Nils Lofgren - guitar, keyboards, vocals; Tom Lofgren - guitar, vocals, keyboards; Bobby Manriquez - guitar, vocals; Scott Ball - bass; Mike Zach - drums, vocals
Before he became a mainstay in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and a regular on the early Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band tours, Nils Lofgren had a pretty successful solo career going. This recording, made initially for the King Biscuit Flower Hour, was recorded at Philadelphia's sonically near-perfect venue, the Tower Theater. Lofgren, with his hot backup band - one that included Scott Ball on bass and his brother Tom on spirited keyboards - gave a lively performance comprised of many of his best loved songs.
Initially attaining some critical and commercial success as a guitarist and member of Neil Young's legendary backing band Crazy Horse, Lofgren was also keeping time in Grin, a power quartet formed with his brother, Tom. Lofgren left Crazy Horse to focus on Grin; but when, after four albums, the band failed to make any sizeable impact on the music scene, Nils left to go solo. Brother Tom Lofgren would soon follow, and Grin collapsed in 1975.
This tour was undertaken to promote Cry Tough, Lofgren's second studio solo album. Lofgren focused on this band and solo career through the early 1980s, until, while making Born in the U.S.A, he was asked to join Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. He remains a member of that group today. Most of the material featured here comes from his first two solo albums, including "Take You To The Movies Tonight / Back It Up" and "Keith Don't Go," which he wrote for the controversial Rolling Stone member who, at the time, was threatening to leave The Rolling Stones. Other highlights include The Yardbird's 1965, "For Your Love," performed here in pure rave-up style.