleland 3. Rosalita 4. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town 5. Detroit Medley 6. Sandy 7. Party Lights 8. Quarter To Three   Notes: JEMS is proud to partner once again with Boston taper Steve Hopkins to release some of the essential Springsteen recordings he made between 1974 and 1977. Steve recorded Springsteen a total of nine times and he has previously tormented three of those shows from his masters. Late last year, JEMS released in the first of Steve's remaining Bruce masters, Providence, July 20, 1975.   This first of two nights at the Boston Music Hall finds Bruce and the band newly returned from their brief European tour that included the now legendary shows at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. Bruce talks about the trip in some detail during this outstanding show that is packed with highlights. It opens with the slow "Thunder Road" that features just Roy and Bruce, and cruises through 17 other songs including "Lost in the Flood," the first known recorded performance of "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" and an ultra rare cover of Claudine Clark's 1962 hit "Party Lights." For Hopkins though, the personal highlight was "the epic, 18-minute 'Kitty's Back' both this night and the following." Hard to argue with that.   As it was the first show back in the states after three weeks away, the crowd is a mix of Boston fans and others who drove up from NY/NJ. As a result, there's plenty of audience response and chatter (I especially like the guy who sarcastically tells the folks in front of him "congratulations for standing up"), but nothing that detracts from Hopkins' excellent and complete recording, save for a short tape flip inside "The E Street Shuffle." Samples provided.   We hope you enjoy this second release from the Hopkins masters. BK for JEMS. – Description details for torrent "1975-12-02 - Music Hall - Boston, MA - Aud - Steve Hopkins master via JEMS" (Jungleland) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Audience tape of above average quality for its era. Show includes the first known live performance of “Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town” since December 1973 - and it’s the earliest rendition that is audio-circulating. There’s also one of only a couple of known performances of Claudine Clark's 1962 hit “Party Lights”. "Thunder Road" is the slow version with Roy on piano and Bruce on harmonica and vocals. Available on CDR from Steve Hopkins' master tapes. - 1975-12-02 - MUSIC HALL, BOSTON, MA (Brucebase) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve Hopkins master via JEMS ; Taping Gear: Sony ECM-99A > Sony TC-152SD (recorded on two Maxell UD 90-minute tapes, Dolby B encode) Fourth Row Center ; JEMS 2011 transfer: SH master cassette > Nakamichi CR-7A (Dolby B decode) > Sound Devices USBPre2 (24/96) > Peak 6.0 with isotope Ozone > .wav (24/96) > resample via iZotope MBIT+ to .wav (16/44) > FLAC. – Description details for torrent "1975-12-02 - Music Hall - Boston, MA - Aud - Steve Hopkins master via JEMS" (Jungleland) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks to “Long Walk Home” (Madrid) & The Stone Pony London Forum for the artwork.   External Download Link: - 256.04 MB MP3 (.RAR) [DOWNLOAD]

10th Anniversary Of SiriusXM Radio

LIVE FROM "THE TRUE TEMPLE OF SOUL" On June 5, 1992, Bruce Springsteen warmed up for his first tour without the E Street Band by sending out a "dress rehearsal" show live over the radio airwaves. While the tour itself wouldn't start for another ten days, listeners everywhere (and a handful of contest winners in-house) got a sneak peek at the upcoming tour. Twenty years later, and Bruce is doing it again: this time not on terrestrial radio but via satellite on SiriusXM; this time with the E Street Band, with an album headed up the charts instead of down, and not from a "mysterious location" but rather from the place where stars are born and legends are made, Harlem's historic Apollo Theatre.   Thing is, Friday night didn't feel like a tour warm-up. It wasn't touted as a rehearsal show, and it didn't feel like one — it felt like a special night curated for the Apollo Theater. Which, no matter what takes shape further on down the road, is exactly what it was: from the band coming out and rubbing Harlem's legendary Tree of Hope as they each took the stage, to Springsteen's delightedly over-the-top self-introduction ("A young man who was born in the U.S.A.... won an Academy Award... the hardest working white man in show business!") to the tributes to soul greats, the special appearance of vocalist Michelle Moore, and the blasting apart of the fourth wall that separates performer and audience in this 1,200-seater. By the time Springsteen began scaling the walls, climbing into opera boxes and out onto the edge of the lower mezzanine, we'd already lost track of how many times he'd ventured into the crowd. It was hardly something he'll be able to repeat at a Corporate Arena Near You.   