Historic Bruce Springsteen’s No Nukes Performance Documents Early E Street Band

Bruce Springsteen’s performances for the No Nukes events in New York in 1979 are being made into a film.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed two sets on 21 and 22 September 1979 at the Madison Square Garden. The 21 September show featured the live debut of ‘The River’.

Over five days No Nukes also featured performances from Jackson Browne, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Bonnie Raitt, Gil-Scott Heron, Peter Tosh, Ry Cooder, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Jesse Colin Young, John Hall, Doobie Brothers, Graham Nash, Crosby Stills & Nash, James Taylor, Poco, Bill Payne of Little Feat and Maze.

Here are the two Springsteen setlists:

21 September 1979

Prove It All Night
Badlands
The Promised Land
The River
(live debut)
Sherry Darling
Thunder Road
Jungleland
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
Born to Run
Stay (with Jackson Browne and Rosemary Butler)
Detroit Medley
Rave On!

22 September 1979

Prove It All Night
Badlands
The Promised Land
The River
Sherry Darling
Thunder Road
Jungleland
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
Born to Run
Stay (with Jackson Browne, Tom Petty and Rosemary Butler )
Quarter to Three

In a statement Sony Music released:

Sony Music Entertainment has announced the upcoming release of a new Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band film, “The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts.” A composite of two performances shot during the 1979 MUSE benefit concerts, popularly known as the ‘No Nukes’ concerts, the film will give audiences around the world the chance to witness performances that marked the rise of the future Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. Very little filmed footage of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band is available from this era, so “The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts” is a rare opportunity to see the band — just six years into their story –- give an explosive performance that became an instant classic. “The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts” features remixed and remastered audio and was edited from the original 16mm film by longtime Springsteen collaborator Thom Zimny. Sony Music’s Premium Content Division is handling global distribution and the film will be released later this year.

A live album and a concert film from the No Nukes concerts was released in 1979 (and 1980 for the film).

“No Nukes”: The Muse Concerts For a Non-Nuclear Future was a 1980 triple live album that contained selections from the September 19-23, 1979 Madison Square Garden concerts by the Musicians United for Safe Energy collective.

Tracks:
1. Dependin’ on You – Doobie Brothers
2. Runaway – Bonnie Raitt
3. Angel from Montgomery – Bonnie Raitt
4. Plutonium Is Forever – John Hall
5. Power – Doobie Brothers, John Hall, James Taylor
6. The Times They Are A-Changin’ – James Taylor, Carly Simon, Graham Nash
7. Cathedral – Graham Nash
8. The Crow on the Cradle – Jackson Browne, Graham Nash
9. Before the Deluge – Jackson Browne
10. Lotta Love – Nicolette Larson, Doobie Brothers
11. Little Sister – Ry Cooder
12. A Woman – Sweet Honey In The Rock
13. We Almost Lost Detroit – Gil Scott-Heron
14. Get Together – Jesse Colin Young & the Youngbloods
15. You Can’t Change That – Raydio
16. Once You Get Started – Chaka Khan
17. Captain Jim’s Drunken Dream – James Taylor