Live at the Carousel In December 2010, gathered E Streeters in Asbury Park to perform and film from his new release ‘The Promise’ — plus an irresistable “Blue Christmas” for the season — where the merry-go-round used to be. Thom Zimny’s ‘Songs From The Promise’ streamed online as a 2010 holiday treat, but only briefly. Now, to close the decade, the songs are back. Our coverage from writers Caryn Rose and Glenn Radecki took readers inside, for a look at all 11 songs and a unique performance in Springsteen history.

FROM 2010 Ends on a Carousel Ride MAGAZINE WINTER 2011 ALL INTERIOR PHOTOS BY EXTERIOR PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK KRAJNAK

WINTER 2011/2012 BACKSTREETS PAGE 13 PAGE 14 BACKSTREETS WINTER 2011/2012 December 7, 2010 given the fact that the entire E or , telling you to turn watching the video monitor were Songs From The Street Band (plus David Lindley it inside out or put on a loaned able to see Bruce and Steve enact and a five-man horn section, but (black) shirt instead; where acci- a classic James Brown routine, Promise minus Nils and Patti) as well as dentally stepping in the wrong with Bruce on his knees and Carousel House band crew and a large camera place or thrusting your arms in Steve exhorting him to get up at Asbury Park, NJ crew were all assembled in a the air a little too hard might the end of “Talk to Me.” With the Darkness-era E Street space that used to house a mer- accidentally cut off vital elec- Around 4:00, the waiting Band, plus Charlie Giordano, ry-go-round. The audience was tronic connections. No joke: the crowd was led into the carou- David Lindley, and horns comprised of guests and fam- drum tech lost connectivity with sel house in small groups and ily members (including Adele Max because of a kicked-out cord, positioned in various locations The first and only perfor- Springsteen, prominently placed and Eddie Manion’s sax mic got around the stage. Or the area mance by the in in front of Steve Van Zandt), pulled out during an enthusiastic serving as the stage—except 2010 improbably materialized together with the lucky winners fist-pump by an adjacent fan. for risers for Max, Roy, and the on a bone-chilling and blustery of a Backstreets-run contest. Starting in the late morning on horns, the band was on the black- Tuesday afternoon in Asbury The configuration inside the December 7, the band had been canvas-covered floor in the cen- Park, at an equally improbable carousel house was reminiscent rehearsing behind closed doors ter of the space, on the same level location: the former carousel of early Unplugged stage con- (but audible to the fans standing as the audience. Once the crowd house adjacent to the old Casino figurations, with the audience outside in the cold along Asbury was positioned to the satisfac- on the boardwalk. Almost a year literally feet away from, and at Avenue) for several hours. Shortly tion of the crew, the film shoot after Bruce assembled the 1978- the same level as, Bruce and the before 3:00 that afternoon, the began with the ‘78 version of era E Street Band members and E Street Band. Instead of being contest winners were escorted “.” Over the Charlie Giordano for the Darkness seated—or standing—in front of inside to a staging area adjacent course of the next four hours, the live recording at the Paramount a stage, the audience was posi- to the carousel house (the for- band would perform ten songs Theater on the other end of the tioned practically around the mer arcade that was part of the from The Promise, each of which boardwalk, he brought the same band, both behind and in front Casino), where the rehearsal was performed in its entirety at group together to record the first of them. This created an atmo- was clearly audible. The band least twice. In addition, Bruce live performances of material sphere where you could clearly wasn’t ready for an audience yet, frequently directed the band to from The Promise. read the charts Max had written so tour manager George Travis reprise sections of songs in order Unlike the Paramount perfor- up for “Racing in the Street”; arranged for a small video moni- to get endings, solos, transi- mance, this time the band would where the wrong choice of T- tor to be brought out so that the tions, and even lighting to the perform in front of an audience, shirt would prompt a personal waiting fans could see as well as satisfaction of himself, Zimny, albeit an extremely small one, visit from director Thom Zimny hear. Among other things, fans Landau, or a combination of the DANNY CLINCH PHOTOS DANNY

