This weekend marks the 15th annual Light of Day Foundation's festival to fight Parkinson's disease.
The Light of Day organization, founded by Highland Park's Bob Benjamin, is sponsoring dozens of music events in Asbury Park. The music began last Sunday and continues today and throughout the weekend. A complete schedule may be found at lightofday.org
The main event is this Saturday night at Asbury Park's Paramount Theatre. That show sold out quickly the day it went on sale in November and many are still looking for the elusive ticket. It is a tough one.
The show features La Bamba's Big Band with Southside Johnny and Gary U.S. Bonds, Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers, New York singer-songwriter Willie Nile, the Smithereens' Pat DiNizio, Garland Jeffreys, John Eddie and His Big Ol' Band, Joe D'Urso and Stone Caravan, James Maddock Band, Guy Davis, Sam Llanas (formerly of the BoDeans), Dawg Whistle featuring Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer Vini Lopez and Paul Whistler, John Easdale and Peter Wood, Williams Honor, Billy Hector, Christine Martucci and Rob Dye.
A highlight of 10 of the past 14 Light of Day main event shows has been the "surprise" appearance of Bruce Springsteen. Bruce has never been advertised to appear at any of the past shows, he has always been a special guest. I have no idea if Bruce will show at this Saturday's main event — there are always rumors of yes and no — but we'll find out on Saturday. He did play last year, but did not attend the show in 2013.
Let's take a look back at Springsteen's 10 Light of Day appearances, from the Stone Pony to the long-gone Tradewinds in Sea Bright to Sayreville's Starland Ballroom and the Paramount Theatre.
Nov. 3, 2000
The Stone Pony, Asbury Park
It was this performance by Springsteen that put Light of Day on the map. After finishing up a 10-night stand at Madison Square Garden to close the Reunion tour on July 1, 2000, Bruce returns to the Stone Pony stage for the first time in more than five years. He joins Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers for a set that runs from 1:30 to 3:15 a.m. Patti Scialfa is also onstage for a few songs at the end.
Set list:
Labor of Love, Brand New Cadillac, Never Be Enough Time, Homestead, Pumping Iron, Murder Incorporated, Talking to the King, Down the Road Apiece, Diddy Wah Diddy, Everything's Going to Work Out Right, Keep a-Knockin', Ramrod, Light of Day, Twist and Shout, I Don't Want to Go Home.
Nov. 3, 2001
Tradewinds, Sea Bright
The only Light of Day show I missed. The Yankees were playing the Diamondbacks in the World Series and I was unable to take the night off from my desk duties at The Star-Ledger. Again Bruce joins Grushecky (this time with the No Spring Chickens), but for a much shorter set of six songs.
Set list:
Talking to the King, Fire, Ramrod, Light of Day, Twist and Shout, Lucille.
Nov. 2, 2002
Tradewinds, Sea Bright
The last Light of Day at the Tradewinds, which closed in 2003. The club was later torn down and luxury homes are now on the site.
Many were surprised Bruce would play this one as he had a show with the E Street Band on the Rising tour the next night in Dallas.
He played earlier than normal, starting at 10:40 p.m. to play nearly an hour with Grushecky and the Houserockers.
After his set with Grushecky, I remember many fans thought he was done for the night. They were stunned and ran back to their prime spots near the stage when he later played with Gary U.S. Bonds.
Set list:
With Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers: I Can't Turn You Loose, Never Be Enough Time, Homestead, 96 Tears (with Garland Jeffreys) / Wild In the Streets (with Garland Jeffreys), Fire, Pumping Iron, Boom Boom, Light of Day, The Twist - Peppermint Twist.
With Gary U.S. Bonds: Jole Blon, Quarter to Three, Having a Party.
Nov. 2, 2003
The Stone Pony, Asbury Park
Light of Day returns to the Stone Pony for a legendary night. It's still talked about more than 10 years later as the night Michael J. Fox came to Asbury Park to jam with Bruce Springsteen. A packed Pony watches Bruce jam with Garland Jeffreys, Grushecky and the Houserockers and Fox.
Set list:
With Garland Jeffreys: Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll, 96 Tears.
With Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers: Never Be Enough Time, Homestead, From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come), Code of Silence, Fire, Talking to the King, Johnny 99, Murder Incorporated (with Johnny Grushecky), Pumping Iron, Light of Day (with Michael J. Fox), Dirty Water, Twist and Shout (with all performers).
Nov. 6, 2004
The Stone Pony, Asbury Park
Springsteen makes his fifth straight Light of Day appearance, but this night was a bit of a downer for some as it was just four days after George W. Bush won re-election over John Kerry, who Bruce publicly supported and played in support of on the Vote for Change tour. It was a tempered performance by Bruce as he again plays with Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers.
Set list:
Idiot's Delight, From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come), Homestead, Johnny 99, Code of Silence, Atlantic City, Murder Incorporated, Talking to the King, Never Be Enough Time, Mustang Sally, This Hard Land, Light of Day, Land of 1000 Dances, Great Balls of Fire, Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On, Shout.
Dec. 2, 2006
Starland Ballroom, Sayreville
After missing his first Light of Day show in 2005, a bushy-haired Bruce, fresh off his Seeger Sessions tour, is back for a Saturday night of music at Light of Day 7. He performs with Marah (two songs) and later with Grushecky and the Houserockers at the Sayreville nightclub.
Set list:
With Marah: Raise Your Hand, Reservation Girl.
With Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers: Never Be Enough Time, A Good Life, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Talking to the King, Johnny 99, Code of Silence, Atlantic City, Santa Claus is Comin' to Town.
Jan. 16, 2010
Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park
After missing Light of Day in 2007 and 2008, Bruce is back at Light of Day 10 at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park for an incredible night that just kept getting better and better.
After finishing the Working on a Dream tour less than two months earlier, he was full of energy performing with Willie Nile, Jesse Malin and Grushecky for a set that ended at 1:10 a.m.
Set list:
With Willie Nile: Heaven Help the Lonely
With Jesse Malin: Broken Radio
With Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers: Atlantic City, Code of Silence, Johnny 99, Never Be Enough Time, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Talking to the King, Pink Cadillac, Murder Incorporated, Another Thin Line, Light of Day, Twist and Shout.
Jan. 15, 2011
Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park
Another magical night for Light of Day 11. Bruce is back again for the second straight year at the Paramount Theatre and even performs two songs solo acoustic. Plus there's a rare performance of "One Way Street" (from "The Promise") that to this date has only been performed live three times.
Bruce guests with Jesse Malin, Willie Nile and Alejandro Escovedo and plays a full set with Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers. The show ends at 1:15 a.m. with a beautiful acoustic version of "Thunder Road" with the entire crowd singing along.
Set list:
With Jesse Malin and the St. Mark's Social: Broken Radio.
With Willie Nile: Heaven Help the Lonely
With Alejandro Escovedo: Always A Friend
Bruce solo acoustic: Your Own Worst Enemy, This Hard Land
With Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers: Another Thin Line, Atlantic City, Never Be Enough Time, Adam Raised A Cain, One Way Street, I'm Not Sleeping, Save My Love, Talking to the King, Pink Cadillac(with Danny Clinch), Darkness on the Edge of Town, The Promised Land, Light of Day, Land of 1000 Dances, Twist and Shout and La Bamba (with all performers), Thunder Road (with all performers).
Jan. 14, 2012
Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park
A night remembered for many reasons, but none more than Bruce performing a beautiful solo acoustic guitar version of "Incident on 57th Street."
Springsteen's ninth Light of Day appearance is maybe the best of all. This is what I wrote in my blog that night:
"It's a show fans lucky to be at the sold-out Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park on Saturday night will not soon forget.
Bruce Springsteen played for close to two hours with Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers at part of Light of Day 12 to benefit Parkinson's disease.
Springsteen also played with two other artists and played a magical acoustic "Incident on 57th Street" before joining Joe Grushecky and his band.
By the time the show ended at 2:10 a.m., with the crowd singing along on an acoustic "Thunder Road," fans walked away knowing they had just witnessed a great night of music.
It was a fun, loose and determined Springsteen performing a 16-song set. He looked ready and set to begin his world tour with the E Street Band coming up in two months."
Bruce again plays with Garland Jeffreys and Willie Nile and the main set is with Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers. Max Weinberg plays on three songs.
Set list:
With Garland Jeffreys: Wild In the Streets
With Willie Nile: One Guitar
Bruce Solo acoustic: Incident on 57th Street
With Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers: Darkness on the Edge of Town, Never Be Enough Time, Adam Raised a Cain, Save My Love, Talking to the King, Atlantic City, Johnny 99, I'm Not Sleeping, Because the Night (with John Eddie, Willie Nile, and Garland Jeffreys), Waitin' On A Sunny Day, Pumping Iron, Light of Day (with Max Weinberg, John Eddie, Willie Nile, Garland Jeffreys, Joe D'Urso, Boccigalupe, Bob Benjamin, et al.), The Promised Land (with Max Weinberg, John Eddie, Willie Nile, Garland Jeffreys, Joe D'Urso, Boccigalupe, Bob Benjamin, et al.), Happy Birthday - Twist and Shout (with all), Thunder Road (with all).
Jan. 18, 2014
Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park
After not performing at the 2013 show, Bruce was back in Asbury Park for the 2014 main event. It was his first performance on a New Jersey stage since playing with the Rolling Stones at the Prudential Center in Newark on Dec. 15, 2012.
The sold-out crowd was treated to an extraordinary evening of music by many artists with the highlight being a 14 song, hour-and-a-half performance by Bruce with Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers that ended at 1:21 a.m.
The set featured the world premiere of a new song "Frankie Fell in Love" off of "High Hopes" and a performance of "Hearts of Stone" which had only been performed by Bruce two other times.
Bruce was in great spirits, looking all ready for his upcoming dates in South Africa and Australia with the E Street Band. He was all over the stage and came out to the front several times to play to the crowd.
Bruce made his first appearance of the evening with Jesse Malin playing the Ramones "Rock and Roll Radio." It was the first time Bruce has ever played on the song. He later joined Willie Nile for "One Guitar"
Here's the world premiere of "Frankie Fell in Love" followed by "Save My Love" by Bruce Springsteen with Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers at Light of Day 14:
Set list:
With Jesse Malin: Rock and Roll Radio
With Willie Nile: One Guitar
With Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers: Adam Raised a Cain, Never Be Enough Time, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Hearts of Stone, Pumping Iron, Atlantic City, Talking to the King, Frankie Fell in Love, Save My Love, I'm Not Sleeping, Because the Night, The Promised Land, Light of Day, Happy Birthday (to Bob Benjamin), Thunder Road.
Thank you to Brucebase for the set list information