Springsteen Hammersmith Odeon 1975 DVD

It goes without saying that the 1975 Hammersmith Odeon concert DVD is essential viewing for any serious Bruce Springsteen fan. It's staggering to think that not only did the man command the stage so early in his career, but that he continues, 35 years later, to do the same. He never turned into the kind of artist who rests on his laurels, going on tour every couple of years so his great-great-great grand kids can pay for college tuition. The only artist I can think of who compares is Bob Dylan and, face it, Zimmy has not been nearly as consistent in releasing top notch albums as has the Boss. The Rolling Stones can boast of more longetivity, but their shows are so huge and lucrative only because all rock and roll lovers born between the years of 1962 to the present want to say, "Oh, yeah! I've SEEN the Stones!" Never mind that their performances are sloppy and they seem to be even a bit bored with themselves. They don't love the audience like Bruce Springsteen does.

A fact which was evident even as early as 1975, touring on the heels of his 3rd record, the established masterpiece "Born to Run". Even if he seems somewhat guarded it is still quite obvious that he's feeding off the vibe of the crowd. A gathering who, I might add, express their appreciation with the vigor and zeal of the newly converted. It didn't take too many years afterward for Springsteen to lower his guard and embrace his fans in a much more transparent manner, but make no mistake: that night at the Hammersmith Odeon he held every one of them in the palm of his hands and the regard was mutual.

Some have complained that the lighting in this DVD recording is too dark, insufficient. Maybe they're right up to a point. Personally, I think the spotlights playing on the deep shadow give the concert a nice ambience. Then there are those who have bitched and moaned about the "film quality". Please. It's a wonder (and a blessing) that this footage even exists at all. Besides, it's not THAT bad. It was filmed in 1975, for crying out loud, what do they expect? Blu-Ray picture quality? Surely no one, however, can complain about the sound. The DTS 5.1 Surround sound is awesome. Maybe the best 5.1 mix I've ever heard. If you close your eyes and wait until a song is over you can almost believe that you're sitting right in the middle of the crowd.

My only real complaint, and it is so trivial as to be laughable, is that STUPID HAT Springsteen wears during most of the performance! Maybe it was the equivalent of a security blanket. I guess that's all fine and good, but he reminded me of that doofus Adam Duritz (of Counting Crows), with his ridiculous thick dreadlocks...and I seem to recall Duritz gallivanting on the stage with a similar hat in some televised show I caught back when I actually liked his band (which is to say, before they started releasing shitty albums).

The musicianship is exactly what you'd expect from the E Street Band: top notch. It goes without saying that the songs, at least most of them, are just about as good as it gets. I've never cared all that much for Bruce's debut album, "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J." but he infuses those tracks with such new life and relevence that I want to listen to it again to see what I've missed. In particular, "Lost in the Flood", which even I have to admit was probably the high point on "Greetings". This version takes it almost to the level of "Backstreets" and, gasp, even "Jungleland", both of which appear here in majestic versions. He takes, in my opinion, just a few too many liberties with the vocal part of the former, but "Jungleland" is almost perfect, especially Clarence Clemons' saxophone solo toward the end (as far as I'm concerned the Big Man is the only rock and roll saxophone player worth paying attention to...for more proof listen to his fragile, haunting solo in "Secret Garden").

Lots of songs from the second album, "The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle", the best of which is probably the extended rendition of "Kitty's Back". Pianist Roy Bittan and the late, great keyboardist Danny Federici are given ample time for solos, both of which are jaw-dropping. "Kitty's Back" has a build-up and release that makes you want to stop whatever you're doing and just start dancing. It is that effective even in it's studio version (not an easy task to achieve, I assure you), but here, in the context of a live show, it is nothing short of exuberant.

Of course there was no way he wasn't going to do "Born to Run"...35 years later it's the same, only substitute "no way he wasn't going to" with "no way he COULDN'T do". For better or worse it is his signature song. That's not exactly a bad thing when you consider that it is very likely the PERFECT rock and roll song. That's just my opinion, based on my standards, of course. But surely if you disagree you still have to at least admit that it's on the short list. Sounds really good in this set, fresh off of the printing press, as it were.

"Thunder Road" is presented here in a stripped down version. Great songs hold up to such deconstruction. The version on the overlooked "MTV Plugged" live album features Bruce and Roy Bittan all on their own in a version that I almost think is better than the original. So, obviously I like this song preformed in such a sparse manner. That's what you get with the Hammersmith Odeon version.

I know...I know. I sound like a raving Bruce Springsteen fanatic. Sometimes I feel like that's exactly what I am. But most of the time I'm fairly realistic about what he's done, what he's capable of, where his music fits into the grand scheme of things... If I seem to go overboard just a little with this DVD it's because I am so excited about getting to see such a historic performance by a man who, regardless of what anyone may think of him, is an American icon and one of our countrie's great treasures.

If I may make a confession: when the terrorists attacked the Twin Towers on 9/11 it was something so unbelievable that I just couldn't bring myself to accept the full impact. Call it denial. I've no doubt I was one of many who had that reaction. But a week or so later Bruce Springsteen sang '"My City of Ruins" on the "America: A Tribute to Heroes" broadcast... what can I say? It broke the floodgates. In three and a half minutes he showed me all that was lost and could never be regained. He broke down my resistance and then, with the song's "Rise Up" finale he offered so much hope... hope in such a time, in such a situation. Can you even imagine that? The man stood there with guitar in hand, but Bruce Springsteen got out of the way so that the message could get through. Such strength to sing this overwhelming song when I'm sure every fiber of his body longed to just cry, weep, wail. And the message? Do not forget the pain. Never let the feelings fade from memory, hard as they are to bear. But even more importantly, don't forget that hope does not die, that faith is more than just a word in a book, that when all is said and done we really ARE in this thing together. And that we WILL "rise up".

So yeah, Bruce Springsteen is my hero. One of them, at least. I won't deny it and I'm not ashamed of it. There is something working through him that speaks to me, that moves me. His Muse must know me pretty well to give him words and lyrics that I can identify with so closely... that Muse must know a LOT of people, if you get what I'm saying. And it's sort of comforting to know that so many people have so much in common with me. I was going to say, "even if it's only the man's music", but it's not just that. We can relate because of the things that he sings about, important and real, threads that bind us all together. Lots of common denominators in there.

But where was I? Oh, yeah. The Hammersmith Odeon 1975 concert. Great show. That's about all I wanted to say about it. Great show.

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