:: Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band - Hammersmith Odeon 1975

Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band

On November 18, 1975, Bruce Springsteen and his six-piece band took to the stage in London for an explosive 130 minute performance. It was the landmark show that put Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band on the map in England. This performance has been a bootleggers dream for decades, kept alive by unofficial recordings or as Springsteen says in his liner notes “ I was there when stories”. The historical significance of this show that it was the first time the line up had been allowed to play outside the United States, primarily due to a serious of tedious legal battles with Springsteen’s former manager. A follow up of last years 30th Anniversary commemorative edition of ‘Born To Run’ and its 2 DVD box set, this double CD is the soundtrack of one of them - The Hammersmith Odeon concert, restored by Thom Zimmy and mixed by Bob Clearmountain. The gig boasts 16 Springsteen originals, kicking off with a passionate and mellow ‘Thunder Road’, then bursting into ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’ and settling back to a jazz inspired ‘Spirit in The Night’. In 1975 ‘The Boss’ had just released ‘Born To Run’ and captivates his London audience as he breaks into a dynamic rendition of the song that would become a worldwide anthem. The entire album displays a punk, Jersey soul blend of non-stop energy. One can almost feel the relief, emotion and ambition the band must have felt performing their first show abroad. Interestingly, a number of the tracks contain portions of then already established artists that Springsteen has weaved into his originals. ‘The E-Street Shuffle’ contains snippets of ‘Having a Party’ by Sam Cooke and ‘Kitty’s Back’ contains portions of Van Morrison’s ‘Moon Dance’. A must have for all Springsteen fanatics and lovers of a solid live performance.