That said, the new album got a workout, giving a taste of things to come with all songs performed on Fallon returning plus the tour debuts of "Shackled and Drawn," "We Are Alive," and "Rocky Ground." "Shackled" was a Sessions Band-style tour de force, with all the vocalists down front on an a capella intro, even Garry stepping to the mic, and Cindy Mizelle bringing it home at the end: "I want everybody to stand up and be counted tonight!" "Rocky Ground" brought the album's featured vocalist Michelle Moore to the stage, with Bruce recalling fondly how long they've worked together, from Asbury Park holiday shows to The Rising and beyond.   "On our new record," Bruce said, "our motto is dancing and crying." And hand-in-hand with that theme of resilience in the face of adversity and loss, the spirit of Clarence Clemons was very much with us tonight — Bruce and the E Street Band's first full show without him. There was a collective breath held as the "Badlands" solo approached in slot three... and an exhale of relief as Jake Clemons stepped out of the five-horn line-up to do his Uncle (and Bruce and the band and the song and himself) proud. It wasn't much later that Bruce addressed the loss directly, honoring the Big Man, his fans, the band, and our communal bond in the process.   He touched on it first in a mission statement after "Death to My Hometown": "We're so glad to be here with you tonight at the legendary Apollo Theater. We're glad to be here again — we've missed you. Tonight we've got some old friends and some new friends with us... but our mission remains the same. We're here to bring the power, hour after hour... we're here to put a whoop-ass session on the recession... we're here to bring a smile to your face, an extra beat to your heart, and to raise your spirits high in these hard times."   But it was in the next song, a horn-heavy "My City of Ruins" with a newfound groove, that Springsteen met the elephant in the room head on. "Roll Call!" he shouted, introducing each member of the band, who each took a solo. And when they were done: "Are we missing anybody?" There was a tentative feeling in the crowd as a whole, and one of the most moving moments of the night was as we first wondered, is this really what he means? And the look on Bruce's face as he beckoned said it all. He was giving us permission. "Are we missing anybody?" he asked again, and this time the crowd knew to respond. Soon he was telling us, "The only thing I can guarantee tonight... if you're here and we're here, they're here."   In the encore, "Tenth Avenue Freeze-out" brought an even more moving salute to Clarence, Bruce first holding out the mic to the crowd for "kid you better get the picture," and soon bringing the song to a complete halt after "the Big Man joined the band," the crowd hollering in tribute, the moment stretching out before the entire horn section played that quick, signature solo in unison.   These were moments when we acknowledged loss, particularly of Danny and Clarence. Important moments that it felt like we needed, as an audience, and that reminded us of the courage it must take for Bruce and the band to soldier on without their longtime brothers in arms. But we didn't feel just loss all night. We celebrated, we raged, we gasped (jesus, don't let him fall off the balcony, or the tour is over before it starts!), we grooved, and we dug deep into "Soul Music! The Apollo! Home of the Gods and the True Temple of Soul!" In a lengthy and clearly heartfelt salute to the music that is inseparable from the venue and that also nurtured his own musical soul, Bruce described it as "an education." Geography: "Funky Broadway." Math: "99 and a Half Won't Do." Religion: Aretha. Sex Education: Marvin Gaye. "The Wisdom of Solomon... Burke! And of course, the poetry of Smokey Robinson." So many powerful vocalists onstage brought their talents to bear on a superbly arranged "The Way You Do the Things You Do," and Bruce kept the soul train rolling right into Wilson Pickett's "634-5789," as he gave Eddie Vedder and his wall-scaling a run for the money.   The final song of the night, after mixing in more of his own staples like "The Rising" and "Thunder Road," was both another soul classic and a promise to the thousands of fans listening in all night on SiriusXM: Atlanta, Greensboro, Tampa, Boston... "Hold on... we're comin'!" - Backstreets News

