so I go visit my buddy at U Miami during Spring break sophomore year, early 1972. He has a roomie from NJ, kid says we gotta listen to a cassette of a guy he knew from NJ that played lots of proms and local stuff, and he knew the main man, even played some music with him a few years earlier, says he will be the biggest...it was pre bruce Bruce, Spirits in the Night, Does This Bus Stop...etc., but rough sounding.
Back home two months later, record company picks Boston as a target market of acceptance and the kid gets booked to play 5 nights at Oliver's which may have been the Cask & Flagon at the time, or the other way around, on the corner behind Fenway Park, as a front running publicity tour before releasing Greetings From Asbury Park.
I convince two guys to go first night, bringing the crowd to 12, second night they convinced a few more...by the last night the place was packed, like 60 people! and The E Street Band blew the roof off that dirty old barroom each night. Some of the best stuff I ever saw/heard.
The last night they did Twist & Shout for their encore. Original band, Clarence on sax, David Sanchious (sp?) keyboards, Vinnie Mad Dog Lopez on drums...frickin' beyond belief seeing future music legends playing their hearts and brains out in a dingy bar on a week night...5 nights in a row!
a month later, Asbury Park hit the stores and it was on radio in Boston and local college stations right away. Boom.