So legendary are those 115 concerts from May 1978 to January 1979, and so pivotal was the period in Springsteen’s music career that books, album re-releases, outtakes and documentaries have all delved into the Darkness-era in recent years.
Recalling details of how they ended up in the audience for one – or several – shows, every stop of the tour is covered through the personal memories of a fan.
With more than 100 stories, common themes run throughout – how they discovered Springsteen, how many didn’t appreciate Darkness upon first listen only to later find it an influential favourite, and how seeing the band live changed their life.
These tales are joined by more than 200 fantastic photographs from the shows that provide a glimpse into everything about the experience of the tour – from the style and intensity to the expressions of everyone in the band.
Something that could be taken for granted today with the abundance of Springsteen fans’ blogs, such as this one, that seek to do the same thing through recaps of a show and photos from a phone snapped from the pit.
In a world dominated by comprehensive online resources easily detailing Springsteen’s concerts and shows in minute, visual detail, one of the most impressive things about this book is how it does the same with great images and props from the era.
So when fans recall hearing the ’78 version of Prove It All Night or how they felt when Springsteen broke the established conventions and left the stage to join them during Spirit In The Night, anyone who has been to an E Street Show can relate and picture themselves right there at the show more than three decades earlier.
Admittingly while after 50 pages in some of the stories can become tiresome as they repeat the similar tales of discovering Springsteen and seeing their first show. But the impact of the album and the tour itself is never lost. And as the structure uses short stories to follow every concert venue, the book is perfect for casual readers wanting to dip into the legendary shows from time to time, rather than take in the entire tour at once.
Although focusing on the fans, the chronological visit to the tour also creates a picture of how Springsteen and the band developed surrounding the release of Darkness and the troubles they overcame.
What has been frequently touched on in other biographies about Springsteen’s legal battle and the direction he took afterwards are given a new and unique perspective through the eyes of dozens of concert goers instead of a single writer.
It is the details surrounding what has become accepted as a crucial time in E Street history that stands The Light In Darkness out amongst the increasingly heavy shelves of Springsteen books currently out there.