Bruce Springsteen digital EP, Tesla live DVD available this week

Posted on July 17, 2008July 17, 2008 by Matt Wardlaw

Bruce Springsteen - Magic Tour Highlights

Just a reminder for you all that Magic Tour Highlights, the new digital EP release from Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band, was released on Tuesday.

The release features Danny Federici’s final appearance with the band from March of this year, and guest appearances from Roger McGuinn, Alejandro Escovedo (on a duet of Escovedo’s “Always a Friend”,) and a scorching 8 minute plus rendition of “The Ghost of Tom Joad” featuring Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello.

Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band (with Danny Federici) – 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) (March 2008)

Good music, and it’s all for a good cause – all involved with the project, are donating their proceeds to The Danny Federici Melanoma Fund.

The digital release is available in a couple of flavors:

You can get it via Itunes – all four songs, plus a complete video for each track, and digital booklet for $7.99 (Purchase from Itunes)

You can also purchase MP3s only for $2.99 from Amazon (Purchase from Amazon)

We’re gonna take everyone here, each and every one of ya and step into the time machine….go back to 1986

For the rockers, Tesla released their first ever proper electric live DVD (FINALLY!) called Comin’ Atcha Live! 2008, released on the band’s own Tesla Electric Company Recordings label.

The DVD is the first full-length live release featuring (relatively) new guitar player Dave Rude subbing in for former guitar player Tommy Skeoch, who is once again out of Tesla. While Skeoch is missed from a fan perspective, the good news is that on Comin’ Atcha Live, Tesla sound every bit as kick ass as you remember.

The band were touring in support of their two volume Real to Reel covers project, but wisely choose a setlist for the DVD that is representative of a typical Tesla gig, with all of the hits, and happily, a lot of material from their most recent studio album Into The Now.

Into The Now is one of my favorite “new” releases from a “classic” band in the past few years, so I was happy to see so much material from the album represented here. In fact, if you saw the band on the Into The Now tour, this DVD is very close to the setlist that they were doing at that time.

All you need to know:

While I am still bummed that the talked-about companion live DVD to Replugged (with Skeoch) never materialized, Comin’ Atcha Live is more than a worthy substitute. This DVD release finds Tesla still at the top of their game nearly 25 years after the first time they came together as a band in Sacramento, CA.

Tesla are still one of the best live tickets going, and Comin’ Atcha Live captures their great live show brilliantly. There is the occasional bit of interview footage cut in, but for the most part, it’s all about the rock and roll.

Shut up and play your guitar, indeed!

I’m thrilled to hear via the Rocklahoma press conference below, that we can look forward to a new Tesla studio album this fall. Make it loud, boys – I know you will!