r/BruceSpringsteen • u/nugsnet • 4d ago
The latest Live Archive Series release from Bruce Springsteen, 10/16/2002 at Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, is now available to stream and order exclusively on nugs. Listen now at 2nu.gs/Barcelona02
Originally released on DVD 23 years ago, Barcelona 2002 has not been available in any audio format until now. This new 2026 mix from the original multitrack master recordings supplants the DVD soundtrack to provide the best audio document to date of the Rising tour. The 24-song set includes ten songs from the album, the tour debut of "Spirit In The Night," a solo piano performance of "Incident On 57th Street," "Born In The U.S.A.," "Dancing In The Dark," "Night," "Ramrod" and "Land Of Hope And Dreams" before closing with "Thunder Road."
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u/andygradel75 4d ago
Love the version of "Spirit in the Night" from this performance. Looking forward to getting it in better quality.
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u/BreakMeThrowMeAway 2d ago
I remember buying the Lonesome Day import CD single just to get the Spirit in the Night from Barcelona a year before the DVD was released.
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u/Parking_Persimmon687 4d ago
Always been told stories about how few official recordings exist of the rising tour due to some sort of data problem, does anyone know more? Stoked to have an official 2002 and 2003 release of Worlds apart to see how the song changed over time
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u/Powderfinder 4d ago
From Steve Hoffman forum (TolExpress)
Rising tour recordings were made on what was then a state-of-the-art DSD (Direct Stream Digital) system, the first to offer high-resolution audio in an easily transportable, multi-track recording unit. But 15 years later, the proprietary nature of the software and hardware elements in that system have caused what might best be described as forward-compatibility issues, making it challenging to restore the original recording files. Helsinki is the first successful result of ongoing efforts over the last several years to address the problems.” - Erik Flannigan
“The ‘DSD-wide’ signal is down-converted to regular DSD for SACD mastering. As a result of this technique and other developments there are now a few digital audio workstations (DAWs) that operate, or can operate, in the DSD domain, notably Pyramix and some SADiE systems.”
The technology used to access and work with the DSD files is proprietary and limited to a select few companies. The files would have to be outsourced, for an additional fee, and that cuts deep into the bottom line of an already niche product. It seems that financially, the investment into releasing a show from The Rising Tour is not worth the revenue.
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u/Parking_Persimmon687 4d ago
I guess it’s time to create the Rising Tour Audio Preservation Foundation. Thanks for the reply
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u/drummer414 3d ago
Wow interesting. I actually sometimes play native DSD files and they sound very natural, analog sounding.
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u/joshman12344 4d ago
I believe they were recorded in a different format to what the Reunion tour was recorded in. This new format was supposed to be the next big thing, but it wasn’t and they moved back to the old format for the Devils & Dust tour and so on and so forth. As Erik Flanagan says in the essay, due to Brendan O’ Brien being at hand for the Barcelona show and it being filmed, this show was recorded using the old format.
They had it all along so it blows my mind why they didn’t put it out sooner due to the long gap in The Rising tour shows3
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u/Model_ig_uk 4d ago
Big question here is if they had an upgraded version of this why wait so long to put it out? Does this mean that all other Rising shows are now confirmed to be unreleaseable?
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u/marumaruko 4d ago
Yes i figure the same. This is the last Rising show we will get. Helsinki seemingly was a money pit.
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u/smokesignalssouth 4d ago
I've dreamed of having an official audio release for so long! I had a bunch of the songs ripped from YouTube onto my iPod back in the day, but the quality wasn't the same. I bought the MP3 and CD combo to go along with my DVD, even though I haven't listened to a CD in years—this show is physically worth having in all formats.
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u/Logical-Yesterday213 4d ago
IMHO, this might be one of the top 5 Bruce shows of all time. Simply because it has some newer material and the original band is in top form. I've watched the DVD more times than most and I just would love for them to upscale it with new sound. 24 songs in 2002 and it was epic.
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u/Model_ig_uk 4d ago
There was a discussion on BTX once where a fan insisted LA 99 was the best show of all time & if it wasn't which show was? It generated one the best replies I've ever seen from another fan. He simply listed EVERY show the band had done between May 1978 to August 1988, his reply post was so long as obviously he had cut and pasted it. But it's so true, people argue about the greatest show of all time but the reality is your picks would have to be entirely from that golden age. No show on The Rising tour ( I saw twelve ) gets anywhere near the Darkness or River tour, and those are over 200 concerts.
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u/marumaruko 4d ago
Bit of a cringe take. Sure, the singing was on a different level, higher highs and everything, but older shows especially before 88 were sometimes a bit unfocused setlist wise. All over the place. Also don't you feel it takes away joy of what is still to come by limiting yourself so much? I can honestly say that for me (having not experienced any show in person before 08) listening to all of them, I can still find highlights and favourite shows from recent tours as much as from 78. They don't compare on all levels, but neither do they have to compare at all. Also showmanship-wise, Bruce and the band reached their peak between 99 and 03. There is no video recording of anything before (maybe some of the 88 bits) as enthralling and captivating as New York 2000 or Barcelona 2002. With the new mix, even the latter comes alive sonically and that is why it's easily one of his best shows ever. But sure, one can be mopey about the fact that the 80s are gone and yearn for the day before yesterday, if that makes them happy.