10th Anniversary Of SiriusXM Radio Larry Rulz Version   09.03.2012 - Apollo Theater, New York City, NY   Disc 1 1. Intro 2. We Take Care Of Our Own 3. Wrecking Ball 4. Badlands 5. Death To My Hometown 6. My City Of Ruins 7. The E Street Shuffle 8. Jack Of All Trades 9. Shackled & Drawn 10. Waiting on a Sunny Day 11. The Promised Land Disc 2 1. Mansion on the Hill 2.The Way You Do The Thing You Do 3. 634-5789 4. The Rising 5. We are alive 6. Thunder Road 7. Rocky Ground 8. Land Of Hope And Dreams 9. Tenth avenue freeze-out 10. Hold on! I'm comin'   Notes: Satellite radio broadcast. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play the Apollo Theater to celebrate the 10th anniversary of SiriusXM Radio, the satellite network that also broadcasts E Street Radio. Tickets were only available for SiriusXM subscribers contest winners. The show kicks off at 8:20 p.m. and is broadcast live on E Street Radio. "My City Of Ruins" includes band introductions. "Mansion On The Hill" is played acoustically on guitar and harmonica, with Patti on harmony vocals and Soozie on fiddle. First ever performance of The Temptations' 1964 hit "The Way You Do the Things You Do", played in tribute (along with Wilson Pickett's "634-5789", which sees Bruce up on the balcony of the theatre) to all the soul legends who have performed on stage at Harlem's Apollo Theater. There's also a moving tribute to Clarence Clemons during "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out", with the band pausing after "the big man joined the band" for a wave of applause, before crashing back into the song. Michelle Moore (who sung on the album) provides the "rap" vocals for "Rocky Ground". World premieres of several songs from Wrecking Ball, including "Shacked And Drawn" and "We Are Alive". The show is also filmed, perhaps for future use. - 2012-03-09 - APOLLO THEATER, NEW YORK CITY, NY (Brucebase) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Whether it was the legendary venue, the excitement of his first show behind his new album, the allure of the celebrity-filled crowd, or the jitters of performing without the late Clarence Clemons, Bruce Springsteen turned in a show at the Apollo that had me, at times, laughing, screaming, staring in awe and damn near crying.   Sponsored by SiriusXM for the company's 10th anniversary, the intimate concert started with Springsteen and the E Street Band walking on stage and rubbing the Apollo's famed Tree of Hope stump for good luck. With a nod to James Brown's 1962 performance at the venue, Springsteen gave himself a lengthy intro as the band started up 'We Take Care of Our Own.'   "Ladies and gentlemen are you ready for showtime? Welcome to Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater! I'd like to introduce to you, right now, a young man, he was Born in the U.S.A! Arrived here tonight in his Pink Cadillac! Winner of the Academy Award! He brought you such great hit as 'Dancing in the Dark,' 'Born to Run,' 'Hungry Heart'! I'm talking about "Mr. Badlands," the Jersey Devil himself, the man who paid the cost to be the Boss, the hardest working white man in show business! Let's hear it for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band!"   The big question for Springsteen fans in the audience and listening at home was how the absence of Clarence Clemons would affect the show. It took three songs until we got an answer: During 'Badlands,' Clemons' nephew Jake strutted forward from the horn section's riser at the back of the stage and let loose with a chill-inducing sax solo that drew cheers from the audience and band alike.   Introducing the next song, 'My City of Ruins,' Bruce addressed Clemons' passing indirectly, noting that they were up there with some old friends and some new friends. "The E Street Band's mission remains the same: We're here to bring the power hour after hour, we're here to put a whoop-ass session on the recession, we're here to bring a smile to your face, an extra beat to your heart, and to raise your spirits high in these hard times. And of course, as usual, we've got a story to tell, so let's get started."   Midway through the song, Springsteen brought Clemons' absence up again, without being too literal about it, during a roll call of the band. "Are we missing anybody?" he yelled, goading the crowd into response. "That's right. We're missing a few," he said without naming the Big Man or keyboardist Danny Federici, who died in 2008 following a battle with cancer. "But the only thing I can guarantee tonight is that if you're here, and we're here, then they're here. If you're here, and we're here, then they're here."   Bruce repeated that last part a few times, letting the emotions build before returning to the song with the lines, "Now there's tears on the pillow/darling where we slept/and you took my heart when you left." Appropriately, during the song's refrain of "with these hands," Jake was the first to put his fist up.   