Son, I’m Lucky In This Town (GR 238/239)
TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA – November 19th, 2007
Disc 1 (74:42): Radio Nowhere, Night, Lonesome Day, Gypsy Biker, Magic, Reason To Believe, Darkness On The Edge Of Town, Candy’s Room, She’s The One, Livin’ In The Future, This Hard Land, 4th Of July Asbury Park (Sandy), The E Street Shuffle, Working On The Highway
Disc 2 (77:42): Devil’s Arcade, The Rising, Last To Die, Long Walk Home, Badlands, Girls In Their Summer Clothes, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, Kitty’s Back, Born To Run, American Land. Bonus tracks, TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA – November 18th, 2007: Jackson Cage, Jungleland
Son, I’m Lucky In This Town is among the latest releases on the Godfather label from Springsteen’s Magic tour. The sound quality of the audience tape is excellent. It is in stereo and reproduces a detailed, three-dimensional aural picture of the final night in the US. This particular concert contains deeper meaning since Danny Federici didn’t accompany the rest of the band to Europe, thus making this his final show.
As Joe Roberts elegantly writes in the liner notes: “There are nights when you feel that you’re going to be part of something special. In some fashion, every Bruce Springsteen show is special because you’ll never know what it’s going to be. But sometimes this feeling is increased by events, whether it’s the last date of a tour or a special venue or some other special occasion.
“On November 19, Boston has been two times special both becuse of the city, one of the most important in all Springsteen career, and the night, since the whole band has paid a great tribute to Danny who will have a period of absence and won’t follow the band over the sea. The result has been a stunning show, with a full participation by Bruce, the band and the audience.
“All these elements seems to perfectly fit into a night to remember: all about Danny, with a setlist clearly crafted with himin mind, with a big focus on Wild & Innocent era, with the double shot of ‘Sandy’ and ‘The E Street Shuffle,’ two unusual masterpieces in which accordion and organ are purely wonderful. Before, there had been ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town,’ raucous as it had never been for a while, wrapped between ‘Reason To Believe’ and ‘Candy’s Room,’ to get the most of the energy from a yet energetic show, where the new songs sound simply perfect.
“During the encore, ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out’ and ‘Kitty’s Back’: the accordion solo seemed never had to end, with Danny brought on the front of the stage by Bruce himself, willing to say thanks in the best way he could. But the highest moment of the night has been ‘This Hard Land,’ with a different intro arrangement, but most of all, rarely played with such intensity and emotion by the whole band. Here it’s the real Bruce, the one who really lives what he’s singing, when he’s talking about friendship and camaraderie.
“Because this ahs been that night in Boston: a night of musicianship, shared history and joy of making music together for a crowd always paying attention, jumping, singing, shouting as there ws nothing but the music. The perfect town and the perfect show to say goodbye to a blood brother.”
Two songs, “This Hard Land” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” make their tour premiers seemingly in tribute to Danny, who with Clarence and Garry go all the way back to the beginning of the E Street Band. The former gives Danny a long solo spot, and the latter recalls the forming of the band more than thirty years ago. The three Wild & Innocent songs, “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” (“Ladies and Gentlemen, winner of the Ted Mack Amateur Hour!”
Bruce says afterwards), “E Street Shuffle” and “Kitty’s Back” also feature Danny and Bruce urge’s his solo to go on in “Kitty.”
Son, I’m Lucky In This Town is packaged in a tri-fold cardboard gatefold sleeve with many photos of the event. There are two bonus tracks from the previous evening in Boston in acceptable quality. It is not as good as the November 19th show, but it does have a blistering ten minute version of “Jungleland.”
