Broadway’s latest star, Bruce Springsteen, has officially released one of the most infamous live concerts of his career. Sure, “Bruuuuce” fans have heard this show on bootlegs, in bits and pieces on other official Springsteen releases. Now, as part of the ongoing “Live Archive Series,” fans can now own and listen to the “official” The Roxy July 7, 1978 in its entirety.
This is a sprawling collection of 28 songs, originally broadcast live on the Los Angeles radio station KMET as it happened. It’s an unrelenting rock representation of the show the Boss and his killer E Streeters were playing in support of his album, Darkness on the Edge Of Town. This was just before the band knocked out the crowd in an epic appearance at the Fabuolous Forum.
Backed (more like aided and abetted) by “Professor” Roy Bittan on piano, Danny Federici playing organ, “Mighty” Max Weinberg on drums, “The Big Man” Clarence Clemons playing sax and acting, as he always did, as Springsteen’s onstage foil and confidant, “Miami” Steven Van Zandt playing guitar and singing backing vocals, and Gary Tallant on bass, there really was no band quite like Springsteen’s golden era, late 70’s E Street collection. And that fact is evident here. It’s Springsteen’s vocal, Bittan’s piano and Clemon’s sax that are upfront in the mix, but when the band settles down after Buddy Holly’s “Rave On,” opener, they hit every nuances, stop and start, that Bruce commands.
Born to Run is represented, with a highlight being “Backstreets,” that includes “Sad Eyes” section. There are older songs like “For You,” and “Spirit In The Night,” covers of “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Twist and Shout,” and early versions of a slightly ragged “Point Blank,” and “Independence Day” And, of course, Springsteen’s patter to the screaming L.A. audience is filtered between the songs. The Roxy July 7, 1978, available exclusively on CD and digitally from Live Bruce Springsteen, is a testament to a time and place, and an artist and his cracker-jack band that truly had no equal.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