Another poignant moment came during 'Jack of All Trades,' where Springsteen talked about writing a lot of the 'Wrecking Ball' album in 2009, before there was an Occupy movement or accountability for the Wall Street banisters and politicians who let them run wild. Backlit by the spotlight and standing mostly still without his guitar, Bruce gave off the impression that the track, obviously too subdued for a lead single, might be the most important to him of all his new material, letting the subtle power of lines like "If I had me a gun, I'd find the bastards and shoot 'em on sight" do all the work.   After a few more upbeat numbers, including Boss nearly doing a jig during the Celtic-infused 'Shackled and Drawn' and venturing out into the audience during 'Waitin' on a Sunny Day,' Bruce and his wife Patti Scialfa duetted on a quiet, emotional rendition of 'Mansion on the Hill,' which they finished off with a kiss and a joke about their 22-year-old son: "That's how the whole f---ing thing started."   Bruce's next tribute was for the Apollo, "the home of the Gods and the true temple of soul." He rattled off his soul heroes, saying they were his real teachers: Sam Cooke taught him history, religion came from Aretha Franklin, sex education was Marvin Gaye and poetry was all Smokey Robinson. With that, Springsteen kicked into a medley of the Robinson-penned Temptations hit 'The Way You Do the Things You Do' and Wilson Pickett's '634-5789,' the latter of which Bruce sang while making his way through the mezzanine, then climbing over the balcony, walking through a VIP box and shimmying back down onto the stage. Pretty nimble for a 62-year-old.   The main set closed with 'Thunder Road,' with Jake blasting out a huge sax solo to the delight of the crowd. A quick break was followed by 'Rocky Ground,' a new song that features a hip-hop verse by singer Michelle Moore -- and believe it or not, the mostly white, middle-aged crowd ate it up.   The most heart-wrenching moment of the night was saved for 'Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,' when Bruce and the band came to a stop after the line, "The big man joined the band." Springsteen wildly waved his arm, willing the crowd to scream for Clemons while the rest of the band looked on, appearing both drained from the epic performance and invigorated by the memorial.   'Freeze-Out' then morphed into the epic closer of Sam and Dave's 'Hold on, I'm Coming,' a show-stopping soul powerhouse that featured Bruce doing his best James Brown impression. As the song barreled on, he did the Godfather's signature "I can't go on" move, with Steven Van Zandt putting a small black towel over the Boss's shoulders. Springsteen faked staggering off the stage then ran back to his microphone to repeat the chorus for what seemed like the 84th time (we're not complaining). With a nod to fans listening at home, he promised them that E Street was coming to them soon, with the 'Wrecking Ball' tour less than two weeks away.   The Apollo concert was the perfect tribute to Clemons: Solemn at the right moments, but mainly a celebration of the Big Man, with Jake ably paying tribute to his late uncle and becoming a star member in his own right. I'm not sure how the rest of the tour will play out, but it seems like Springsteen and the E Street Band might approach the 'Wrecking Ball' trek as if they're bringing a memorial service to the fans. The sadness will be there, but the joy Bruce brings in honoring his fallen comrade will make it as enjoyable as any passing can be. - Bruce Springsteen at the Apollo: A Tribute to Clarence Clemons and Soul (Spinner.com) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band ; Apollo Theater, New York, NY ; March 9, 2012 ; Broadcast live on SiriusXM Radio || Lineage: Subscriber non-trial SiriusXM internet stream (128 kbps) > Audacity > WAV > TLH > FLAC > foobar2000 (flac tags) || Bruce Springsteen - vocals, guitar : the E Street Band: Roy Bittan - piano ; Nils Lofgren - guitar, electric banjo, vocals ; Patti Scialfa - guitar, vocals ; Garry W. Tallent - bass ; Steve Van Zandt - guitar, vocals ; Max Weinberg - drums || with Soozie Tyrell - violin, vocals ; Charlie Giordano – keyboards ; Cindy Mizelle – vocals ; Curtis King - vocals ; Clark Gayton - trombone, tuba ; Curt Ramm - trumpet ; Barry Danielian - trumpet ; Ed Manion - saxophone ; Jake Clemons - saxophone ; Michelle Moore - vocals on "Rocky Ground" - Description details for torrent "SiriusXM Broadcast from the Apollo Theater New York, NY March 9, 2012 (**VERSION THREE**)" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thanks to “Long Walk Home” (Madrid) & The Stone Pony London Forum for the artwork.   External Download Link: - 198.81 MB MP3 (.RAR) [DOWNLOAD]

Close Encounter

