While touring in support of Springsteen’s fourth album – Darkness On The Edge Of Town – Springsteen & E Street played a few special shows at intimate venues, one of which took place at Cleveland’s Agora Theatre and was broadcasted live on WMMS (The Buzzard).

As you might guess, the radio gig has been bootlegged extensively over the years. But what hasn’t seen the light of day is a 24-track reel-to-reel master recording of the concert.

These days the tape resides in a vault at the Western Reserve Historical Society. Donated to the Society by Agora owner Henry LoConti, the tape contains Springsteen’s three-hour-plus show at the 1,200 seat Agora, according to Cleveland’s Plain Dealer newspaper.

What’s different about the master tape and all the bootlegs that resulted from the radio broadcast? LoConti told the newspaper that bootlegs don’t contain the full show because Springsteen played an encore after the broadcast ended.

Apparently the Agora gig was targeted for a possible live album.  The Plain Dealer reports that while one audio feed ran from the soundboard to an audio truck outside for the radio broadcast, another feed went to the Agency Recording Studios above the theatre, resulting in the recording that has been locked away in the vault for more than three decades.

But even though the live album never came to be, LoConti never gave up hope that the recording might receive an official release and recently created a four-disc box set featuring the concert plus a 16-track recording of Springsteen appearing at the Agora in 1974. Hoping to get the green light to distribute the set with proceeds benefitting the historical society, LoConti sent the set to Springsteen’s management. Unfortunately, the only answer LoConti received was a solid “No.”

But LoConti refuses to give up hope and has upgraded the set to include a video of a 1978 concert at the Agora by Southside Johnny & The Asbury Juke. Professionally shot for the “Live At The Agora” TV show, the end of the concert features the band being joined by Springsteen along with Clarence Clemons and Steve Van Zandt. However, like the 24-channel master recording of the Springsteen’s Agora show, LoConti would need permission to release the Southside Johnny video.

Although Springsteen refused permission for the 34-year-old recording to be released, he didn’t seem too concerned about cameramen videotaping him in Seville, Spain, during a one-hour soundcheck for the May 13 launch of the European leg of “The Wrecking Ball” tour. Not only did reporters get to watch Springsteen work out a few moves with the band, but they were also treated to a spur-of-the-moment press conference with The Boss.