Rock

Darkness in Philly

As bootlegs go, the tour that supported Bruce’s Darkness on the Edge of Town has to be my favorite (followed closely by The River). My favorite show? Without question, it’s July 7th, 1978 at the Roxy – a small club show in L.A. The quality is perfect, the intensity unmatched. In fact, let me play it now…. *click click*   ….. okay, that’s better.

So by popular demand, here’s the recent Darkness show at the Spectrum in Philly. Can you believe we’re down to only two shows left on this tour?? After Friday in Baltimore, and Sunday in Buffalo (with a full performance of Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ), that is it, folks. Sort of depressing, isn’t it?

As for the future of the E Street Band, I’ll quote Little Steven from this Rolling Stone.com article: “…if you ask me if I think we’ll continue I’ll certainly say yes. It’s just a matter of what happens to everybody physically, beginning with Clarence [Clemons] I suppose. He may fantasize about retiring, but with all his ex-wives I doubt it.”

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
Philadelphia, PA
October 14th, 2009
“Darkness on the Edge of Town”

Part I

Thundercrack
The Ties That Bind
What Love Can Do
Hungry Heart
Working on a Dream
Intro to Darkness on the Edge of Town
Badlands
Adam Raised a Cain
Something in the Night
Candy’s Room
Racing in the Street
The Promised Land
Factory
Streets of Fire

Part II

Prove It All Night
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Waiting on a Sunny Day
Sherry Darling
Human Touch
Long Walk Home
The Rising
Born to Run
Ramrod
Detroit Medley
American Land
Dancing in the Dark
Flying High (Theme to Rocky)
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

7 Comments

  • Beef11

    Pete – these shows are phenomenal!! Thank you so much for sharing. Any chance we can get the shows where he performed the albums Born to Run and Born in the USA?

    Beggers can be choosy!!!!

  • pete

    Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness on the Edge of Town broke new ground for The Boss in 1978. A counterpoint to the operatic elegance of Born to Run, the album was an angry, raw record that burst forth after a three-year hiatus.

    Because of its darker tones, some might call Darkness a difficult album, but despite this, it’s a cherished gem for many.

    Collecting stories and photos from hundreds of fans, The Light in Darkness celebrates this classic record, allowing readers to revisit the excitement of that moment when the needle found the grooves in that first cut and the thundering power of “Badlands” shook across the hi-fi for the very first time. Or the uninitiated, but soon-to-be-converted teenager, brought along by friends and finding salvation at one of the legendary three-plus hour concerts – shows that embodied all the manic fury of a revival meeting.

  • slider

    With the much-anticipated release of a commemorative box set for Darkness on the Edge of Town slated for this Christmas, Bruce Springsteen’s classic record is getting renewed attention in the music world. Details on the project are scarce; however, in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Steven Van Zandt mentioned that about 10 unreleased songs will be included in the box set. Fans are surely hungry for any and all material they can get from the 1978 recording sessions and subsequent tour. For our own preview of what’s to come, we contacted Dick Wingate, who was intimately involved in the launch and marketing of the album and tour. He offers an insider’s view of what the Darkness era meant to Bruce and the band, while painting an often-humorous behind-the-scenes account of some of the tour’s highlights…check out the book The Light in Darkness, which one fan said, “… would also make a great companion piece to the much anticipated commemorative Darkness box set…”

Leave a Reply to Black Friday Music Links Around The Web | TheFrontloader.com Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *