Fourth of July Asbury Park: From the Vaults, Bruce Plays Gaston Hall
The Boss is revered by so many Georgetown students (read: the 90% that hail from New Jersey), but few know his connection to the University and to WGTB itself. You might think WGTB has brought some killer unbelievable cool concerts to campus in the past couple years (see here and here and here) but back in the day, WGTB-FM was the O.G. of live music shows, bringing everyone on-air from Neil Young to Phil Ochs. And, they staged Bruce Springsteen in Gaston Hall, a feat which we have not yet replicated (maybe someday.)
Because Bruce Springsteen is the ideal Independence Day artist (who else has an album called Born in the USA, songs called “American Land,” “Land of Hope and Dreams,” “American Skin,” and a whole album made in memory of the damage done on 9/11), providing perfect summer fist-pumping (Jersey!) jams like “Dancing in the Dark” and “Rosalita,” we bring you one of his tracks from that Gaston Hall concert, which happened March 3, 1974, nearly 40 years ago. Which means The Boss has been rocking stages for nearly 40 years. And flying the American flag for nearly 40 years. And wearing awesomely tight jeans and cutoff shirts for nearly 40 years while standing against an American flag backdrop. (Best album cover ever?)
Here’s a really nice version of the E Street Shuffle, live, brought to you in Gaston by WGTB-FM. And you can download the whole show, including the timely (not to mention lovely, mystical, exuberant) “Fourth of July, Asbury Park” here.
– Caroline Klibanoff
Don’t forget the song “Independence Day”, from The River.
Had no idea there was a bootleg of this out there. Very stoked!
I was at that March ’74 concert. I was on my way back to my dorm (3rd New North) and some Bergen Catholic guys from my floor were going to Gaston and told me “You’ve got to see this guy. He’s from Jersey.” Awesome.
Less than 15% of students now from NJ. Times change, don’t they?
The amazing thing was he was the warmup band for Little Feat and then Bonnie Rait. The late Fr Jerry Halls brother John was playing lead guitar that night. Bruce and the band returned to play McDonough for 2 or 3 shows in December of that year or maybe 75.
i was at that show. (i was a senior at a dc high school.) i’d love a copy of this, but the link no longer works. anyone know where i can find it?
thanks,
doug s.
Doug,
Send me an email at cek1016@gmail.com and I can get you a copy.
- Caroline (Former WGTB General Manager and author of this post)
Also, if you click “Mirror link” on that site and scroll down to the bottom and select “Slow download,” it will work.