Bruce Springsteen - Incident on 57th Street - Widener 1975

[ynotttt]

Wow!! I saw a lot of Springsteen starting in the late 70's im 50 now, His best stuff is pre 1980. Im a big fan and would never degrade the boss.......but he can't produce that voice anymore. Again....there's no bigger fan than me. I saw some amazing shows traveled from Chicago around Midwest back then. We cant turn clock back but it gives me chills never the less. Thanks!!!

[leatherneck1957]

I've witnessed some incredible history making shows of Bruce's over the years. But this and the Main Point shows are the ones that I so wish I was at. But Only cuz I'm greedy LOL.. truly have been blessed in the past 40 years :)

[SuzzyStohelit]

Keep It Angry Bruce

[pbeef]

I was at this show. I was 16 & didn't have my driver's license yet. So my mom drove my friend & me to the show which was a good hour & change drive & hung around at a diner until it was time to pick us up. I think we paid about $6.00 for tickets & got them a couple days before the show. We'd already seen Bruce & the band a few times. So we knew most of his stuff. But this was around the time he started introducing some of the songs from the soon to be released Born To Run album.No more secret.

[greerlovesgovert]

You're both lucky bloody bastards. I've got the audio bootleg for both of those shows and they make me cry. I listen wondering who was lucky enough to be there in person when it happened. On the Main Point recording, a police siren cuts through at the very end of "Incident" and it always strikes me as magical because it fits so perfectly with the story of the song... couldn't have been a sound effect. I've never witnessed such beauty in person.

[1pbrodie]

unbelievable! 

[kenroseboro]

Everyone in the S.Jersey/Philly area had a sense back then that Springsteen was going to hit it big. I wasn't a big fan of his until I saw him play at my college, Camden County College in S. Jersey. I was blown away by how good he was. I went to the Widener show a few months later. Later in the year, he released Born to Run and the rest is history.

[CrazyJustin2006]

Lets see Justin Bieber pull something this epic and amazing off. Never going to happen!

[haltmusic]

I LOVE SUKI LAHAV.

[kenroseboro]

I was there! I can't believe I found this. The show was in a cafeteria. The tables and chairs were cleared out and there was a small low stage and everyone stood around the stage.

Springsteen played the colleges in NJ and PA back then before he hit it big.

[PANDOSING]

Does not get any "Cooler" than this. Legitimate "Street Cred" written all over Bruce. Coolest "MOFO" and the loveliest and saddest romantic song ever written. A magic song. The acoustic performance of this song is heart" wrenching".

[patchmack2]

6:33...holy van morrison impression, bruce! this version is incredible

[candysroom80]

I love this. Memories... Thanks for sharing history!

[PhillyAnnie]

This WILL be played at my funeral

[moocow117]

@PhillyAnnie Hopefully not anytime soon! I have had similar thoughts. Live long and prosper!

[BBaker223]

My dad was at this show...w/ the pictures to prove it. :) They were published in the book For You about a year or so ago. Love the fact that there's only 1 show from 75 on youtube and my father was there. :)

[SuzzyStohelit]

Is he married?)

[candysroom80]

@BBaker223 Very Cool!

[RochelleInPhilly]

Thanks for posting this. I remember really wanting to go to this show but being too busy with school work. Never thought I'd get to see any of it.

[krissysheba]

got to experience this in phx az at the celebrity theatre i was 15! Magical!! it took my breathe away. still does

[crosbyyacht]

What a beautiful version. The violin ads an extra special touch

[junglelandthunderroa]

Oh yes, The violin is great!

[musivaluc]

The most performer of the world i hear, i'm 42 years old!,,Magic, Lyrics,wonderful, forever.Bruce is The Musician of my life,with modesty from France!

[leonardbuschel]

Yes, I saw him at the Main Point in '75. Same set. Same young genius. Same beauty.

[sideshowbob492]

Absolutely incredible and so beautiful.

[generationboom]

Saw him in '75 at Houston's Music Hall. It remains in my top 3 best concerts to this day. (And we've seen a LOT) I think the quality of the old film just adds even more poignancy for us old baby boomers. Those really, truly were the days. Beautiful. Thank you.

