The Bottom Line (ODoc 55 & Fanatic Records)

Friday, 27 July 2012

Brucebase Info (13.08.1975)

Two separate admission shows, 8:30pm and 11:30pm. Opening of an historic five-night (ten-show) residency at the club. Springsteen & The E Street Band had previously played a three-night (six-show) residency here in July 1974. Bottom Line co-owner Allan Pepper was offered the chance to host Bruce and the band at the club by Sam McKeith (Bruce's booking agent at William Morris) one morning by phone. Columbia Records bought a quarter of the 500 tickets available for the stand, a perfect opportunity to expose employees and journalists to the upcoming talent of Springsteen. There is no circulating audio of the early show on this opening night, but in 2012 an audience recording of the late show finally emerged into the trading pool. The tape features the first known live performance of "Night", and the earliest known recording of "When You Walk In The Room". Both "Kitty's Back" and "New York City Serenade" are extended 19+ minute renditions. Opener and tour premiere "For You" is played by Bruce alone at the piano and "Thunder Road" is the slow version with Roy on piano and Bruce on harmonica and vocals. This is the last recorded and confirmed performance of "New York City Serenade" until the 1999/200 Reunion Tour when it was resurrected with a slightly more sensible running time.

http://springsteenbootlegs.blogspot.com.es/

Thanks

The Bottom Line

ODOC 55 & FANATIC RECORDS

1975.08.13 - Bottom Line, New York City, NY (Late Show)

http://springsteenbootlegs.blogspot.com.es/

Disc 1

01. For You 1

02. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
03. Spirit In The Night
04. Every Time That You Walk In The Room
05. Night 2

06. Growin’ Up
07. It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City
08. The E Street Shuffle
09. Born To Run
10. She’s The One
11. Thunder Road 1

Disc 2

01. Kitty’s Back
02. New York City Serenade
03. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
04. 4th Of July Asbury Park (Sandy)
05. Quarter To Three

http://springsteenbootlegs.blogspot.com.es/

Notes:

1. Bruce on piano

2. First known performance

The story of Bruce’s early days has been documented many times, most recently in the current New Yorker magazine. As described therein, Bruce’s five night, ten show stint at The Bottom Line was crucial to launching his third album, Born to Run. Many executives at Columbia Records were frustrated with Bruce’s lack of commercial success and Born to Run was likely his last chance with the label. Columbia reportedly bought a quarter of the 500 seats for each show to distribute among music industry people to help spread the word. Even so, tickets did not sell out immediately and a week after going on sale they were available for any of the shows. That all ended when the public heard WNEW’s broadcast of show number 5. The next two nights, fans were lined up around the corner with the hope of getting a standing room spot at the bar to hear the new phenom.

This is the first recording of one of the late shows to surface. It is the first night and this tape captures all of the ambiance of this intimate club. You can hear each breath and whisper from Bruce while dishes and glasses are shuffled on the tables. Bruce seems to just appear behind the piano and gets a single reaction from the crowd as he opens solo with For You. It is evident how he captures the crowd more and more with each song. By the time he hits the 20 minute versions of Kitty’s Back and New York City Serenade, he has them in his hands.

Thanks to Mr. Anonymous who met the taper, ODoc55, thru Dimeadozen.

http://springsteenbootlegs.blogspot.com.es/