NEW YORK - Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones and Alicia Keys
were among the musical stars headlining an all-star benefit concert for
victims of Superstorm Sandy on Wednesday, in what producers promised was
"the greatest line-up of legends ever assembled on a stage."
Organizers said the "12-12-12" concert at New York's Madison Square
Garden was being distributed to nearly 2 billion people worldwide
through television feeds, radio and online streaming.
"How do I begin again? My city's in ruins?" Springsteen sang. He was
joined by fellow New Jersey native Jon Bon Jovi for "Born to Run,"
ushering in a night of musical duets.
Next up, Roger Waters performed alongside Eddie Vedder, and Paul McCartney was due to jam later in the evening with Dave Grohl.
"This has got to be the largest collection of old English musicians
ever assembled in Madison Square Garden," Mick Jagger told the crowd.
The Stones performed "You Got Me Rocking" and "Jumpin' Jack Flash."
To help with the fundraising, celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio,
Kristen Stewart, Jake Gyllenhaal, Chelsea Clinton and Billy Crystal took
part in a telethon during the concert, which was expected to last four
to five hours.
Comedian Adam Sandler took the
stage for a Sandy-themed spoof on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," rhyming
the title with "Sandy, Screw Ya!"
Backstage,
actress Susan Sarandon recounted losing power in her New York home but
said that was a small hardship compared with the real victims who lost
their homes.
Steven Van Zandt, guitarist of the E
Street Band, scolded "the oil companies" and "Wall Street guys" for not
doing more to help.
"Even with the music business not what it used to be ... we are proud to be here," he said.
Before the concert, producer John Sykes said $32 million had already
been raised from ticket sales and sponsorships. Organizers are hoping to
raise tens of millions more.
It was being
broadcast live on television, radio, movie theaters, on Facebook and
iHeartRadio, and streamed on digital billboards in New York's Times
Square, London and Paris.
Expanding fundraising's reach
More than 130 people were killed when Sandy pummeled the East Coast of
the United States in October. Thousands more were left homeless as the
storm tore through areas of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut,
causing billions of dollars in damage.
Throughout the show, celebrities shared memories of growing up in New
York City or the Jersey Shore, and offered shout-outs to first
responders.
"Watching my hometown get pummeled
was devastating to watch," said actor-comedian Crystal, who grew up on
Long Beach, Long Island. "It's a helpless feeling of what's in store for
us maybe in the future."
Sykes was also
involved with "The Concert for New York City" after the Sept. 11, 2001,
attacks, which raised more than $30 million for charity.
He said technological advances over the past decade had exponentially changed the reach of fundraising.
"We have both traditional and new media behind us in a way that we've
never had before, and that is really going to be the 'x-factor' on how
much money we can raise for the victims," he said.
Donations raised from the concert produced by Clear Channel
Entertainment and the Weinstein Co, will go to the Robin Hood Relief
Fund, which will provide money and materials to groups helping people
hardest hit by the storm. — Reuters
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