Hammersmith Odeon, London '75

Bruuuuuuuuce has gone through a number of transformations. I'll confess I don't like all of them, although I do admire his continued attempts at growth as an artist. This album was when he was first on the cusp of greatness, and if you listen, you'll know why. This album features many of the great works from his masterpiece second and third albums--and it MAKES masterpieces out of several initially underwhelming pieces from the first. The band is featured in ways it rarely would again. There are some significant reinventions, some great jams. Most crucially of all, it is tremendously raw. You can hear the hecklers, the scratchiness of Bruce's voice, the occasional bad attempt at improv banter, the screech of the mic. Bruce is great live, but his other live albums don't translate the energy. This is a marvel precisely because it is so vulnerable, so unpolished in spots. The definitive live album from Bruce, and probably among the top 5 live albums from anyone. Particular gems are For You (which sends shivers down my spine), Sandy, Kitty's Back, E Street Shuffle, Spirit in the Night, and Lost in the Flood. Even She's the One, which I think is a dud of a song, doesn't sound half-bad here. The timbre of the instrumentation is great, too. Roy and Steve in particular shine.

Bruce put his guitar away that night thinking this show had gone badly? My gosh -- what would a good show have sounded like??? This CD just melts all the other CDs in my collection and obliterates all the other songs on my ipod. How can a live album be this good? First, Bruce's singing is absolutely phenomenal. Seriously -- he sings better in a single take on a single night than the multiple takes in the studio over the year. The setlist is inspired. The E Street band is just dead on and dead tight that night. Many of the performances surpass the album version of the songs -- "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out", "She's the One", and "Rosalita" certainly do. The version of these three songs on this album are so good that it is now hard for me to listen to the album versions -- especially of "She's the One". "She's the One" is so transcendent on this album that the version on BTR now sounds like a demo. I wouldn't have ever thought that was possible. I'll still take the album version of "Born to Run" -- but I could live with this album as my only Springsteen album (if I had to!). I want to add that Miami Steve adds a whole bunch to this set and nicely rounds out the sound. You must own this album. The only problem is that it will make the rest of your collection pale by comparison!!

Had this album been released back in 1975 or 1976, this very well might have been as significant as, say, Kiss "Alive" or the Who's "Live At Leeds." In the first case, THAT album brought a worldwide audience to a group with only three previous, poor-to-average sales. This would have done the same. As in the second case, it demonstrates a whole new, but unbelievably powerful side to a performer mostly known for their studio work. Simply put, this album shows that Bruce and The E Street Band were easily among the best live performers of the day. And now, thirty years on, it shows that they're amongst the best ever. There is energy here that would shame the most hyperactive punk rocker. There is musicianship here that would impress any elitist jazz critic. There is drama here that would astonish any modern day film student. Yes, film. These performances play in your head like film. They're vivid, detailed. They have plot and characters. There's suspense and comedy. This is the real deal, the whole magillah. This is an unbelievably satisfying listening experience. The best thing about the record, besides the fact that such a well recorded document from such a legendary show even exists, is that we Bruce fans can hear the band tear through songs from the "Born To Run" album like we've never heard them before. "Born To Run" is not a career highpoint yet, it's a call to arms. My God..."She's The One" is a hurtling freight train, out of control; loud, fast and loose. It's thrilling. The band isn't playing songs they've played a thousand times before. They are finding their way through new sounds and tempos and textures. All that creative energy comes RIGHT through your speakers. Listen to Clarence's sax breaks...they're fresh and explosive. Listen to Roy Bittan's piano...masterful chord works with finger-knotting flourishes. Hear Miami Steve wailing along, dueling with the Boss himself on call-and-response guitar solos as if the two of them are facing off in an alley with knives in a gangfight. Has Max Weinberg ever been as clean and crisp, yet at the same time thundering like no other? The set list is a dream. Getting the Detroit medley and a rollicking "Quarter to Three" to end the show is a treat for rock fans, not just Bruce fans. "Thunder Road" regains its' poetry. "Jungleland" retains its' epic, widescreen quality. "Rosalita" remains a full-on party, as does an early-in-the-show "Tenth Avenue." I think it's fine that this is available on video AND audio. I will probably listen to this more than I will re-visit the DVD, but they are BOTH nice to have. And for a pathologic Bruce fan like myself, essential.

I read many reviews about this being a "breakthrough" moment for Bruce and the E Street band. I only had to listen to the album one time to understand why people wrote about it that way. He performs four of my favorite songs on this album (Thunder Road, Kitty's Back, Jungle Land, and For You) and each one is sung with a passion and urgency you won't hear on any other live album. All of the songs are well done, of course. Everybody has their favorites. His rendition of "4th of July" is another one that demands listeners to hit the "repeat" button more than once. This is a serious concert. It is a fun concert. You won't be disappointed when listening to this album. It belongs in the collection of any Springsteen fan.

A great Live Album on Bruce's very first trip to the UK. A superb rendition of Thunder Road stripped back musically that allows his voice and the pure emotion of the song to shine through. The E Street Shuffle is brilliant, just sounds like the band having real fun jamming together, my second favourite track. All backed up by many, many other great tracks too. It captures the gig very well and sounds great on vinyl. I originally had this gig on DVD which was part of the special CD box set of Born to Run so when I saw it available on vinyl, I just had to buy it. One of my top 5 Springsteen albums.

