The September 19th 1978 concert at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, in Bruce’s home state of New Jersey, is arguably Bruce Springsteen’s single greatest live performance. I’ve listened to quite a lot classic Springsteen bootleg concerts over the years.. this remains my favorite.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”mulled_wine” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-quote-left”]This show has been widely bootlegged under the title “Piece de Resistance”. It is a stunning concert not least with Roy Bittan’s brilliant piano playing and Max Weinberg’s clockwork drumming providing a backdrop as hard as diamonds. It also has that characteristic feature of the tour that the slow songs are played with a burning intensity while songs like “”Badlands” and “Born to Run” sometimes display a New York Punk intensity.
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From brucebase: Radio broadcast, soundboard tapes (all three nights in Passaic were recorded by the Record Plant’s mobile unit, both on multi-track and live-to-two track) and professionally shot in-house black and white video. Probably one of the best all-time concert recordings. Broadcast on WNEW-FM New York and nine other stations in the north-east, including WBCN-FM and WCOZ-FM Boston, WIOQ-FM Philadelphia and WIYY-FM Baltimore. Set includes great versions of “Because The Night” and “Fire,” and also includes what many consider to be the finest examples of “Racing In The Street” and “Thunder Road” ever. Essential. Also, video footage is available. A short live excerpt from this show (Bruce’s band introduction during “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)”) was officially – and exclusively – released on a promotion-only 7″ flexidisc issued to subscribers of Austrian pop magazine “Rennbahn Express” in June 1981. Thanks to Lost in the Flood for that info. Following the show, WBCN-TV news reporter Felipe Luciano interviews Bruce. Released on CDs:
- ‘Piece De Resistance’ (Great Dane)
- ‘Southside Bruce And The E Street Jukes’ (Seagull)
- ‘USA 1978’ (Arriba)
- ‘Passaic Night’ (Crystal Cat)
- ‘Passaic Night’ (Scorpio)
Also available on CDR ‘The Way It Was – September 19th’; a direct transfer of the radio broadcast and includes all the station breaks, chat and interviews as they were heard on WNEW. 
– Setlist:
- Badlands
- Streets of Fire
- Spirit in the Night
- Darkness on the Edge of Town
- Independence Day
- The Promised Land
- Prove It All Night
- Racing in the Street
- Thunder Road
- Meeting Across the River
- Jungleland
- Kitty’s Back
- Fire (Robert Gordon With Link Wray cover)
- Candy’s Room
- Because the Night
- Point Blank
- Not Fade Away / She’s the One
- Backstreets
- Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) – Encore:
- 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
- Born to Run
- Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
- Detroit Medley
- Raise Your Hand (Eddie Floyd cover)
Video including first 14 songs:
Here is the full audio:
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-Egil