December 15: Classic concert, Bruce Springsteen at Winterland Ballroom SF in 1978

“Tonight you’re gonna hear the concert of your life”, the guy of KSAN states to his listeners at the beginning of this radio broadcast, and it is the truth!

Bruce Springsteen Winterland Ballroom

Bruce’s Winterland-78 concert is by many fans & “concert tape collectors” regarded as one of his best shows ever… It is indeed a cornerstone in any collection of concert bootlegs (regardless of artist). Number 2 on my list (Egil) of the best Springsteen’s concerts I’ve heard. It is now selling as a “semi official” release at amazon.co.uk.

“LEGENDARY 1978 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN BROADCAST Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s Darkness Tour opened on May 23rd 1978 a week prior to the release of the album it was supporting in the United States. Kicking off at Shea s Theatre in Buffalo, upstate New York, the tour ran continuously until 1st January 1979 when it concluded at Richfield Township in Ohio. The tour has since become viewed as perhaps Springsteen’s best in a storied career of concert performances. Biographer Dave Marsh wrote in 1987, “The screaming intensity of those ’78 shows are part of rock and roll legend in the same way as Dylan’s 1966 shows with the Band, the Rolling Stones’ tours of 1969 and 1972, and the Who’s Tommy tour of 1969: benchmarks of an era.” Whereas the previous Born to Run tour established Springsteen as one of the top live acts, the Darkness tour blew everything else away, delivering some of his best performances and most legendary full-length concerts, and making him the ‘must-see’ musician of his generation. This 3 CD set contains the best quality recording of the legendary Winterland broadcast, performed at the renowned San Francisco venue on 15th December, just two weeks before the whole tour wrapped up for good. “Tonight you re gonna hear the concert of your life , the radio announcer at KSAN stated to those listening in. He wasn t wrong, and now, some 35 years later, this very same show is available for everybody to either re-live or enjoy for the first time.”
– amazon.co.uk

Here is a BRILLIANT – Prove It All Night:

Racing In The Street:

FM Broadcast (KSAN radio) and soundboard tapes – this is a master reel recording and includes three tracks not broadcast. What can you say! The versions of “The Promised Land” and “Prove It All Night” are exceptional and “Backstreets” is better than that. Probably the most famous show Bruce will ever do. It should be noted that the source tape appears to run slightly slow. Released on CD ‘Live At Winterland’ (Golden Stars), ‘Live In The Promised Land’ (Great Dane Records), ‘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’.
-From Brucebase

Darkness On The Edge Of Town:

Setlist:

1. Badlands
2. Streets of Fire
3. Spirit in the Night
4. Darkness on the Edge of Town
5. Factory
6. The Promised Land
7. Prove It All Night
8. Racing in the Street
9. Thunder Road
10. Jungleland
11. The Ties That Bind
12. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (J. Fred Coots & Haven Gillespie cover)
13. The Fever
14. Fire
15. Candy’s Room
16. Because the Night
17. Point Blank
18. Mona / Preacher’s Daughter / She’s The One / I Get Mad
19. Backstreets
20. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)Encore:
21. Born to Run
22. Detroit Medley
23. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
24. Raise Your Hand  (Eddie Floyd cover)
25. Quarter to Three

The Promised Land:

Backstreets:

Santa Claus is Coming To Town:

-Egil & Hallgeir