Before Clearwater concert, Springsteenian songwriter John Cafferty recalls the best gig he ever saw

John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band has long been compared to Bruce Springsteen and the mighty E Street Band, and from the first strike of a guitar on the group’s new album Sound Of Waves (its first in over 35 years), it’s easy to see why.

Earlier this decade, the Boss was listening to a Cafferty greatest hits album and reached out to him, encouraging the 75-year-old to write more songs and get back into the game. Cafferty took his advice and made an album that channels the production style of Springsteen’s The River and Born In The U.S.A., while keyboardist Rich McMahon embodies Professor Roy Bittan’s jingly keyboard sounds, and there’s even a heavy saxophone presence from 85-year-old Michael Antunes.

Ahead of this ‘80s nostalgia show—which in truth, Cafferty would headline in a perfect world—he told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay about the best gig he ever saw. Read his full quote below.

One snowy, stormy night in the mid 1970’s, James Brown played a show in East Providence RI. Due to the severe weather, the crowd was sparse, comprised mostly of musicians. James Brown walked out on the stage and performed like it was a mid ’60’s sold out to the rafters on a steamy Saturday night at the Apollo. In the end, he left every wide-eyed musician in the room completely mesmerized, with heart and soul inspired for a lifetime. Fast forward ten years to the mid 80’s, John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band are performing at the American Video Awards national television broadcast. As the cameras roll and the curtain rises, we spot sitting in the front row…Mr. James Brown. It was one of our greatest thrills to meet him backstage after the show. He graciously complimented our band on a job well done, and we were able to humbly thank him and tell him of a mythical, magical snowy night in Rhode Island when he changed our lives forever. His eyes smiled and he said ‘boys remember: You never play down…always bring the situation up to where you need it to be… GREAT!'”—John Cafferty

Tickets to see John Cafferty and the I Want My ’80s tour at Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall on Wednesday, May 28 are still available and start at $69.25.

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This article appears in May 22-28, 2025.