Alors que l'Europe vit à l'heure du disco et que Londres s'apprête à surfer sur la vague punk, voilà que débarque notre Américain pour son premier concert sur notre vieux continent pour nous en mettre plein (la vue et surtout) les oreilles! Et quelle claque! Aux prémisses de leurs carrières, Bruce Springsteen et son fabuleux E Street Band sont bien décidés à nous offrir toute l'étendue de leurs talents. Du rock n' roll, de la soul, du rythm n' blues, tout est excellent dans ce live. Un magnifique Thunder road épurré suivi des survoltés 10th avenue freeze-out et Spirit in the night puis d'un émouvant Lost in the flood: on sait que le meilleur est à venir. Un E street shuffle de 12' méconnaissable et ralenti nous délecte les oreilles avec en prime la magnifique guitare slide de Miami Steeve. Puis arrive la cerise sur le gateau, la perle, le diamant brut: le sublissime Kitty's back de 17' ! C'est maintenant, pour moi, le meilleur morceau live de Springsteen car tout y est: du rythme, de l'émotion, de la sincérité. Chacun des membres nous gratifie d'un solo aussi beau les uns que les autres. des superbes percus accompagnent la basse de Tallent et les claviers de Fédérici, Roy bittan justifie son surnom de Professor et on comprends pourquoi Clarence clémons est LE big man, sans oublier le duel à la guitare entre Steeve et Bruce. Et comme si ça ne suffisait pas, notre bande remet le couvert avec Jungleland et Rosalita avant de retourner à l'émotion pure avec un sublime For you puis de s'envoler à nouveau pour un bon vieux et vrai rock n' roll. Ce live est a absolument posséder pour tout fan du boss et en complément du coffret célébrant les 30 ans de Born to run. Il va même vous faire oublier le formaté live 75/85 qui nous a pas révélé le véritable talent de ce groupe d'exception.

Great value. Outstanding recording.

Live im "Hammersmith Odeon 1975" war der erste Auftritt von Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band in London. Mit meinen 55 Jahren habe ich den "Boss" von seinen ersten Tagen an in mein Herz geschlossen. Meine erste LP die ich mir von diesem Ausnahmemusiker kaufte war "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" aus dem Jahr 1978. Da war dann der Bann gebrochen und ich kaufte mir die vorhergehenden Aufnahmen. Auf langen einsamen Autofahrten schob ich eine Kassette nach der der anderen in meinen Kassettenrecorder und begann dann wieder von vorn. Sicher Springsteen ist auch heute noch eine Klasse für sich, aber die frühen Aufnahmen haben es mir angetan. Die Alben "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J." (1973), "The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle" (1973) und "Born to Run" (1975) sind die musikalischen Zutaten für das Konzert in London 1975. Ein Kracher nach dem anderen wird hier live zelebriert. Und, wie wir alle wissen, ist der Meister gemeinsam mit seiner Band live besonders grandios. Bei diesen Aufnahmen kommt eine unglaubliche Spielfreude aus den Boxen. Einzelne Songs brauche ich nicht hervorzuheben, da sich auf dieser Doppel-CD absolut keine Ausfälle befinden. Dennoch möchte ich meine persönlichen Highlights dieser Aufnahme kurz nennen: Da wäre zunächst der Opener, nämlich das unverwüstliche "Thunder Road". "Spirit In The Night" als frühes Livedokument ist einfach traumhaft. Ab ca. 5 Minuten Spieldauer flüstert er unter spartanischer musikalischer Begleitung seinen Text ins Publikum. Der vierte Song "Lost In The Flood" ist eines meiner Lieblingssongs auf dem Album. Einfach ergreifend und stimmgewaltig. "Born To Run" darf natürlich nicht fehlen und wird hier mit einem gewaltigen Drive vorgetragen. "It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City" ist definitiv mein Lieblingsstück dieses Albums. Nach 2:06 Minuten überschlägt sich seine heiser klingende Stimme so wunderbar. Ich könnte diese Stelle immer wieder hören. Die Aufnahme von "Backstreets" hier zu unterschlagen, wäre eine Schande. Es ist ein Wahnsinn, wie Springsteen hier seine Stimmbänder quält. Mit dem längsten Song des Albums beginnt die zweite CD. "Kitty's Back" dauert 17:15 Minuten. Hier hat die E-Street Band mit ausführlichen Instrumentalparts ihren großen Auftritt. Ein Hochgenuss! "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" ist ja gerade als Livestück hinlänglich bekannt. Es darf aber dennoch nicht bei meiner Auflistung fehlen. "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" von dem ersten Springsteen Album ist eine sehr gefühlvolle und intensive Ballade. Zum Träumen schön! Das letzte Stück "Quarter To Three" ist denn dann auch der Rausschmeißer dieses Konzerterlebnisses und ist so richtig schön fetzig, dass kein Bein still bleiben kann. Der Satz, dass dieses Album ein Muss für jeden Springsteen Fan ist, wird ja so oft inflationär benutzt. Hier ist er aber absolut angebracht. Meinem Erachten nach, ist "Hammersmith Odeon, London '75" für jeden Springsteen Liebhaber ein Pflichtinvestition. Es ist ein außerordentlich gelungener Livemitschnitt und von der Tonqualität her gut. Sicherlich gibt es heute Tontechnisch mehr Möglichkeiten, aber man bedenke aus welcher Zeit die Aufnahmen stammen. Hier sind wieder fünf Sterne in der Bewertung selbstverständlich.

Probablemente el mejor concierto, tanto por entrega, fuerza, pasión y buenas vibraciones en esa noche de 1975. Además incluye sus clásicos de entonces Thunder Road, su mejor versión, Born to run, Jungleland, sublime, Rosalita, y Detroit medley, por sólo comentar algunas canciones que interpretó en Londres esa noche. Para mí el concierto de los conciertos del Boss. Si lo ves, no lo dejes escapar el DVD es total. Pasión por el rock!