Wolfgang’s Vault Concert of the Week-Bruce Springsteen (In Memory of Danny Federici)

Last week, the music world lost a true friend, talent and someone that many of us grew up listening to whether on the radio or at Bruce Springsteen’s legendary concerts….Danny Federici. Danny passed away a week ago today at the age of 58 (way too young) from melanoma. Danny and Bruce had a history going back 40 years and it was Bruce who originally joined Danny’s band. RIP Danny, you provided us all with a lifetime of memories. Your talent, contributions and sound will be sorely missed……

Click picture to play concert

Bruce Springsteen

Winterland
San Francisco, CA
12/15/1978

Get comfortable, ‘cuz all the stories are true – the E Street Band came to play, and they’re not gonna stop until the roof caves in! This is powerful rock ‘n’ roll revivalism and Springsteen makes the heat rain down upon the assembled Winterland parishioners.

Years before punk deconstructed popular music as a violent protest against the bloated rock ‘n’ roll dinosaurs staggering from stadium to stadium, Bruce Springsteen was earnestly providing his own alternative to bone-headed riffing and cowbell solos, putting out albums that echoed a simpler time while thoughtfully chronicling the plight of the workin’ man on his eternal quest for Saturday Night.

Concentrating on material from their recent release, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Springsteen and his crew lay into the first half of this set with reckless abandon, reserving the early hits and holiday cheer for the second half. As soon as they take the stage, it’s all lost love and drag races and full-throttle rock ‘n’ roll; then factory walls and plaintive piano with dusty, wheezing harmonica. This is the whole history of 20th century America set to music, geared up and rolling down the highway ‘till everyone, audience included, is ready to pass out. Then, about an hour after they should be taking their bows, the band launches into “Born to Run” with an emotional fury that would kill a group of weaker constitution. It’s like Phil Spector meets Jack Kerouac, hooked up to about a dozen car batteries. Then they play an encore!

In two short weeks the Winterland would shut its doors for good. Fittingly, Bill Graham brought in the Grateful Dead for the official last concert, but for many present at Springsteen’s show, the Winterland really closed on December 15th.

01.Badlands 5:06
02.Streets Of Fire 5:24
03.Spirit In The Night 8:01
04.Darkness On The Edge Of Town 5:25
05.Factory 3:37
06.The Promised Land 5:50
07.Prove It All Night 11:20
08.Interlude 1:11
09.Racing In The Streets 8:44
10.Thunder Road 5:18
11.Jungleland 10:24
12.The Ties That Bind 3:51
13.Interlude 3:43
14.Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 4:12
15.The Fever 5:40
16.Fire 3:03
17.Candy’s Room 3:09
18.Because The Night 7:21
19.Point Blank 8:36
20.Mona (I Need You Baby) 3:42
21.She’s The One 3:58
22.Interlude 4:39
23.Backstreets 11:10
24.Interlude 2:30
25.Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) 11:13
26.Radio Interlude 1:52
27.Born To Run 4:58
28.Radio Interlude 2:00
29.Detroit Medley 5:07
30.Interlude / Detroit Medley (Reprise)…4:00

Roy Bittan – piano
Clarence Clemons – saxophone
Danny Federici – organ
Bruce Springsteen – vocals, guitar
Garry Tallent – bass
Steven Van Zandt – guitar
Max Weinberg – drums