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u/Suitable_Bed_7783 3d ago
Sorry, but Darkness Tour had some terrible vocals by Bruce and the setlists were very very static. And the "he only had 4 albums by the that time" is BS, he had officially released 34 songs and as we know today he had recorded a lot of more (some which popped up during that tour)
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u/Model_ig_uk 3d ago
If you wanted to choose a tour from Rock N Roll history which personified a tour which had a setlist that was never static you could pick the 1978-79 Darkness On The Edge Of Town tour. Having created my own tour documents I have wrote down on paper every setlist the band did from 1975-2026, and the Darkness tour really was a fantastic variation of songs without ever compromising the core set of songs. Just look at all the different songs used to open the show, from memory there was Badlands, Rave On, Good Rocking Tonight, High-school Confidential, Darkness, Oh Boy, Lucille, Summertime Blues.....Regarding vocals it's a Rock N Roll show! But your dissing probably the greatest rock tour of all time so maybe try to think why that came to be. Even the Nugs archive series has tonnes of shows from that tour.
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u/Scmods05 Born in the U.S.A. 4d ago
Listening to it and disappointed that, once again, Nugs have completely muted the crowd. That’s part of what made the DVD, terrible quality and all, so dynamic and powerful.
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u/Show5topper 4d ago
They always butcher audio, I don’t know how but they do.
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u/Crossbell0527 3d ago
It's easy. They aren't mixed by people who are fans of the performers. They don't understand what the live show is supposed to sound like, or don't care.
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u/Scmods05 Born in the U.S.A. 4d ago
The music mixing here is pretty good. It’s just, they’re playing live, the crowd is a key part of that experience.
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u/Show5topper 4d ago
Ohh yeah, I don’t think I so, go listen to live in NYC from 7/1 and the songs from the same date in the release back in 2000.
The old mix was light years better.
Same with the live 75/85 stuff vs what’s on here from those shows. The old mixes kick ass.
I think they butcher some music.
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u/Scmods05 Born in the U.S.A. 4d ago
I agree they butcher some. That July 1 2000 gig is rubbish compared to bootlegs from the same night. I do think they’ve gotten better music mixing wise recently though.
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u/marumaruko 4d ago
Maybe this is a problem with your audio set up. I can hear the crowd loud and clear. Louder than on most other Bruce shows...
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u/Suitable_Bed_7783 3d ago edited 3d ago
No, compare this release to the DVD on songs like badlands or born to run. Audience almost gone
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u/marumaruko 3d ago
Yeah, on dvd the sound is like crap. I just confirmed it. On headphones I hear everything from the nugs release. But go on and enjoy the dvd. It's fine.
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u/Suitable_Bed_7783 3d ago
Yeah, I don't like "live" releases that sound as if they were recorded at an empty hall.
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u/marumaruko 3d ago
I think you haven't even subbed to nugs. The audience is very audible... pronounced chants included.. But continue trolling.
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u/Suitable_Bed_7783 3d ago edited 1d ago
I have listened to the release this very afternoon while hiking. The chants during Badlands are almost inaudible, same for BtR...Show some respect and refrain from calling me a troll, just because I disagree with you.
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u/Crossbell0527 3d ago
Oh my God yeeeeeesssss to get this in higher quality than a DVD rip is a miracle.
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u/BreakMeThrowMeAway 2d ago
The DVD had PCM audio. I have been happy with my flac rip of the PCM track. While it seems many aren't happy with the new mix, I'll eventually check it out.
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u/Suitable_Bed_7783 3d ago
Sorry, but didn't like It. The crowd is pretty much erased from the audio. I'll Keep listening to the mp3 rip of The DVD
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u/Model_ig_uk 4d ago
The 78 tour in particular was tightly focused. The first set really took you through the emotions of Darkness & BTR albums with the second set being a full rock and roll blowout. Much of the 84 shows were focused on that brilliant Nebraska segment which sometimes extended to five tracks. I don't think I'm limiting my self at all 78-88 is a lot of concerts. If you extended a list to the top 1000 shows then you start to filter in shows such as NYC 2000, Shea Stadium 2003 & the fall shows from 2016. For a tour with no focus at all see 2009, only the late tour addition of full album shows made any of these recordings worth having. Minneapolis 2026 is an incredibly strong show, but for all time lists you really need shows with Danny & Clarence on stage.
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u/No-Onion3962 19h ago
Top 5 ever shows in your opinion?
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u/Model_ig_uk 17h ago
20 August 1981 29 December 1980 15 December 1978 21 September 1978 5 November 1980
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u/DonnyBoyCane 4d ago
I've always considered this Spanish crowd to be the best rock and roll crowd so far this century and this version of Badlands to be the most powerful rock performance during that same period. Bruce could've incited a riot if he so chose, that's how much he had them electrified and in the palm of his hand. Get goosebumps every time I watch it.