[CrazyJustin2006]

@generationboom I'm 25 and the old film quality to me just makes this so much more epic and amazing. I love Bruce Springsteen a whole lot but I love his early stuff 100 times more. I guess it's the struggling artist trying to make something of himself that I relate to in some way.

[ciocc8]

Suki Lahav's playing took this song to a whole new level of beauty. It has never been done better than it was during thiis period.  Those were the days.

[paslinkyman]

Given the opportunity to see Bruce in 1974 in a tiny college campus chapel in upstate New York(Union College), for I think the princely sum of $2, I jumped on board!

This was the opening song. 4 hours later, with no intermission, a delirious crowd left that chapel sensing they had witnessed history in the making.

[MJ2327]

wow i wish i could have been there....did his concerts last 4 hours back in that days? by the way i think the best word to describe that song is EPIC

[moocow117]

@paslinkyman A Princely sum indeed. The same sum he charged at Bucks County Community college outside Philadelphia. Can you imagine sitting on the side of the stage for $2.00? Then he sat on the stairs talking to my brother and sister in-law after the show. My sister in law was incredibly beautiful and my brother was along fir the ride.

[paslinkyman]

The song, long by hit single standards was actually doubled in length because it didn't stop to even take a breath before the next song, a rave up tune called "Rosalita", would be immediately connected to it to clock in at a mighty 16 minutes. An obvious disadvantage when hit singles at the time were 2 to 3 minutes in length. A cult following would stay up nightly to catch this mini opus.

[paslinkyman]

Way back in '73, when an alternative radio station that you could only get at night when the FCC rules permitted small, underpowered stations to boost their signal, you could catch this beautiful jewel of a song that seeped out of Northern New Jersey that somehow found its way to drift across the state line into New York. It was sung by a young singer named Bruce Springsteen, recently signed by the same Columbia Record agent who discovered Bob Dylan and Billy Holliday.

[ALLblkPPLrRelated]

Truly epic.

[trapper2]

Never mind quality. There is magic her and no mistake.

[Kingdomofdays]

Backstreets Btx if you cant do phylly do any show that has all or nothing at al in it besides stockholm the one on the index. not the song the whole show with it

[phillydog17]

I remember. I was there and in Philly at The Tower, many times. Those were great shows. I'm so greatful to have witnessed the magic.

[willgingart]

very cool. good find. huge share.

any guess on who the violin player is?

j in la

[paulrob2006]

The violin player is Suki Lahav. She toured with Bruce in 1974-1975.

[willgingart]

Thanks for the info. never knew who she was. take care, man.

[varsityredheads]

My recollection is that she was the wife of one of Bruce's producers/engineers, etc. And she left to go live on a kibbutz. It's sort of an acid test if you saw Bruce touring with Suki Lahev (or before).

[mariahdeansteen]

she was dating engineer who redorded & had an affair with bruce...thats why she left band unfoprtunately, her playing was so beautiful & really complimented the band...too bad.

[MrFix3]

@paulrob2006

She was the wife of Louis Lahav, the engineer at 914 studios who recorded the initial BTR sessions.

[SuzzyStohelit]

@paulrob2006 Bruce wrote Wreck On The Highway for Suki, Her young child was killed in a horrific auto accident, Heart breaking. She left and went to Israel with her husband,

[mariahdeansteen]

suki lavah

[SithJohn93]

@willgingart Suki Lahav, she played the intro to jungleland on the Born to run record.

[mirasan74]

THANKS!!!!!!

[gjerrildkro]

in the early days when the music was one song to another and transformed into something else. was very exciting. note the beginning here sounds like its gonna be jungleland and it morphs to 57 street. very cool.. very bruce... rest in peace dan

[paradicebydasee]

moocow .....you from deptford???????

[moocow117]

NE Philadelphia. However some Moocows have migrated to Washington Twp.

[mojogypsy]

I was at this show!

[paocalvi]

Are you joking? Any interesting recall from?

[mojogypsy]

I remember him doing great covers of Herman's Hermit's "I'm Into Something Good" and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire"...

The "Ring of Fire" cover was slow and anthemic, and is probably the best version I've EVER heard...!

