backstreets.com April 29, 2003
April 29 / Red Bank, NJ / Count Basie Theatre
The Hope Concert for Robert Bandiera, Jr.
Notes: During a break from the Rising tour, Bruce Springsteen and Max
Weinberg joined many other friends in Red Bank for the Hope Concert. As MC Big
Joe Henry said, "We're here to help our good friend Bobby." Bobby Bandiera's
son, Robert Jr., has neurological difficulties and will require full time care.
So Bobby's friends, and a full house at the Count Basie Theatre, came out to
lend their support. Along with Bobby and his band, the heavy hitters were Bruce
Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Gary U.S. Bonds, the Max Weinberg 7, and Southside
Johnny. With Bobby working hard for the cause himself, hardly ever leaving the
stage, the ensemble played a surprisingly seamless show that lasted over three
hours.
Five songs in-- after Bobby, his band, and others including Norman Nardini
opened with songs like "Here Comes the Sun" and "I Shall Be Released"--the full
ensemble was onstage for "This Time It's for Real." Then the performers began to
rotate on and off in an impressively intertwined fashion--clearly a lot of
thought and rehearsal time had gone into the show.
Southside, Gary, Bon Jovi, and Bruce each did a few songs, with everyone getting
a chance to shine: Bonds on "New Orleans" and "Daddy's Come Home," Bon Jovi on
"Just Older" and David Bowie's "Heroes," Southside on... well, when isn't Johnny
a ray of sunshine? Duets were also plentiful, with the South joining Bon Jovi
for John Hiatt's "Have a Little Faith in Me," "I Don't Want to Go Home," and
"Souls on Fire." Bruce and Bonds teamed up on "Jole Blon," "Soul Deep" and "This
Little Girl." And a horn-drenched highlight, as Bruce and Southside tackled "The
Fever" together, trading off verses with Bruce taking a mean lead guitar.
And oh yeah, the Springsteen highlights-- nothing to complain about with the Max
Weinberg 7 helping power classics like "The E Street Shuffle," "Tenth Avenue
Freezeout," and "Kitty's Back." And closing the main set, "Thunder Road" and a
brain-rattling "Rosalita." (And, perhaps more surprisingly, still nothing to
complain about with Jon Bon Jovi taking some verses, practically dueting with
Bruce on this pair of fan-faves... Bon Jovi said at the end of the night, "See
ya at the Meadowlands this summer!").
During the break before the encores, MC Tim McLoone spoke about how "Bob
Bandiera laid out a lifetime of good work," and that was why his friends had
gathered tonight. He then went on to read a letter from Robert Jr.'s mother. A
blowout encore brought everyone onstage for "Havin' a Party," after which
Southside instigated a totally impromptu (and cut short) "Cold Sweat." Bon Jovi
took the lead on "Twist and Shout," then Bruce and Bonds on "Quarter to Three."
The penultimate song had Bruce bringing the house down with Moon Mullican's (and
Nick Lowe/Rockpile's) "Seven Nights to Rock."
Bobby, who had hardly left the stage all night, finally took the mic to say
"Thank you everybody...I can't say enough." He dedicated the final song, "I'll
Never Find Another You" by The Seekers, to his son. Bruce finished off the night
by saying everybody was here because "Bobby has saved all of our asses so many
times over the years..." A touching night, a great night.
Setlist:
MC intro - Tim McLoone/Big Joe Henry
Water (Everett Bradley)
Here Comes the Sun (BB)
I Shall Be Released (Norman Nardini)
Claudine (BB)
This Time It's For Real (Ensemble)
Passion Street (SSJ)
New Orleans (Bonds)
You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks (Bonds)
Have a Little Faith in Me (JBJ/SSJ)
Blaze of Glory (JBJ)
The E Street Shuffle (Bruce/MW7)
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (Bruce/MW7)
Jole Blon (Bruce/Bonds)
Daddy's Come Home (Bonds)
Heroes (JBJ)
Just Older (JBJ)
Souls on Fire (SSJ/JBJ)
I Don't Want to Go Home (SSJ/JBJ)
The Fever (Bruce/SSJ)
Kitty's Back (Bruce/MW7/BB)
Soul Deep (Bruce/Bonds)
This Little Girl (Bonds/Bruce)
Thunder Road (Bruce/JBJ/MW7)
Rosalita (Bruce/JBJ/MW7)
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MC - Tim McLoone
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A Change is Gonna Come/Havin' a Party (Ensemble)
Cold Sweat (partial) (Ensemble)
Twist and Shout (JBJ/Ensemble)
Quarter to Three (Bonds/Bruce/Ensemble)
Seven Nights to Rock (Bruce/Ensemble)
I'll Never Find Another You (BB/Ensemble)