July 18 / Buffalo, NY / HSBC Arena

Taped from the 21st Row LFL3
Sony D100/CSB

Notes: We'll be the first to point out that the setlist is not necessarily the story of the show. Except on nights like tonight. It was a sparsely attended show in a seemingly sparsely populated upstate burg: "I've been in Buffalo for two days," Bruce said, "These are the first people I've seen. Where is everybody?" But after some Man in Black upgrades consolidated the crowd mostly to the floor and lower-level sides, those who were there saw Springsteen throttle the setlist within an inch of its life. Opening with "Prove It All Night" on acoustic, a particularly loose Bruce played 14 different songs from the previous concert, leaving only the barest of setlist skeletons. Six tour premieres -- that's a quarter of the show: the "Prove It" opener, which was an audible and a new arrangement; "Sandy" on electric piano (by request); piano versions of "Leap of Faith," "When You're Alone," and "You're Missing" (requested as "Everything is Everything," which Bruce admitted had him racking his brain for a few minutes); and "Darkness on the Edge of Town." Many of the non-premieres were rarities or recent absentees which alone would have been highlights. So if you were worried that he'd revert to the "standard" set after Europe... be not afraid.

Setlist: 

Disc One

01Prove It All Night
02Reason to Believe
03Devils & Dust
04Empty Sky
05Long Time Comin'
06Black Cowboys
074th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)***
08Leap of Faith*
09State Trooper
10Nebraska
11Maria's Bed
12The Line
13Reno

Disc Two

01When You're Alone*
02You're Missing*
03The Rising
04Darkness on the Edge of Town
05Jesus Was an Only Son*
06If I Should Fall Behind
07The Hitter
08Matamoros Banks

09Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?
10My Best Was Never Good Enough
11The Promised Land
12Dream Baby Dream**

*=piano
**=pump organ
***=electric piano