7 Comments
May 30Liked by Chris Dalla Riva

I met Bruce on a beach once. Well, not exactly, I’d been on the beach relaxing before his gig in Brighton, England on ‘The River’ tour. I went for a stroll and he was leaving The Grand Hotel IIRC. There were only about five of us holding him up and the conversion was entirely around the songs he might play later. His answers were mumbled and brief. “Yes, we might do that one.” “No, not tonight.”

Obviously the gig itself was unforgettable.

Expand full comment
author

Was this the original river tour in like 78?

Expand full comment

I’ve just looked it up. It was May 26 or 27 1981.

Expand full comment
author

What a setlist

Expand full comment

Incredible gig, at a time when Bruce was popular but not yet massive in the UK. I’d been buying his records since ‘Born to Run’.

Expand full comment

I ate fried chicken with Syl Sylvain

Expand full comment

Jon Landau didn't like it that Bruce was "giving away" too many of his songs for others to record. Here's the story of "Because the Night" https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/patti-smith-because-the-night-40th-anniversary-oral-history-8462017/

Expand full comment