- - JEMS is proud to partner once again with Boston taper Steve Hopkins to release some of the essential Springsteen recordings he made between 1974 and 1977. - - - - This version features none of the cuts present in the previously circulating sources. - -

Close Encounter JEMS / Steve Hopkins’ Master Tapes   03.12.1975 - Music Hall, Boston, MA   Disc 1 1. Thunder Road 2. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out 3. Spirit in the Night 4. Lost in the Flood 5. She's the One 6. Born to Run 7. Pretty Flamingo 8. Growin' Up 9. Saint in the City 10. Backstreets Disc 2 1. Kitty's Back 2. Jungleland 3. Rosalita 4. Sandy 5. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town 6. Detroit Medley 7. For You 8. Quarter to Three   Notes: JEMS is proud to partner once again with Boston taper Steve Hopkins to release some of the essential Springsteen recordings he made between 1974 and 1977. Steve recorded Springsteen a total of nine times and he has previously tormented two of those shows from his masters (plus a third, incomplete recording of Providence August 26, 1978 recorded by his friend FF). Late last year, JEMS picked up where he left off, releasing the next of Steve's remaining Bruce masters, Providence, July 20, 1975. And earlier this year we issued a fresh transfer of Boston, December 2, 1975, number four in the series.   Number five is the second of those two nights at the Music Hall. Like the first night, it is another 18-song set, with two welcome variations: a lovely "Pretty Flamingo" replacing "The E Street Shuffle" and a stunning solo "for You" instead of "Party Lights" in the encore. And the "Kitty's Back" might be even more epic than the prior evening. In short, it is another wonderful performance and Hopkins recording, this time with no cuts unlike most circulating copies. Samples provided and the ticket stub, too.   Boston 2 also turned out to be different for Hopkins himself in one major way that he recalls in detail:   "You'll hear some crowd commotion during the slow final verse of 'Spirit In The Night' ('Hazy Davy got really hurt…'). Here's what happened. I was recording from the 2nd row center with my deck in a briefcase under my seat and holding the mic at head level, as high as possible without being obvious. As the song slows, the lights go down and Bruce jumps down from the stage into the orchestra pit and out of sight. There's seating there now, but in 1975 there was an actual 'pit' between the stage and the audience. As the song continues, he peers up over the edge of the pit, locks eyes with the girl sitting next to me, continues singing and approaches her, climbs over the people in the front row and sits down in her lap, now singing directly to her. Then he proceeds to sprawl out, completely flat on his back, spread across four of us in that row, so that his head is actually in my lap, his mic and my mic are no more than a foot or two apart as he continues singing. All this time, the spot light is following him and on us, so I've lowered my mic under my seat, out of sight, but still recording, thinking security would be on me at any minute. And then, as quickly as it happened, he was gone and bounded back onto the stage to finish the song."   Please enjoy Close Encounter. The Hopkins series will see you next in that most appealing of years, 1977. BK for JEMS. – Info file for "1975-12-03 * Close Encounter * Music Hall * Boston, MA * Steve Hopkins master via JEMS (16/44.1)" (Jungleland) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Audience tape of excellent quality. Second night in Boston includes an epic near 20 minute "Kitty's Back", "Pretty Flamingo" replacing "The E Street Shuffle" and a magnificent solo piano "For You" in the encores. "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" features an accordion solo before the track starts. "Thunder Road" is the slow version with Roy on piano and Bruce on harmonica and vocals. Available on CDR 'Boston 75' and upgraded from Steve Hopkins' masters titled 'Close Encounter'. This version features none of the cuts present in the previously circulating sources. Steve Hopkins' recording notes explains the choice of title: "You'll hear some crowd commotion during the slow final verse of 'Spirit In The Night' ('Hazy Davy got really hurt…'). Here's what happened. I was recording from the 2nd row center with my deck in a briefcase under my seat and holding the mic at head level, as high as possible without being obvious. As the song slows, the lights go down and Bruce jumps down from the stage into the orchestra pit and out of sight. There's seating there now, but in 1975 there was an actual 'pit' between the stage and the audience. As the song continues, he peers up over the edge of the pit, locks eyes with the girl sitting next to me, continues singing and approaches her, climbs over the people in the front row and sits down in her lap, now singing directly to her. Then he proceeds to sprawl out, completely flat on his back, spread across four of us in that row, so that his head is actually in my lap, his mic and my mic are no more than a foot or two apart as he continues singing. All this time, the spot light is following him and on us, so I've lowered my mic under my seat, out of sight, but still recording, thinking security would be on me at any minute. And then, as quickly as it happened, he was gone and bounded back onto the stage to finish the song." - 1975-12-03 - MUSIC HALL, BOSTON, MA (Brucebase) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve Hopkins master via JEMS ; Taping Gear: Sony ECM-99A > Sony TC-152SD (recorded on two Maxell UD 90-minute tapes, Dolby B encode) ; JEMS 2012 transfer: SH master cassette > Nakamichi CR-7A (Dolby B decode) > Sound Devices USBPre2 (24/96) > Peak 6.0 with iZotope Ozone > .wav (24/96) > resample via iZotope MBIT+ to .wav (16/44) > FLAC. – Info file for "1975-12-03 * Close Encounter * Music Hall * Boston, MA * Steve Hopkins master via JEMS (16/44.1)" (Jungleland)   External Download Link: - 243.56 MB MP3 (.RAR) [DOWNLOAD]

Live From Joe’s Place

- - In early 2007 the soundboard of all eight songs in the second set finally surfaced (in excellent quality) into the mainstream collector market via the title ‘Uber Series #21’. This source contains the edited (cut) version of “Blinded” previously issued on 'Deep Down In The Vaults'. This source  is also available on pressed CD 'Live From Joe's Place' from Godfatherecords.- -

Live From Joe’s Place The Godfatherecords – # GR 672 06.01.1974 - Joe’s Place, Cambridge, MA   Disc 1. You Mean So Much To Me 2. Growin' Up 3. Let The Four Winds Blow 4. Intro 5. Zero And Blind Terry 6. Blinded By The Light 7. Intro 8. For You 9. Rosalita 10. Joe Spadafora Talks / Intro 11. Twist And Shout   Notes: One show, double bill, with Springsteen and band headlining and Peter Johnson & The Manic Depressives (Joe’s unofficial house band) opening. Springsteen’s show consisted of two hour-long sets separated by an intermission after "Thundercrack". The above-mentioned 15 song setlist represents Bruce’s complete show and can be found on the two-CD set ‘Introducing Rosie’ (B Street). The source is an audience recording of only fair quality that contains CB Radio interference. “Growin’ Up” is missing the opening 30 seconds and “Rosalita-Shotgun” is missing about 20 seconds mid song, seemingly the result of a tape glitch. There are historical inaccuracies in the liner notes of the ‘Introducing Rosie' CD which have caused confusion over the years. This is not, as stated, the live debut of “Rosalita”, the song was performed during 1973 and two live recordings from early 1973 are in circulation. The CD also incorrectly lists the audio as coming from the January 5 show. Yet comments made by club owner Joe Spadafora prior to “Twist And Shout” offer compelling evidence this recording is from the January 6 show. "For You" is the solo piano version.   A soundboard recording of the final eight songs of this show (the entire second set) had been in very limited circulation since the early 1990s. However four of these eight soundboard songs surfaced into the wider collector arena on various boots during the mid-late 1990s. The four tracks that surfaced were as follows: #1) “Let The Four Winds Blow” on the CDs ‘The Inner View' and the ‘The Bruce Springsteen Collection, Volume 2'. It was also issued on the CD ‘Play The Tuba And Run’ (which on some specimens had the complete performance but in other cases had a cut version with the final 4 minutes missing). #2) “Zero And Blind Terry” on the four-CD ‘The Genuine Tracks 1972-1996’. #3) “Twist And Shout” on the CDs ‘The Inner View’ and ‘The Bruce Springsteen Collection, Volume 2’. #4) an edited (the 3-4 minute instrumental intro is missing) 5:59 version of “Blinded By The Light” on the three-CD set ‘Deep Down In The Vaults’ in 1998. The fact that most of these CD boots misidentified the source venue or date created much confusion that still lingers today.   In early 2007 the soundboard of all eight songs in the second set finally surfaced (in excellent quality) into the mainstream collector market via the title ‘Uber Series #21’. This source contains the edited (cut) version of “Blinded” previously issued on 'Deep Down In The Vaults' (see above). This source is also available on pressed CD 'Live From Joe's Place' from Godfatherecords. The soundboard of the opening seven songs of this show (the entire first set) has not surfaced into the mainstream, it allegedly exists in the hands of only a few people.   