One of the many things people know Bruce Springsteen for is his ability to absolutely burn down any venue he and The E-Street Band play in. Second to his songwriting is this characteristic, and he’s seemingly played with this energy ever since he and the band were playing in dive bars and other smaller atmospheres. As a matter of fact, in his book, Born to Run, Springsteen told a story about how this high-tempo energy ruined a relationship he had with a venue owner.
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Prior to becoming one of the biggest rock stars on planet Earth, Springsteen cut his teeth like nearly every other major musician. He played in dingy venues for little pay, hoping that someone would take a liking to his music. Luckily, that happened, as Columbia Records signed Bruce Springsteen in 1972 when he was just 22 years old.
By 1975, Springsteen was a major player in the American music scene, as he sold out larger venues, went on major tours, and essentially, was executing his career in full. Why and how do you think Springsteen got to this level? Well, there are certainly a lot of reasons, but one of them, evidently, is that he was entertaining. Though, as we previously mentioned, his ability to entertain lost him a booking relationship years before.
Bruce Springsteen Says They Turned This “Club Inside Out”
On this particular occasion, Springsteen was not with the whole E-Street Band, as it was just him, Steven Van Zandt, and another New Jersey musician. Regardless, they soiled their relationship with the club because it interrupted their main source of revenue: liquor sales.
Recalling the evening, Springsteen wrote, “The place was packed and we rocked the joint like old times, with the crowd cheering, everyone glued to the stage and the music. It was a great night all around. At the end of the evening, Steve and I headed back to the manager’s office to pick up our money and, obviously, solidify some future bookings. We’d just turned this club inside out, and we were expecting some kudos and work.”
“We asked what the prospect for future bookings would be, and he calmly explained to us that there would be none. He said that yes, the crowd was large and enthusiastic, but no one was drinking. They were too busy listening to the music. He then added, as if we hadn’t noticed, ‘It’s a bar, you idiots.’ They made money by selling liquor. The bartenders made money from selling liquor. No liquor sales meant no money,” added Springsteen.
Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns
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