1972‐01‐21: The Captain’s Garter, Neptune, NJ, USA (1972-01-21) (The Sundance Blues Band)

One show, triple bill, with The Sundance Blues Band opening for Inferno and headliner Ruby Falls & The Rock City Band. This was the opening of a three‐night residency for the Sundance Blues Band, and the group’s only‐ever performances at this venue. The line‐up of the Sundance Blues Band for this residency was Southside Johnny, Steven Van Zandt, Garry Tallent, Vini Lopez, and David Sancious. Springsteen, who had only just returned from a month‐long stay in California, joined the band onstage for elements of this and the following two nights shows. Vini Lopez handles the lead vocal on Eric Clapton’s Bottle of Red Wine. Steven Van Zandt provides the Gregg Allman‐ish vocal on Willie Dixon’s You Know My Love (mentioned as being inspired by Otis Rush’s cover version). A highlight is the mesmerizing Why’s It So Hard, written by Springsteen but sung here by Southside Johnny (there’s no Bruce‐led vocal rendition in circulation). David Sancious’ organ playing on this track is nothing short of spellbinding. Springsteen provides the lead vocal on Walter Brown’s immortal Confessin’ the Blues and the boogie romp Sweet Miss Sally. Bruce is playing rhythm guitar on all tracks. This material tends to circulate under a variety of dates, sometimes with audio from other 1971 shows added on. Albee Tellone adds: I recall going to one of the nights listed here but I don’t recall seeing Bruce play with them. He may have arrived later as is his habit when sitting in. I left early due to lack of funds to buy beer. It was a dance club full of "greasers” and disco types. I didn’t feel comfortable there anyway. Stevie got me through the door without paying the cover charge and bought me my first beer of two. The listed setlist is taken from an audience recording of very good to excellent quality that is close to soundboard standard and makes for enjoyable listening. Although the audio has now been positively linked to this residency, it is not yet established from which of the three nights it emanates. There are discernible edits between songs so this may be a "compilation” of material from one or more of these three nights. There doesn’t sound as if there are more than a few dozen people in the audience, consistent with the group being the early evening opener for this residency.