Bruce Springsteen Crisler Arena University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI October 3, 1980 JEMS Master Recording gear: Teac M-100 microphone (mono) > Sony TC-153SD JEMS 2017 Transfer: master cassettes > Nakamichi CR-7A (azimuth adjustment) > Sound Devices USBPre 2 > Audacity 2.0 capture > iZotope RX6 > iZotope Ozone 6 > Peak Pro 6 (post production) > xACT 2.39 > FLAC 01 Born to Run 02 Prove It All Night 03 Tenth Avenue Freeze-out 04 Wreck On The Highway 05 Darkness On The Edge Of Town 06 Jackson Cage 07 The Promised Land 08 Out In The Street 09 Racing In The Street 10 The River 11 Thunder Road 12 Badlands 13 Cadillac Ranch 14 Fire 15 Sherry Darling 16 I Wanna Marry You 17 Crush On You 18 Ramrod 19 Point Blank 20 Stolen Car 21 Because The Night 22 Backstreets 23 Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) 24 Jungleland 25 Detroit Medley 26 Thunder Road (with Bob Seger) Opening night of the River tour, and yes, JEMS was there, capturing the first show in mono. This is another one of those master tapes I didn’t realize we had made until recently, and given my general sense that tapes of the show were mediocre, I must admit I had not only never played the show much but presumed our own tape to be marginal. Turns out it is much better quality than I presumed, not great mind you, but clear and full, if a bit distant. I suspect this recording will be a material upgrade over circulating recordings and copies. As for the show, opening nights are always fascinating. Famously, Bruce forgets the words to the show opener, “Born to Run,” and there are many other subtle changes and differences in these versions compared to how they would be performed later in the tour, which makes for a fun listen. The order of the set list is also a work in progress (“Wreck on the Highway” fourth?), so if you are seeking a fresh experience of the River tour, Ann Arbor delivers a show that some might call tentative, but can also be viewed as very in the moment. BK for JEMS *********************************************************************** This is the only source to emerge to date for this show, there have been a number of upgrades over the years but this is now the definitive version. As BK says, opening nights are fascinating and to hear another opening night in such fine quality and Jared's glorious mono is a Happy New Year indeed! mjk5510