Bruce Springsteen Releases Oft-Bootlegged 1978 Roxy Concert
With five shows broadcast on the radio at the time, Bruce Springsteen's tour in support of 1978's Darkness on the Edge of Town brought his reputation as a live performer to a growing audience. One of those dates -- the July 7, 1978, concert at the Roxy in West Hollywood, Calif. -- has now received its first official release, one day shy of the show's 40th anniversary.
"It is known simply as Roxy ’78," reads the blurb on Springsteen's website, where the entire concert can be purchased for download. "One of Springsteen’s finest shows ever is now available complete and freshly mixed from multi-track master tapes. Playing a special club set broadcast live across L.A., Bruce pulls out all the stops, including the debut performances of 'Point Blank,' 'Independence Day' (solo piano), [Buddy Holly's] 'Rave On' and [Elvis Presley's] 'Heartbreak Hotel,' plus the first tour versions of [Eddie Floyd's] 'Raise Your Hand' and [the Isley Brothers'] 'Twist and Shout' to wrap this jaw-dropping stop on the Darkness tour."
As a companion essay on nugs.net describes, it was a hastily arranged show at the 500-seat club that took place two days after Springsteen played the Forum, his first arena concert as a headliner in Los Angeles. Broadcast throughout Southern California over KMET, cassettes, and later CDs and mp3s, of the concert have changed hands over the past 40 years.
Eight songs from the Roxy -- "Adam Raised a Cain," "Spirit in the Night," "Paradise by the 'C'," "Growin' Up," "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City," "Backstreets," "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" and "Raise Your Hand" -- were released on the Live 1975-85 box. The "Sad Eyes" section of "Backstreets," which had been edited out of the version on the 1986 box set, has been restored.
Roxy '78 is the fourth show from the Darkness tour to be officially released. One of the others -- the Aug. 9, 1978, concert from the Agora in Cleveland -- was the second installment in Springsteen's live download series.