Tonight I was checking my email and saw that Springsteen's Winterland 12/15/1978 concert is playing here.
I click on the link and it is the SF show of the Seattle show I saw a couple of days earlier. Don't know that I could rate it the Best concert I've ever seen but it would be pushing hard for #2. #1 has got to be the Cold Blood and It's a Beautiful Day show in Bohler Gym.
I've been a Springsteen fan since the first show I saw, the weekend after he was on the cover of Time and Newsweek. During this show in 1978, after almost 2 hours on stage the audience is going nuts yelling for an encore, Springsteen steps up to the mic and says "We are going to take a short break and then come back for the second set" the crowd goes wild....3 1/2 hours of Rock and Roll heaven.. after the show people were streaming out of the show onto Mercer screaming, cause if you didn't you'd explode.
TheSF Winterland show was going to be broadcast live on the local FM station. My entire day was planned around recording this show. buying tapes, cleaning the tape heads, checking the recordings, fussing with the antenna, deciding to record in stereo(too much noise) or mono. It was fantastic. I listened to those tapes hundreds of times. It has probably been 15 -20 years since I've heard them. Through the years I have lost one of the tapes and I hae not seen the other one for quite a while.
I rarely listen to music these days. The current stuff just doesn't talk to me like it used to.
As much out of curiosity to see if it still sounded as good as I remember, I follow the link to the Vault and to the Winterland show. My listening began at background volume as I am doing a research project. The first 5 tunes are fine. like and old familiar friend. the volume is creeping up a bit.
Tune 6 "Prove it All Night" long piano opening softly and building. The volume keeps getting a nudge up. Volume goes up to max. I find myself playing the air piano on my desk. the tips of my fingers are getting sore. I am no longer researching my project. I switch to drumming on the desk. My hands are getting sore. my eyes are getting moist. I go out in the hall. the searing, gutty guitar comes in over the piano. I'm drawn back in the room with an air guitar. Eyes closed . Eyes welling up, again. Dancing around the room like a white guy in heat, thumbing my belt at the hip like I was channeling primal energy. I lean back against the bifold closet doors and they slide open to nearly swallow me. My jaw has the sensation that lives between uncontrollable crying and laughing. Where you cover your face because it is so contorted you don't want anyone to see, and your about to drool.
The song ends. I'm almost grateful . I don't know if I have the energy to listen any longer or how long I could stand it.
26Years ago I was driving to work at 5:30am through Seattle listening to that same song , same volume,same sore hands beating on the steering wheel and dash, same tears,same exhaustion with the same effect.
So, what song still does it for you? What does it do? and how does it do it?
"I'm Just A Prisioner Of Rock and Roll"
