Hammersmith, Odeon, London '75 - Springsteen, Bruce (CD 2006)

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band have a well deserved reputation as a live band. To call this ensemble legendary would be an understatement. Bruce has always been a brilliant songwriter. He's also an energetic and impassioned performer. When he gets together with the E Street Band something special is bound to happen.

Of course, some people will require proof and won't just accept my word. Those who have seen Bruce with his original band are likely to be smiling and nodding their head as they read these words. Since Bruce seems preoccupied with other musical ventures, those who haven't seen the band will have to seek out live recordings.

A rare and outstanding official release is Hammersmith Odeon, London '75. This is young Bruce before he became universally recognized as "The Boss." (Hey, if the over 80 set can call Elvis 'King' then the under 80 set can declare Bruce "The Boss.") This band manages to draw from rock and roll, blues, Motown, garage rock and any other musical style that crossed their paths. They came up with a wondrous song that was further enhanced by Springsteen's unique and poetic lyrics.

This was a performance from that long ago time when Bruce was considered the next big thing. That's hype that often goes unfullfilled. In the case of Springsteen, the hype certainly played out. This was the first London performance for what would soon become a legendary band. The set captured here is a little over two hours on two discs. It features a set list that will have Springsteen fans drooling.

Now I will grant you that two hours of music does seem a bit light for an E Street Band performance. They were known for marathon sessions. I guess they had less material to work with back then. Part of it is that the versions performed here are pretty faithful. Only a couple songs get jammed out over ten minutes long. Bruce does cover a lot of ground.

The show gets off to a blistering start with the now classic Thunder Road. Of course many of the songs on this set are now classics but at the time must have been fresh and stunning. Tenth Avenue Freezeout is another fine cut. Clarence Clemons is a standout on these first two tracks. For me, Lost in the Flood is a lesser known song but it has a really poignant quality.

The most extensive jam on the first disc is The E Street Shuffle. The whole band is rocking out. Max Weinberg asserts himself on drums. Of course the two guitar, two keyboard attack always suited them well. Bruce does an admirable job trading licks with Stevie Van Zandt on guitar. Roy Bittain on piano plays well against Danny Federici on keyboards. Gary Tallent holds his own on bass. On any given night this was an ensemble that could rise up to be the best rock and roll band in the world.

Tracks like Spirit in the Night and Born to Run are simply blistering on this set. The centerpiece of the show is the 17 minute jam of Kitty's Back that opens the second disc. This showcases the musicianship of the band as well as Bruce's ability to work over a crowd. Other fans may be delighted with the little homage to Van Morrison in the form of a small piece of Moondance.

Rosalita has always been one of my favorite Springsteen songs. He sings it with such sheer joy that it's infectious. He's practically bubbling over by the time he gets to the famous exultation "The Record Company, Rosie, just gave me a big advance." It's just sheer bliss. I was also happy with Fourth of July, Sandy. This is another gem that's lesser known but always a concert highlight. They also pay homage to some of their Detroit heroes with a medley that includes Devil With a Blue Dress and Good Golly Miss Molly.

This is rock and roll history in a high quality recording. It was also an exciting and excitable performance. This is one of the legendary performances that capapulted Bruce from being another next big thing to "The Boss." It's what rock and roll is supposed to be. A young artist beginning to blossom and transform into a musical legend.

Any Springsteen fan needs this set in their collection. It will also serve as a fine introduction for someone not well acquainted with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band. This is a group that became a legend through hard work and amazing performances. I'm sure most Springsteen fans will have a favorite show they view as better but this is still an outstanding set featuring many of the early classic songs. This is essential listening for people that like rock music.

track listing:

disc one

1. Thunder Road
2. Tenth Avenue Freezeout
3. Spirit In the Night
4. Lost In the Flood
5. She's The One
6. Born to Run
7. The E Street Shuffle
8. It's Hard to Be a Saint In the City
9. Backstreets

disc two

1. Kitty's Back
2. Jungleland
3. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
4. 4th of July, Asbury (Sandy)
5. Detroit Medley
6. For You
7. Quarter to Three