[PATTYCAKE99]

This is so awesome. I grew up near Widener, and

my Dad was Bruce's bodyguard at this concert!!

thanks for posting

[brendanseanbarry]

Wow! Bruce needs to release a live album of material from this era and earlier. His singing has a quality that only comes with the imagination, innocence and honesty of youth. He really brought all his characters to life. The Live 1975-1985 was overloaded with stuff from the Born In The USA era.

[varyslittlebird]

some of the early clips I've discovered here are truly remarkable, and bring back so many memories of being swept up in the finest live rock and roll I ever heard. (and I've heard a lot over the decades).

I'm looking to find recordings of some of the great stories he would tell in and around the songs, almost completely gone by Born in the USA performances. One tale in the middle of 'Kitty's Back' was a perfect break, then pow- back into that chorus with full band. Was freakin' gorgeous.

[IrishHag1]

I was at this show 15 years old and will never forget the first time I saw the boss!!!!!!

[bliss4jules]

One of the great 'early' songs. Awesome.

[Badlandz]

I have this dvd.

[moocow117]

How can I get this DVD?

[Badlandz]

You can get it off the net if theres still seeders, were u from usa or uk?

[moocow117]

I'm in Philadelphia. I drive by Widener College where this was recorded and I say to myself... "I need to get that DVD!" Any help would be appreciated.

[ambeckman]

Any idea how to do the search ? Appreciate the help.

[jmccarry16]

You Dork!

[Eeza07]

How did you get it?!

[paulrob2006]

This video has been floating around the bootleg market for over 20 years. I picked it up at a record show in the 80's for around $15.

[Eeza07]

I'm from Australia, do you think I'd still be able to get it?

[anotherjoshua]

what's cool about this show is that the guy who shot it slowly worked his way up to the stage throughout the show, which was long. by the last couple of songs, the picture is great and right up close.

[curlballn]

wow...how could you even know sitting out there one day this would become one of the greatest bs&esb shows ever

[quint1977]

HEARTS THESE DAYS ARE CHEAP

[bballguy60]

thank God for youtube. What atreat!!!

[Tommygun1028]

Youtube is giving this stuff new life in 2008. Kids like it too! I shake my head in disbelief when some asinine company has a classic 70s rock video removed. Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale" was taken down from my account because of copyright infringement. How ridiculous! it's 2008 now & old laws should not apply to a new technology that give this stuff new life and new opportunities to make money. If I was procol Harum I would've went nuts!

[MoveOnDotOrgg]

I agree, I've bought new concert DVD's and CD's because of my YouTube experience - VIACOM hello!

[DukeDe]

Great! I'm so glad to have seen this.

[moocow117]

WOW! How good is that? Thank you.

[KenTammenga]

remember . . .

[BaronM]

Great stuff, incident is absolutely the best from this short-lived era!

[gxmxrx]

I my god!! This is great. I've been looking for classic bruce. This was a great show. Thanks for Wings for Wheels which I love and I haven't been able to find. Please post more.

[EmulsionStrip]

What can you say? Bruce, please unlock the vault. In the meantime the new book For You will feature some incredible never seen before rare photos from this very show: foryoubruce. Published in October.

[WriterRoss]

Oh my g-d. Thanks for this. Took my breath away. -P

[traderneal]

This video has been around for years. But it's nice to finally see it up on You Tube. A while ago, there were some others songs from this show, including the ultra rare "Wings for Wheels" which is the fan titled early version of Thunder Road. (And to my knowledge the only filmed version of Wings for Wheels.

[WriterRoss]

A few friends/fans have written to me in the past few days to tell me this footage is out there. I'm not the completist I would like to be but I thought I had seen (most of it) all. ;> This footage is new to me.

[WriterRoss]

I have an old cassette of the MAIN POINT show. Old as in if I ever play it again it would probably be eaten in a second. But I've been singing "WINGS FOR WHEELS" and "ANGELINA" for years. <g> Would love to SEE it one day. (Faith will be rewarded.)

[paulrob2006]

I have posted the complete performance of "Wings for Wheels" for all to enjoy. I will try to get more of this show up as soon as I can. Almost forgot I had the complete Widener show on video.