WINTER 2011/2012 BACKSTREETS PAGE 15 DANNY CLINCH PHOTOS DANNY

three. This was, after all, a work- “Racing in the Street (’78)” and Here, one of the reasons the ing a good time, he talked about ing film shoot first and a perfor- “Come On (Let’s Go Tonight),” ending was taped multiple times his mother and the Rock and mance second. as well as adding texture to “The was because Bruce gave very spe- Roll Hall of Fame exhibit, and For the guests lucky enough Promise” and a solo on the show’s cific direction that he wanted the he explicitly told one fan (who to be admitted to the taping, it finale, “Blue Christmas.” Bruce lighting behind him to fade out suggested that Bruce to take an often felt like standing just off- also brought a five-piece horn while still keeping him in a spot- entire horn section on tour with camera in Barry Rebo’s footage section to the show, with Curt light, and the lighting crew was him) that “there ain’t gonna be from the Darkness box set: the Ramm and Barry Danielian on having difficulty with it (after a tour.” band worked out cues, chords trumpet, Clark Gayton on trom- one take, admitting over the PA As Springsteen’s comfort level and arrangements on the fly and bone, Manion and Stan Harrison that they just forgot). with the fans increased, he began in the open, whether it was Bruce on saxophone; the horns joined The process of filming this experimenting with incorpo- clarifying Max’s drum part at the in on “Gotta Get That Feeling,” (which regrettably, in the rating the fans directly into the beginning of “Save My Love” “The Brokenhearted, “Talk to end, did not make the cut for the performance. Everyone present or Steve coaching and conduct- Me” and “Blue Christmas.” webcast) was the most intense was on their best behavior— ing the horns at the end of “The The performances of “The example of having the opportu- there was no shouting, scream- Brokenhearted.” It was clear, Brokenhearted” were easily nity to observe Springsteen at ing or Brooocing at inappropriate watching the performance, what among one of the most memo- work, as opposed to Springsteen moments—and as a result, Bruce a perfectionist Bruce can be, and rable moments of the evening. on stage in front of 20,000 peo- increased the level of direct audi- how the smallest details—the Two takes were completed, ple. As a fan, you’ve heard stories ence interaction as the shoot volume on a particular note, the and then Bruce redid the end- about his dedication, his perfec- went on. He began by asking speed of a transition in and out ing three more times. He kept tionism, and his need to get even the fans to come onto the stage of a guitar or saxophone solo, coming over and speaking with the smallest details to his satis- and surround him as he stood on the pace that lights were brought the horn section, discussing how faction; it’s another thing entirely Max’s drum riser on his cue at down for dramatic effect—were best to achieve the effect he was to watch it unfold right in front the end of “Save My Love.” considered and corrected as hoping to get—he wanted them of you. After a short break, during appropriate. to fade out more obviously than As the event progressed, Bruce which the audience was repo- The show included seven live they were able to in a live set- began to directly interact with sitioned (fans at the back came performance debuts from The ting. Steve came over to offer his the members of the audience to the front, and vice versa) and Promise, with renditions of each advice, and in each of the three between songs, chatting and the band socialized and chatted song mostly faithful to the ver- retakes of the ending, he turned shaking hands during filming amongst themselves, the shoot sions released on the box set. to direct them in the darkness breaks, as well as cracking the began again with “Ain’t Good David Lindley made a guest while Springsteen sang the end- occasional joke. He asked where Enough For You.” Bruce started appearance to reprise his contri- ing at center stage, lit in a spot- people were from, he asked if to walk along the edge of the butions by joining in on violin for light. people were doing okay and hav- “stage,” but there were no fans to

