12.12.12. - Benefit Concert for Sandy Relief

So AK did you go?????

It was a really great night, we knew the concert would feel like a rehash of multiple Super Bowl halftime shows, but so what, it was just very memorable and nostalgic being in the presence of so much rock royalty…the Stones were everything I expected, though they only played two songs, but talk about impressive, ‘Jumpin Jack Flash’ for me was the best 5 minutes of the whole 5 hours. Plus Eddie Vedder, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, Alicia Keyes, the Springsteen/Jon Bon Jovi ‘Born to Run’ and The Boss doing ‘My City of Ruins’ were other highlights for me, I think Vedder is maybe the best rock singer in the world, he even sings other people’s stuff way better than they do. The Who were really excellent too, maybe the best set list all night – I think it was Who Are You, Bell Boy, Pinball Wizard, Baba O’Reilly, See Me Feel Me, Love Reign Over Me, may have been another song, can’t remember. Doing “Bell Boy” with Keith Moon on vocals up on the big screen was pretty clever and cool, though they’ve done that before when I’ve seen them. Just loved Alicia Keys, she’s pretty incredible, I’d have actually been fine with her singing for a couple of hours, I was a huge Alicia Keys fan before last night, and am an even bigger fan now, she returned right at the end to do Empire State of Mind, and everyone crowded the stage, which was a great finale. Seems outrageous though that she was the only woman to perform in the whole 5 hours, what were they thinking? Macca probably has the best surviving voice of all the dinosaurs that played. He can't hit the high notes for shit, but then who can at 70 years old almost, but other than that he can still belt it out, though the whole Nirvana reunion/McCartney thing was an absurd anti-climax, and I was just glad when it was over quick, maybe next time they’ll do an Alice in Chains with Neil Diamond on lead vocals thing? So, some weird collaborations, but not bad for a quickly thrown together benefits concert. Billy Crystal and Adam Sandler were pretty funny, Sandler sang Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ with a few changes…something like “Hallelujiah, Sandy Screw Ya, We’ll Get Through Ya, Because We’re Neew Yoooorkers." We had a guy and his wife from Rockaway sitting behind us us who lost their whole house in the hurricane, and they said they won’t be able to rebuild until next spring/summer as the foundations were all washed away, but their friends and family all chipped in to buy them two tickets for the show, so talking to them a lot in between the stage being changed over after each act was the best part of the whole night as it’s people like them that this whole thing was about. I could probably talk all day about the other acts, there's a few I haven't mentioned, but don’t have time. Oh, I could not believe how good Billy Joel sounded. That guy needs to come out of retirement and tour again. The only thing I really really REALLY hated was Kanye West, we need to have another benefit concert for survivors of his brain numbing half hour set, I sat and played with my cell phone and sent text messages to a couple of friends of mine the whole time Kanye was on stage. So nowhere near the best concert I have ever been to, but the most historic and nostalgic, and I just read that they are already heading towards $50 million raised since last night.

I watched a couple of Springsteen songs but had to go out so missed the rest of the show.

Funny Springsteen opened and I played Born in the USA yesterday morning, didn't even realize the benefit was last night.

Glad they put on a good show, and TS if I was watching I would have muted Kanye's set and waited for the next band to take the stage.

Got the whole thing on DVR. I agree that Kanye West sucked big time, did not belong there. I think I shut it off after that. Will return to watch the rest later. It was a great show. I wish the Stones had played longer.

I caught bits and pieces.

The Missus watched most all of it. She came rooster-stepping into the bedroom, saying "Mick's still got it".

I saw The Boss at the beginning, and he and Bon Jovi together.

I thought, those are probably the two most famous people from New Jersey that you'll ever see together in one place.




And yea, Kanye is a tool. He's proved that a couple of times on live tv.

Didn't go but watch the whole show.
Highlights- the who althought everytime Pete does the windmill it looks like he is going to rip out his collar bone and roger can't hit the high notes.
Bill Joel had the ny songs to pull off a great set.
Prog Eddie doing Floyd awesome. Roger should have done wish you where here.
Paul with nirvana interesting thought his song selection was week although live and let die always cool.
Alicia keys was good also and I'm not really a fan.
Bruce had best speech on jersey shore
Sandler good and bad with hallelujah
Martin and stipe good but seemed rushed
Stones okay but good they are old
Bad:
Bon jovi- yeah jersey guy and has the songs. Just can't handle him maybe because he reminds me of my home town he lived a town or two away. Sambora played the local bar long ago.
Mr west - I like some hip hop and rap but he is a bum. Although love he samples king crimson.

^^I thought the same thing about the Stones in '92 AK...and that is 20 years ago. I never thought they would last this long.

Guess they will be doing shows with walkers and oxygen tanks in another 20 years.

Lord Grendel said:

^^I thought the same thing about the Stones in '92 AK...and that is 20 years ago. I never thought they would last this long.

Guess they will be doing shows with walkers and oxygen tanks in another 20 years.

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Maybe Keith, Ronnie, and Charlie will have walkers and oxygen tanks...Mick will still be prancing and strutting like a teenager...Mick still can't sing a lick but he's an aerobic wonder.

runtfan said:

Maybe Keith, Ronnie, and Charlie will have walkers and oxygen tanks...Mick will still be prancing and strutting like a teenager...Mick still can't sing a lick but he's an aerobic wonder.

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You might be right Runtfan...I have this image of Keith in an Iron Lung(He still smokes like a chimney) with slots for his arms so he can play his guitar.

Pete Townshend looks pretty well preserved for 67 but Roger looks like Ellen with a fro and sounds........not good.