by Rick Moehrke, Sacramento, California

I had become a Springsteen fan when “Born To Run” came out three years earlier. I was fortunate enough to see Bruce the BTR tour in Sacramento and again early on in the Darkness tour in Berkeley (whoever yelled out Mike Appel sucks had perfect timing!). Both were wonderful shows.

Winterland was closing at the end of the year. Tickets went on sale for the Bruce shows on Dec 15 and 16, 1978. I eagerly drove to Berkeley and felt lucky to get a pair for each show. I waited until show day, drove to San Francisco early and waited in line to get in. The band was indoors running through “Badlands” in their soundcheck. Leaning against the side of the building we could not only hear it but we could feel the song as the rickety building vibrated. It only increased our desire to get in.

Finally the line started moving. I entered and worked my towards the stage at floor level, talking with the people around me. The lights dimmed. Bill Graham introduced “The Chairman of the Board. The Great One, Bruce Springsteen.”

“It’s great to be in San Fransico. One. Two ” and the band kicks in with “Badlands.” This was the start of what I still consider the best concert I have ever seen.

There was magic in the night. The E Street Band was on fire that night. Clarence blowing his sax. Miami Steve always so cool on guitar ripping off his machine gun guitar run in “Jungleland.” Danny rockin’ on organ on the left, The Professor driving the songs on piano on the right. When Bruce fell into the crowd during “Spirit in the Night” the crowd held him up and passed him around over their heads. Between songs he’d dunk his head in a pan of water and shake like a dog to cool off.

The five songs that closed the first set I still think are the best five song block ever: “The Promised Land”; a soaring ten-minute version of “Prove It All Night,” “Racing in the Streets” blending into “Thunder Road” and “Jungleland” to finish the set off. It was incredible.

There’s a twenty minute break. The band comes back out. Bruce starts off the second set with “Bootleggers roll your tapes” and a new song, “The Ties That Bind.” Bruce starts up a story and out comes Clarence in a Santa Hat for “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” “The Fever,” “Fire,” a stretched out “Because the Night” and the new “Point Blank” all follow, then “Rosalita.”

That concluded the second set. It was followed by 37 minutes of encores. I was fortunate that it was a radio broadcast. I had a friend tape it for me. Then I found a bootleg vinyl copy and now it’s available on three cds. When I picked up my cassettes of the show I asked Rusty if he listened to the show as he taped it. He pointed to his ceiling. He replied “See that crack? It wasn’t there before Friday night. I listened. I played it. I played it loud. It was amazing! What was happening onstage when Bruce was doing….?”

Then I got to go back the next night for another fanatastic performance. But Friday night December 15, 1978 will always be the Best Show ever. I have copies to prove it. But I may be a bit biased. This is when I switched from being a fan to being a fanatic.

Bruce, thanks for the memories!