Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: PHILADELPHIA SPECIAL 3LP box (concluded)

Slick cover inserts from unnumbered (left) and numbered (right) editions

For old vinyl bootleg collectors, the DARKNESS tour live LPs were (and still are, to any like me) something special; they captured generally great performances, sounded excellent (as a bootleg) mostly sourced from FM broadcasts, and often came as a large volume (i.e., a 3-LP format to comprise a concert consisting of two sets plus encores). Although not necessarily fulfilling the above criteria (especially, its sound quality), PHILADELPHIA SPECIAL was an interesting release to search for; it was probably the only known vinyl bootleg of a complete concert from 1978 which was sourced from the audience recording. A triple record in colored vinyl was also rare in the late 1970s. These make this box set unique when compared to the other triple vinyl bootlegs from the 1978 tour.

Note the wider margin and more contrasted image of the unnumbered insert (left)
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Record label on the unnumbered copy

I have two similar copies for this bootleg that nevertheless differ in some respects. Notable differences are found on the slick cover insert (see above pictures): one copy is stamp-numbered (#075 of 1,000) and prints a slightly larger image than that of the other version without a serial limited number. The insert of the unnumbered copy has a wider white margin around it and the image is more contrasted, which causes the loss of details to some extent. These differences strongly suggest that the numbered edition was the earlier release from which the slick cover of the unnumbered edition was copied.

Colored vinyls (discs 1 to 3, left to right) from numbered (upper)
and unnumbered (lower) sets

Although the respective box releases contain colored vinyls, they are not the same. The slick insert covers from both sets state that "Limited Collector's Edition — 1000 sets pressed on Red, White & Blue vinyl". The three vinyl discs from the numbered edition are bloody translucent red (Disc 1), grayish opaque white (Disc 2), and translucent blue (Disc 3), all with a somewhat marble pattern. The record labels are blank on all sides. On the other hand, the vinyl discs from the unnumbered box are pressed on marble white (Disc 1), translucent red (Disc 2) and translucent blue (Disc 3), featuring the custom white label ("THE GREATEST BANDS IN ALL THE LAND") on each side of the discs. Contrary to the numbered edition, red and blue discs of the unnumbered release are plain translucent without marble patterns. Matrix numbers are identical between the two releases (IK1 to IK6 for Side 1 to Side 6), indicating that both originate from the same stampers. These variations in vinyl color and label design most likely reflect the difference in the timing of vinyl pressing. Considering the stamped serial number and the printing quality of the slick insert, I guess that the blank label version appeared first, and then the custom label version came out.

Later re-release (not in my possession)

Later in the 1980s, this bootleg box was re-released with a completely different insert cover. I do not know if this set is a repress or pirate copy as I do not own a copy for this.

Around in 2013, a newly disclosed audience recording of this concert was posted on torrent sites and became available among collectors through the internet. This new source offers better sound than that of the master tape used for the vinyl pressing but is missing a few songs due to security on the prowl at the venue, which prevented the recording by a taper.

Final note: Rumor has it that Springsteen autographed some copies of his official and bootleg records at the Spectrum, August, 1978. Originally, I got to know this tale from The Bruce Springsteen Bootleg Bible Vol. 1 (Montana Production, Inc., 1985) which shows the picture of the actual signed copy of "E" TICKET on the back cover with a short note. Coincident with this, back in April 1999, I saw two LP records on eBay auction that were, according to the East Coast seller, autographed at backstage of the Spectrum shows in Philly, summer of 1978. One is a promo copy of DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN LP signed by Springsteen and the whole band members plus Gary Busey while the other is a bootleg copy of LIVE on Coral Records signed by Bruce only. Springsteen has refused to sign any bootleg probably since sometime 1979 when he and the Columbia Records sued the infamous Californian bootleggers (see the post on Oct. 12, 2014). However, before that happened, he may have signed bootlegs without hesitation because during the DARKNESS tour, he occasionally mentioned about bootlegs as if he endorsed them (for example, at the Roxy and Winterland). If so ...

Classic Vinyl Bootleg Revisited: PHILADELPHIA SPECIAL 3LP box

Probably, the only 1978 full-concert live vinyl bootleg made from
an audience recording. This copy is numbered 075 of 1000.

PHILADELPHIA SPECIAL (Phantom Productions LTD 001) is a triple-LP bootleg that captures the first of the two shows performed in Philly, August 18th and 19th, 1978, during the DARKNESS tour. Unlike the landmark releases from this tour such as PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE and LIVE IN THE PROMISED LAND, the vinyl records never sound great because the concert was not broadcasted through radios and because the master tapes used for the pressing were sourced from average audience recordings (no soundboard recording is circulating for this show in contrast to the next night which has been bootlegged on CD). Actually, the Blinded By The Light book (Humphries & Hunt 1985) rates the sound quality "poor". In my opinion, however, this box set represents a typical example of an old U.S. vinyl bootleg worthy collecting.

First, there are certain reasons for this show to be bootlegged, even though it is mediocre sound-wise: (1) This is a show from the DARKNESS Tour which has been most highly rated by bootleg collectors; (2) It was the show at the Spectrum in Philadelphia where the audiences were already known to be diehards even in 1978, which must elevate the performance; (3) The concert featured a few rare performances like Summertime Blues, Rave On and The Fever as he introduced it saying "Here's a Philadelphia Special"; and (4) On the final two encore songs there was a guest appearance of Gary Busey who starred as rock legend Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story (Springsteen just saw the movie early this summer when he toured in California). All of these make this show something special.

Part of a bootleg catalog from mid-1980s advertising used copies
of DARKNESS Tour vinyl boots including the original pressing
of PHILADELPHIA SPECIAL at an unbelievable price

Second, this bootleg comprises the entire performance of a 1978 show in one package, which was rather rare around the time when the DARKNESS tour bootlegs went into circulation between the late 1970s and early 1980s. Another example of such a DARKNESS tour bootleg I can think of is only PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE 3LP (although Fire, the last track on Side 3, is cut in the middle of the performance); among other radio broadcasted shows, the Roxy concert (7/7/1978) had never been issued in a complete form throughout the vinyl era; any Winterland (15/12/1978) bootleg releases had been missing the final three encore songs until the mid-1980 release of FOR TRUE ROCKER was available (see the blog on April 16); the Agora show (9/8/1978) was, as mentioned before (on April 22), released separately into two double albums (in bad sound quality); and no vinyl bootlegs are known to exist in the vinyl era that mainly feature the Atlanta show (30/9/1978). 

Finally, the release format (i.e., boxed 3-LP in colored wax) was also rather rare back then, unless repackaged (e.g., BOX O'ROCKS on Hoffman Avenue Records) or including a bonus disc (e.g.,  THE GREAT WHITE BOSS on Hangman labels). Moreover, this bootleg seems to have been pressed in smaller quantities than other 3-LP box bootlegs from the DARKNESS tour.

All the above-mentioned are appealing to myself as an old vinyl Bruceleg collector.  — To be continued.