Live Springsteen Digital EP release

BG -- Mon, 07/07/2008 - 16:37

Bruce Springsteen's Magic Tour Highlights collects four live tracks and their corresponding videos from this past spring's E Street Band tour in support of the Boss' newest album.

The EP features performances with Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, the Byrds' Roger McGuinn, and Alejandro Escovedo, as well as late E Street keyboardist Danny Federici's final performance with the band in Indianapolis in March.

Columbia will release Magic Tour Highlights to digital retailers on July 15, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Danny Federici Melanoma Fund.

01 Always a Friend [ft. Alejandro Escovedo] (live in Houston, April 14, 2008)
02 The Ghost of Tom Joad [ft. Tom Morello] (live in Anaheim, April 7, 2008)
03 Turn Turn Turn [ft. Roger McGuinn] (live in Orlando, April 23, 2008)
04 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) (live in Indianapolis, March 20, 2008)

llad -- Mon, 07/07/2008 - 19:57

I was lucky enough to have known Danny Federici for over 40 years, longer than The Boss knew him. We were in two Asbury Park bands together. I know how emotional that Indiana show was for both him and the band. I understand that as he walked off stage for the final time, he turned to the guys and said "That was the best medicine I ever had".

Here is Danny's son Jason's account of how that final performance came about:

March 20th, 2008;

Indianapolis, Indiana

by Jason Federici

While my Dad was going through treatment on March 19th in NY, he was visited by Bruce and later Max, who, through a lot of talking, bribing, and begging (and finally the kicker -- Becky Weinburg, who came from NJ by boat that night) to persuade him to play, he agreed to do the show in Indy. The next thing we knew, we where picked up by a limo from Sloan-Kettering, joined by my dad's wife, Maya, Dr. Chapman and Virgina Murphy and we proceeded down FDR highway to an awaiting helicopter that whisked us away to Newark airport in about 8 minutes (a good time by all, except maybe Dr. Chapman who was gripping the arm rests like a baseball bat). Before we knew it, we were in the jet with the boys. Danny was greeted with a lot of hugs and smiles, to say the least. An hour and a half later, we pulled into Conseco arena. When my father stepped on stage the crowd started chanting "Danny! Danny! Danny!". You could physically feel the "Magic" in the air (excuse the pun). My father proceeded to do what he does best - rock out! He played with such a natural ease. The feeling of the evening was electric. The visible bond between the fellas was so special to watch. Nils spent most of the night next to him, Clarence kept turning around to give him props during the night, and Bruce was so visibly happy to have him there. I couldn't stop smiling all night. After the exciting encore, he left the stage, went straight to the car, then to the plane, and was fast asleep in NY by 2am. It really was like a dream. In the morning, over coffee, we looked at each other and realized the magnitude of the night. It was a great day! My father has always been such an inspiration to me, I can only imagine what an inspiration he is to others.

_________________

Larry Lerner