ABSTRACT
Bruce Springsteen returned to the stage—and a life sealed off by neither lawsuits nor recording hassles—on May 23, 1978, at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre. It was the first stop on a tour that would last until January 1, 1979—with only one lengthy break, from October 1 to November 1—and that would see Springsteen and the E Street Band play one hundred and nine shows in eighty-six cities, more than twice as many as they had ever done on a single tour. It was a triumphal tour, selling out even in some places where Bruce had never played before; the best shows came in the biggest halls, too, proving that Springsteen had broken through that final barrier, on his own terms.
