“Live at Max’s Kansas
City”, Bruce Springsteen, Max’s Kansas City, New York, NY, 31st
January 1973.
Set-list:
Disc One:
1.
Mary
Queen of Arkansas
2.
Bishop
danced
3.
Circus song
4.
Spirit
in the Night
5.
Does
this bus stop at 82nd Street?
6.
Thundercrack
7.
Saga
of the architect angel
8.
Song
of the orphans
Notes:
Complete show: Yes
Musicians: Bruce Springsteen: Guitar, Vocals. Plus
Band.
CD quality: Seamless
Sound quality: Very Good.
Remarks:
This is what the respected Brucebase has to say about the show:
31/1/73 -
MAX'S KANSAS CITY, NEW YORK, NY
1ST SHOW:
Mickey Ruskin introduction….MARY QUEEN OF ARKANSAS (5:15) / BISHOP DANCED (4:08)
/ Bruce brings out the band…CIRCUS SONG (4:21) / SPIRIT IN THE NIGHT (4:52) /
DOES THIS BUS STOP AT 82ND ST (4:49) / THUNDERCRACK (11:08)
2ND SHOW:
Mickey Ruskin 2nd introduction….SAGA OF THE ARCHITECT ANGEL (5:52) / SONG OF
THE ORPHANS (8:01) / Bruce brings out the band (cut) /
The opening
night of an important multi-day residency for Bruce. Two shows are performed
each night. Bruce is opening all week for headliner Biff Rose. As the opening
act, Bruce's shows are limited to about 60 minutes.
By
pre-arrangement DIR Broadcasting Corp is on hand this night to gather
performance recordings in preparation for the launch of its new syndicated
radio show, King Biscuit Flower Hour. CBS has negotiated with DIR Broadcasting
for the debut King Biscuit show to exclusivey feature artists from the CBS
family. Springsteen is but one of several CBS artists DIR records during late
72 and early 73 for this purpose. With the permission and cooperation of Laurel
Canyon Productions, DIR engineers audio record Springsteen's entire early show
plus the opening "solo" segment of the late show. The
"band" segment of the late show was NOT recorded. DIR retain the
Master Tape and the 1st generation copy of the Master is sent to Laurel Canyon.
The above-mentioned track listing represents everything that was professionally
recorded on this night. No audience recording from this night is known.
King Biscuit
Flower Hour used a 2 - 4 week delayed broadcast formula. The debut program was
broadcast on Feb 18th and Feb 19th, 1973. The 60-minute show featured
performances by Blood Sweat & Tears, The Mahavishnu Orchestra and Bruce.
The other two acts were, at that time, much better known. So it is not
surprising that only one Springsteen song ("Bishop Dance") was utilized
during this show. This is also the version of "Bishop Dance" that was
released on the official TRACKS box set, although the session information
mistakenly identifies the recording date as the broadcast date - just one of
many detailing errors found in the TRACKS liner notes.
Although
"Bishop Dance" was re-broadcast by King Biscuit several times in
subsequent years, none of the other material was ever broadcast, due to rights
issues. King Biscuit Flower Hour still retains the original Master Tape in its
archives. On their Master Tape reel "Saga Of The Architect Angel" is
mistaken titled "John Wayne". The company has repeatedly sought (and
been declined) permission to commercially release the full 8-song performance
as part of its ongoing archive CD reissue series. Fortunately we do have the
material via the unofficial route.
The entire,
unedited performance from the early show can be found in excellent quality on
the CD boot "LIVE AT MAX'S KANSAS CITY" (Swingin' Pig). This CD also
has the two tracks from the second show but, inexplicably, the recording of
"Song To Orphans" is only half complete. The complete recording of
"Song To Orphans" from this show can be either found on the CD
"THE UNSURPASSED SPRINGSTEEN" VOL 1" or the CD "THE
UNSURPASSED SPRINGSTEEN VOL 2".
The recordings
of "Bishop Dance" and "Thundercrack" from this show were
utilized for copyright reference and publishing purposes by Laurel Canyon
Music. In doing so Laurel Canyon professionally edited the long, rambling 11:30
recording of "Thundercrack" down to a slicker, more focused 6:50
running time. The song is edited in three places, with the major edit
completely eliminating the middle "comedy break" routine. It is this
edited version that was distributed (on tape or acetate) to various industry
people during the period, most notably Intersong Music in the UK. This edited
version of "Thundercrack" was one of the earliest booted Springsteen
recordings and can be found on the mid-70's LP boot "FIRE ON THE
FINGERTIPS". Enhanced sound specimens of this long-circulating edited
version of "Thundercrack" can be found in more recent times on CD
boots "FORGOTTEN SONGS", "UNSURPASSED SPRINGSTEEN VOL 2"
and, most recently, "DEEP DOWN IN THE VAULTS" (which falsely credits
the performance as 5/1/74 at Joe's Place).
At one time
or another ALL the recordings from 31/1/73 have been incorrectly attributed
(typically via liner notes on boots) to Springsteen's 30/8/72 show at Max's
Kansas City. Please refer to Brucebase's 30/8/72 listing for information on
recordings that are currently circulating from that show. Lastly, a version of
"Vibes Man" is often linked to this either of these shows. This is in
fact the 1972 studio demo that has had audience clapping crudely dubbed onto
the end of it. Even though this hoax was done by a bootlegger way back in the
1970's, it continues to turn up on releases. There is no genuine live version
of "Vibes Man" known.