then go for the LIVE box-set.

Agree about the live album. But I think "The River" is a good cross section of what he's about. Then "Darkness at the Edge" of Town. Oh, and "Tunnel of Love" which suffers from foul 80s production values but includes some of his best songs.

...prepare yourself for the fact that he won't be doing anything from D&D & practically nothing from the Seger Sessions and not all that much from WOAD come to that!

I saw him twice in Bergen this week, and the album that got the most airing was in fact Born In The USA...

I'd get that if you want to be familiar with the material (although the sound is a little dated), or a good compromise would be Live In NYC, which has the benfit of being more recent than the Live box (although Live is also great...)

Otherwise you can't go wrong with Born To Run, Darkness or The River for the classic period. Magic is very good, The Rising patchy but both together account for maybe 3 songs in the current set.

Varied set-lists mean you could get 3 or 4 albums, of which only a few songs would show up - if that.
In your position, I would check out his recent setlists on Springsteens web-site and get some serious Spotifying done - just about everything you need is there.
This was from Norway, as the lucky bleeder Mark will be able to confirm.

IMHO was from

From "The Wild, The Innocent..." to "Tunnel of Love".

Actually, I would contend that boiling it down to essentials - the two you need are "Born to Run" and "Darkness on the Edge of Town"

Of ocurse, there's great stuff in, around and past those points - not least "Streets of Philadelphia", "Secret Garden" and the live cover of Jimmy Cliff's "Trapped".

However, you're a young man in a hurry. So I've put together a Spotify list below from what I consider his key period.

If I had to name one track - if that's all the time you've got - it's "The Price You Pay" - Brucio in Excelsis

http://open.spotify.com/user/sheevmaster/playlist/17Q9W8bxxgZKDcbR0MkQaX

for me followed by The River and Darkness. No 2 sets are ever the same so you will get some nice surprises along the way.

and it is a beautiful record.

Looking at the set lists recently which have featured more obscure stuff of late I wonder if he wont play a different set at Glasto? He is releasing a(nother) Greatest Hits soon and I would think that someone might have told him that not everyone at Glasto will have heard teh first couple of records, Tom Joad or Nebraska.

Whenever I have seen him live Darkness would seem to be the most featured and any Bruce fan should have that and Born To Run as a starting place.

In the works: THE LIGHT IN DARKNESS
Lawrence Kirsch Communications, creator of the recent book For You, is beginning work on a new book called The Light in Darkness, to focus specifically on the Darkness on the Edge of Town era. Like For You, the forthcoming book will feature concert photography and stories from fans. Kirsch tells Backstreets, "This tribute to Darkness will be something special: more passionate stories, breathtaking never-seen-before photos, and some discovered artwork and memorabilia gems that will be of great interest to fans no matter when they were introduced to Bruce's music." www.thelightinDarkness.com

It's where I began with Bruce, in 1980 or whenever, and still my favourite band record of his. Nebraska tops it, but it won't be that sort of show.

Thanks for all the effort and responses, lots for me to check out but that has certainly helped me narrow it down. I'll get listening and report back.

Sorry for the delay in reporting back, listened to almost nothing but The Boss in the week leading up to Glastonbury (particulaly Born To Run, Darkness On The Edge Of Town, Born In The USA and The Rising, along with various other songs he's been doing of late) and found I did end up being familiar with most of the set he played. What a performer too, I'll definately be picking-up more and pricing-up tickets for his next tour.

With The E Street Band: Darkness On The Edge Of Town, The River and Magic.

"Solo": Tunnel Of Love and The Ghost Of Tom Joad are also personal favourites, but they need more time.

If you see the light then continue with the two Born albums and 18 Tracks.

Saw him twice a month ago and you´re in for a treat. Have a nice evening!