If I could buy the ASU '80 show video on it's own, I'd compile my own complete audio version. Alas. No "Tenth Ave" in my media library from any of the shows I've been to tops over six minutes. That's still really long for that song, but it's part of the encore/climax of the show, so I get it. (The elongated reunion-era "Dancing In The Dark" coda feels far, far longer and unnecessary than anything Bruce does during "Tenth Avenue"). The video aspect is silly, but doesn't bother me, especially since unlike almost every other arena show I go to, there's no screens or distracting effects for the rest of the show. It's the only time the screens are really used for anything besides band close-ups, and I appreciate them only being hung to the sides of the stage, rather than behind the band. I've found even when I have awesome seats for big gigs, I'm continually distracted by video screens that are a part of the main staging, and it's really annoying to realize you paid a ton of money and have been watching TV for five minutes. There will be more releases from the 70's, I'm sure. I'm hoping for more pre-BTR stuff, personally. Obviously the '78 tour is the high point of his career, but I'm not sure how much more material I need from that tour, given that he still only played a very finite number of songs on it.
All the first-leg River 2016 shows were basically the same. And early Magic gigs didn't have a ton of shakeups. And I get it...those tours were built around specific records at their start, so the whole set had to be structured accordingly knowing he was going to play 9+ new songs every night (or the entire River LP). But over 17 years, those gigs were the exception, not the norm, and we should feel pretty good about that.
I have always believed that the shorter sets in the early part of the Magic tour was due to Danny ' s illness. I saw one of the Phantom ' s last shows. It was a very good set.
That may have been part of it, in hindsight. I didn't really give it much thought, since the sets were Magic-heavy, and it was similar in length to first-leg Rising shows. It helped that both of those records were really, really good, but I respected him for playing that much new material and really making it work. I don't think anyone went home disappointed, regardless of length or song choice. Those were wonderful, passionate shows.
I've been to many Springsteen shows over the years. I prefer the shows at the beginning of the tour because they are usually loaded with songs from the newest album. As the tour goes on, the new songs gradually leave the set. I may get a nice rarity or two, but it's more likely I'm going to get more crowd pleasers that I've already heard many times.
I remember being on the Springsteen message board in 2002 and the "experts" claiming no one would need to see the "Rising" show more than 2 or 3 times because Bruce clearly planned to keep the sets the same for the whole run. If the tour ended after six weeks, they might've been close to right, but that tour went well over a year and really opened as it ran! I saw 5 shows in the first 2 weeks (IIRC) and wasn't wild about the static sets. Didn't see it again until I went to TX and FL that fall - those shows were getting "expanded" and were more fun...
Yup - that's always been my belief as well. Once Danny left, it didn't take long for the shows to expand in length...
So you're saying you'd rather see a musician at their artistic and performing peak, rather than 30+ years after the fact?? Shocker! Next you're gonna tell me that the Stones were better in the 70s, U2 were better in the 80s, and Bob Dylan was a better live act at 25 when you could understand what he was singing. Of course I'd love to see Bruce in a small venue in 1978. I'd also like to see Miles and Coltrane in a small NYC jazz club. Neither are gonna happen in 2018. But I do love the fact that you have a better shot at hearing a Bruce track from the first two albums (besides Rosalita) now than you did in 1984-85.
The Magic show in Toronto (2007?) was pretty short, relatively speaking. And a bit dull (though he did play Thundercrack). I saw him again in 2013 and it was so much better. At the time, it was in his Top 10 of long shows (3;45 or something).
I'm glad you put the 'M' in caps as when I read your post fast, I was like he's doing a magic show now?
Some guy dubbed the circulating video of the Passaic 9/20/78 show with the recent archive audio mixed by Bob Clearmountain, and although just the first set was available, it's the most passionate, joyful and emotional 90 minutes of rock & roll that I've ever seen. I saw 4 Darkness shows back in 1978 and I remember them as being fantastic, and this video, with an incredible sound mix, proves that it was even better than I remembered.
Someone seamlessly compiled the complete ASU show and shared it here a couple of years ago. It's fantastic.
I been enjoy this podcast for a while. And now they're doing Springsteen in 8 episodes!! First ep tackles Greeting and Wild & Innocent Audioboom / Celebration Rock
I started listening to this podcast last year during the Pearl Jam series. Really looking forward to this series as well.
Would love to get my hands on that! There are no high quality River shows out there. Does anyone know where to obtain it?
It's getting fairly difficult to guess what it will be. I've thought a 1981 show would arrive for the last few months now but still no sign. That, 1985 or a pre-BTR show are probably the most glaring omissions so far. For me, as long as it's not from the last 15 years, I'd be happy. We've covered 2005 and 2006 enough for the moment and there's no need for any post 2008 releases for at least 12 months.