A claim that one, some, or all three of the Joe’s Place shows were filmed first surfaced in the 1992, 2nd edition Charles Cross/Backstreets book “Springsteen: The Man & His Music”. That book implied the filming had something to do with a Charity Telethon. Evidence has now emerged (printed in The Real Paper on 16th January 1974) that only one song was recorded on the afternoon of Sunday the 6th, for the benefit of Muscular Dystrophy. This was likely a local fund-raiser, rather than a national telethon. Two takes of "Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street" were recorded, without an audience. This was filmed with the aim of showing it on local TV in March, perhaps on a benefit show, but it is unclear whether this ever happened. This recording still exists, but only in private collections. - 1974-01-06 - JOE'S PLACE, CAMBRIDGE, MA (Brucebase) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This show was the last of three concerts at Joe’s Place on consecutive nights.  Springsteen played two sets and Godfather here presents the first complete release on silver disc of the soundboard recording of the second set.  According to the Brucebase website a soundboard recording of the first set exists, though it “has not surfaced into the mainstream.”  The first set consisted of New York Serenade, Spirit In The Night, Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?, Walking The Dog, It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City, Kitty’s Back And Thundercrack – a set list which makes me fervently wish for the surfacing of the soundboard tape. Four of the songs from the second set (two soundboard and two audience-recorded) appeared as bonus tracks on the Wonderland Records four-disc set Greetings From Liberty Hall TX. and readers are directed to my review of that issue for further details of previous releases of songs from the show.   The opening song is You Mean So Much To Me, originally a Bruce Springsteen Band number.  The Lebanese Tribute To Bruce Springsteen website maintains that, “it was in this incarnation that the song is carried off best, with a wall of sound in the shape of huge female backing vocals.”  (A Bruce Springsteen Band performance from the Guggenheim Band Shell in New York’s Damrosch Park on 23 June 1971 can be heard on Summertime In New York City.)  The song was included on Southside Johnny And The Asbury Jukes’ debut album I Don’t Want To Go Home, in the form of a duet between Southside and Ronnie Spector.  As was customary with E Street Band performances, the version heard here is slower than performed by the Bruce Springsteen Band or by Southside Johnny. The song starts with a three-minute instrumental introduction, featuring Springsteen’s guitar and Clarence Clemon’s saxophone.  This atmospheric performance begins in a jazzy, laid-back fashion, enhanced by Springsteen’s fine vocals, though the first of the further instrumental sections features some frenzied guitar. Clemons also gets a further solo spot and a final guitar solo from Springsteen at the end of the song is slower and quieter, reminiscent of the instrumental section heard in live versions of Thundercrack.  Overall, this is a superb version of the song, marred only by some problems with the sound during the first instrumental section, where the sound temporarily becomes harsher and less well-balanced.   The second number is Growin’ Up, which is given a vibrant performance without the appearance of a mid-song story.  It was first released by Godfather as a bonus track on Mountain Of Love.  This is followed by Let The Four Winds Blow. In my review of the Wonderland release, I stated that, “the boisterous performance of Roy Brown’s 1957 hit Let The Four Winds Blow (later recorded by co-writer Fats Domino) is…a delight, with an extended instrumental section which begins with a jaunty piano solo from David Sancious and takes in a none-too serious two-note piano solo from Springsteen before the rest of the band kicks in.”  The song ends amidst enthusiastic applause from the audience.  The next song has also been issued before. My review of Mountain Of Love, on which it appeared as a bonus track,  concluded that Zero And Blind Terry is,“an excellent rendition…superior to the now-familiar version that first appeared on the LP Fire On The Fingertips.”  Similarly, when it appeared as a bonus track on another Godfather release, Does This Bus Stop At Max’s?, I commented that, “this is a better performance than the studio version.”  The song is preceded by an intro, which is tracked separately.  It consists of Springsteen answering a request for Rosalita with, “we’re gonna get to that,” some instrumental noodling and a lengthy spoken intro during which Springsteen, less than seriously, tells the audience of the band’s ambition to appear on television, so that he wrote a song “that housewives could relate to.”He then rambles on at some length about school dances and compulsory school physical education.  