PAGE 16 BACKSTREETS WINTER 2011/2012 12-7-10 Live from the Carousel

Racing in the Street ‘78 (x2) H 0 Gotta Get that Feeling (x2) H 0 Outside Looking In (x2) One Way Street (x2) Come On (Let’s Go Tonight) (x2) Save My Love (x3) The Brokenhearted (x2) Ain’t Good Enough For You (x2) H The Promise (x2) H Talk To Me (x2) Blue Christmas (x2) H

H Video released on Songs From ‘The Promise’ webcast and DVD 0 Audio available on 2011 Record Store Day 10-inch, Live From the Carousel

interact with, as there was a track that it seemed a very long time wall of the carousel house, rather Christmas,” slightly different and for the main camera between the to be “situated up there.” In the than at Bruce’s feet) switched not quite as faithful to the origi- fans and the band. His solution end, the song ended up being a to “Talk to Me” and the horns nal version as had been practiced was to hop over the track and little bit of both: Bruce worked returned to the riser. Bruce several hours earlier. walk along the audience, but that the crowd up front for the begin- returned the crowd to the same By this point, Bruce was com- was out of camera range, and he ning of the song, and moved positions he had placed them fortable enough with the crowd didn’t have a lot of room. to the piano for the last verse, in for “Ain’t Good Enough For to wave caution to the wind and At the end of this first take, inviting fans to follow, where You,” except instead of ending invite everyone to come onstage Bruce announced that this song he seemed visibly pleased that the song on top of the piano, he and surround him on all sides, as required singers, but that there the crowd nailed the “just like retreated to Max’s drum riser and he climbed onto the monitor and weren’t any singers in the band ” line, loudly and again gestured for the crowd to addressed the camera directly, any more. He noted that they with gusto. follow. wishing everyone a happy holi- used to have microphones, but The full band debut of “The It’s unfortunate that this incen- day and a happy new year. they were taken away. Clarence Promise” was a welcome break diary performance of a diehard With the taping finished, man- protested audibly, and Bruce after the hard work of running fan favorite didn’t make the final agement initially asked the audi- relented to say that Clarence is around a stage and singing with broadcast, as the horns were fan- ence to please gather their things actually okay. He then proceeded Bruce Springsteen, as the fans tastic and band energized. This and get out as quickly as they to inventory the vocal abilities of went back to their assigned loca- was another one of the many could, because the crew wouldn’t the rest of the band: Garry could tions—which everyone did, moments during which the band be able to leave until they had sing “if pressed into service,” and every single time, without hav- appeared surprised at the fans’ cleared everything out. In a both Max and Roy had to take a ing to be asked. That was defi- familiarity with the material and final showing of the incredible singing test before they joined nitely the advantage to playing at the energy the crowd brought hospitality provided to the fans the band (Roy laughed at this in front of only 59 people; Bruce to “Talk To Me,” which was as that evening, however, security mention, while Max shook his repeatedly joked throughout the familiar to everyone there as any rushed no one out of the build- head). night that they’d like to do more long-time Springsteen concert ing; Bruce had taken to mingling After this interlude, Bruce shows with only 59 people, that warhorse. with the crowd, shaking hands solved the problem by determin- all future shows would have 59 Crew members began distrib- and giving hugs to anyone who ing that the fans would sing—he people in the audience, and that uting Santa hats (Bruce checked came up and said hello, thank- invited fans positioned in front the ticket price for those shows to see if the audience members ing fans for being there as they of the stage to hop the track, to would be, per Mr. Landau, sev- were allowed to keep them; the thanked him for letting them come between the cameras and eral million dollars each. answer was yes) as the Christmas be there, another Asbury Park the band. Steve suggested that Following the brooding inten- lights around the room began to Springsteen memory in the Bruce sing the entire song from sity of “The Promise,” the tele- flash on and off. The band per- books. Roy’s piano, and Bruce replied prompter (positioned at the back formed a funky version of “Blue —Glenn Radecki and Caryn Rose

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