Bruce Brendan Byrne

Bruce Springsteen released an archival recording from an E Street Band concert in his home state of New Jersey on the Born In The U.S.A. Tour. The show took place on August 6, 1984 during a 10-show residency at Brendan Byrne Arena (now the Meadowlands) in East Rutherford and is available via nugs.net.

As measured by cultural impact and mass popularity, Bruce Springsteen’s 1984-85 World Tour was the apex. Considering its stunning scale, playing multi-night stadium stands, it’s easy to forget that 1984 was a rebirth of sorts, the start of a new era as much as a continuation of what came before it. On the biggest tour of his career, Springsteen was rebuilding the engine while the plane was flying.

Boasting eight changes from the previously released first night of the ten-show Brendan Byrne ’84 stand, 8/6/84 delivers a fresh perspective on the Born In The U.S.A. tour arena leg. The Nebraska mini-set features “Atlantic City,” plus the first 1984-85 versions of “Nebraska” and “Open All Night” in the Archive series, the latter introduced with the classic “Son, you’re in a lot of trouble” story. The same for new additions “Fire” and “Racing In The Street,” along with encore performances of “I’m A Rocker” and Bruce’s highly charged and relevant as ever cover of the Rolling Stones’ classic, “Street Fighting Man.”

As measured by cultural impact and mass popularity, Bruce Springsteen’s 1984-85 World Tour was the apex. Considering its stunning scale, playing multi-night stadium stands, it’s easy to forget that 1984 was a rebirth of sorts, the start of a new era as much as a continuation of what came before it. On the biggest tour of his career, Springsteen was rebuilding the engine while the plane was flying.

The first night of a 10 night stand at Brendan Byrne Arena at The Meadowlands in New Jersey, 8/5/84 is the first complete recording officially released from Bruce Springsteen’s historic Born In The U.S.A. Tour. This was the E Street Band’s first tour with Nils Lofgren on guitar (Stevie Van Zandt had left the band) and Patti Scialfa on vocals and percussion. As with the popular Nassau ’80 archive release, Meadowlands ’84 was recorded live with the Record Plant Remote Truck by Toby Scott, and the master analog multitrack reels were transferred at Sonicraft and restored via The Plangent Process for maximum audio fidelity. Toby Scott mixed the show for this release in April 2015.

The legendary ten-show, August ’84 stand at Brendan Byrne Arena culminates in special performances with the Miami Horns and Stevie Van Zandt, particularly the pitch-perfect cover of Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away.” Stevie also duets on “Two Hearts”, while the Horns enliven “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” “Detroit Medley” and “Twist and Shout - Do You Love Me?” With “Cover Me,” “Darlington County,” “I’m Goin’ Down,” “Spirit in the Night,” “Darkness” and more, 8/20/84 is Peak Born in the U.S.A. Tour.

Past and present unite as E Street Band members and special guests drop in on Bruce and the 1992-93 band at the penultimate show of the Human Touch/Lucky Town tour. A stirring 35-song set opens with a mini acoustic set and rolls on through key tracks from both albums plus a few rarities (“Satan’s Jeweled Crown”) before wrapping with an epic, 11-song encore extravaganza featuring Southside Johnny, Joe Ely, Little Steven, Max Weinberg, Soozie Tyrell, the Miami Horns and the Big Man himself.

Performing with his new band in front of eager hometown fans, Springsteen goes the extra mile in this spirited set showcasing Human Touch and Lucky Town along with a few special treats. New Jersey 1992 delivers 13 songs from the two albums, from “Living Proof” and “Souls Of The Departed” to “Real Man” and “All Or Nothin’ At All.” It also features the tour’s only performance of the gospel gem “Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won’t Do)” showcasing the background singers, plus a unique solo-to-band arrangement of “Open All Night” that hilariously updates the turnpike tale.

Past and present unite as E Street Band members and special guests drop in on Bruce and the 1992-93 band at the penultimate show of the Human Touch/Lucky Town tour. A stirring 35-song set opens with a mini acoustic set and rolls on through key tracks from both albums plus a few rarities (“Satan’s Jeweled Crown”) before wrapping with an epic, 11-song encore extravaganza featuring Southside Johnny, Joe Ely, Little Steven, Max Weinberg, Soozie Tyrell, the Miami Horns and the Big Man himself.