The latter, he claims, consisted of the nuns playing a record over the loudspeakers in the school yard, while the students had to perform the bunny hop!   Next up is the opening song from Springsteen’s debut album.  My Wonderland review noted that, “Blinded By The Light is an excellent performance, fast-paced and full of energy, though Springsteen adopts a curious affected vocal style at the start of the song.”  As with previous releases on Greetings From Liberty Hall TX. and Deep Down In The Vaults, we only hear around forty-five seconds of the slow instrumental intro which precedes this up-tempo song.  The Bruce base website states that the full intro lasted three or four minutes.  However, the fade-in is handled so skilfully that the cut is barely noticeable.  At the end the audience is once again highly appreciative of the band’s efforts.  Springsteen sticks with the first LP for the next song, For You, which is played in a wonderfully effective solo piano rendition.  Springsteen does, however, have to restart the song, seemingly having been distracted by a female member of the audience (he seems to say, “anyone drag that chick into the next room or something?”).  As with Zero And Blind Terry, the intro before this song is tracked separately and concerns Springsteen telling the story of how he acquired his first guitars, one with the proceeds of a house painting job and one as a Christmas present.   The band returns for Rosalita (Come Out Tonight).  In my review of Mountain Of Love, on which the song appeared as a bonus track, I noted that Springsteen played, ”a version of Rosalita which, as with several other shows at this time, incorporates a brief but frenetic excerpt from Junior Walker & The All Stars’ 1965 hit Shotgun just before the band introductions.”  This concludes the second set, which is then followed by a single encore song.  As I stated in my review of the Wonderland release, “finally, we hear, at some length, club owner Joe Spadafora encouraging the audience to demand an encore, which is delivered in the form of a raucous Twist And Shout.”  Though spirited, this version is relatively short at four minutes.   As mentioned above, this release contains the soundboard recording of the concert’s second set, and we are treated to full, clear dynamic sound, the sole glitch being the brief problem encountered in You Mean So Much To Me.  Brucebase notes the “excellent quality” of this soundboard, which it states first emerged on 2007.  The CD is housed in Godfather’s customary tri-fold sleeve with some splendidly effective black-and-white photographs from the era, all but one being onstage shots.  One of the inner panels movingly contains a tribute to the late Clarence Clemons, together with a more recent photograph the Big Man himself.  In my review of Greetings From Liberty Hall TX., I argued that, “the four songs from Joe’s Place are welcome, but their inclusion underlines the need for a full silver release of this show.”  Godfather has now given us the entire circulating soundboard and this fine new release is well worth acquiring. – Collectors Music Reviews (Live from Joe’s Place (GR))

Thundercrack

External Download Link MP3 (.RAR) [DOWNLOAD] Space For Solidarity

Thundercrack GREAT DANE RECORDS – # GDR-CD-8916   24.04.1973 - The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA   * Bonus Tracks   Disc 1. New York City Song 1 2. Circus Song 2 3. Spirit In The Night 4. Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street? 5. Santa Ana 6. Tokyo (And The Band Played) 7. Thundercrack   Notes: 1 aka "New York City Serenade" 2 aka "Wild Billy's Circus Story"    + Brucebase (24.04.1973): Two shows, 8.00pm and 10.00pm, double billing, with Springsteen and band headlining and folk duo Aztec Two-Step opening. This was Springsteen's first real time concert venue simulcast, courtesy of Philadelphia's WMMR-FM. Only the early show was broadcast and the above-mentioned setlist represents that complete performance. There is no circulating audio from the late show, which would have lasted 20 - 30 minutes longer. Available in excellent quality on the CDs 'Thundercrack' (Great Dane), 'And The Band Played' (Lobster) and 'Small Town Boy' (Swingin' Pig). Also commercially released as 'Bound For Glory' in the UK by Left Field Media. This CD includes the January 9th radio broadcast from Boston. This show represents the earliest known recordings of "Santa Ana" and "Tokyo". Last known version of "Wild Billy's Circus Story" to include the "hear the liars" lyric.   Richard Breton Guide: Two versions exist - the better one is part of Great Dane's Masters Plus Series which is only discernible by a small, red "M+" on the front cover insert.