Concert for Sandy relief
The artists answered a call for help and the world responded.
The fundraising concert held at New York City鈥檚 Madison Square Garden to aid the victims of Hurricane Sandy was certainly an event for the ages.
The sold-out concert was shown on 37 television stations in the United States and more than 200 others worldwide.
It was also streamed on 30 websites and played on various radio stations. A condensed 24-song album is now available on iTunes, featuring a varied sampling of the evening鈥檚 performances.
New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band open the show with inspiring and appropriate 鈥淟and of Hopes and Dreams鈥� and 鈥淲recking Ball鈥� from the last album.
Roger Waters follows (without David Gilmour) with impressive versions of 鈥淎nother Brick in the Atlantic Wall,鈥� 鈥淯s and Them鈥� and 鈥淐omfortably Numb鈥� featuring Pearl Jam鈥檚 Eddie Vedder.
Another New Jersey favorite, Jon Bon Jovi, performs 鈥淚t鈥檚 My Life鈥� and the classic 鈥淲anted Dead or Alive.鈥� Unfortunately, the duets between Springsteen and Bon Jovi, 鈥淏orn to Run鈥� and 鈥淲ho Says You Can鈥檛 Go Home,鈥� were left off the album.
The Rolling Stones show they still have plenty left in the tank as they rip it up on 鈥淵ou Got Me Rocking鈥� and 鈥淛umpin鈥� Jack Flash.鈥� The Who also delivers spirited versions of 鈥淲ho Are You,鈥� 鈥淏aba O鈥橰iley鈥� and my favorite Who song 鈥淟ove, Reign O鈥檈r Me.鈥�
I recently had the chance to see the legendary band perform 鈥淨uadrophenia鈥� in historic style, making it one of my top concert experiences.
Other notable performances include 鈥淐rossroads鈥� by Eric Clapton, 鈥淟osing My Religion鈥� with Chris Martin and Michael Stipe, Billy Joel鈥檚 鈥淢ovin鈥� Out (Anthony鈥檚 Song)鈥� and 鈥淓mpire State of Mind鈥� by Alicia Keys. Included on the album is Paul McCartney performing the Beatles鈥� classic 鈥淗elter Skelter.鈥�
Oddly enough, McCartney鈥檚 performance of the new song 鈥淐ut Me Some Slack鈥� with Nirvana鈥檚 Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear was left out.
The concert raised $30 million through ticket sales alone, not counting proceeds from donations via the concert telethon.
The price tag from the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy is estimated at more than $71 billion for New York and New Jersey.
All proceeds from the sale of the album on iTunes will go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund.