Springsteen once again sees Light of Day

Monday, November 03, 2003

BY JAY LUSTIG
Star-Ledger Staff

On the official schedule, the last act at Saturday's "Light of Day" benefit concert at the Stone Pony was listed as Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers. But no one expected that they would be on their own.

Bruce Springsteen had jammed with Grushecky, his old friend and occasional collaborator, at the three previous annual "Light of Day" shows (supporting the Parkinson's Disease Foundation), and everyone knew it. Besides, he had already joined another act at the benefit, Garland Jeffreys & the Coney Island Playboys, for two songs, and watched a set by singer-songwriter-violinist Soozie Tyrell from the Asbury Park nightclub's sound booth.

Grushecky and the Houserockers played four songs on their own before welcoming Springsteen back into the club, which was both packed (the show sold out) and steamy (the air conditioner wasn't working). And Springsteen made more than a token appearance, playing for an hour and a quarter. Highlights included hard-rocking versions of "Johnny 99" and "From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come)" and a rare performance of "Fire," the sultry, Springsteen-written song that became a Top 10 hit for the Pointer Sisters in 1978.

Springsteen and the Pittsburgh-based Grushecky joined forces for two songs they wrote together ("Code of Silence," "Homestead") and three Grushecky compositions ("Pumping Iron," "Talking to the King," "Never Be Enough Time"). No one would have complained if Springsteen took the show over, but he graciously shared the spotlight.

Grushecky had other guests, too. His teenage son Johnny played guitar, and actor Michael J. Fox made an appearance that was as genuinely surprising as Springsteen's was anticipated.

Fox, who has Parkinson's Disease, played guitar and harmonized on "Light of Day"; co-starring with Joan Jett, he had performed this song in the 1987 film of that name. He also participated in the grand finale, "Twist and Shout," led by Springsteen and Grushecky, but also featuring other acts from the eight-hour benefit, including Jeffreys, Willie Nile and Jersey rock scene veterans Jobonanno, Joe D'Urso and Danny White.

It's tempting to go through the motions on an ultrafamiliar song like this one, but Springsteen made it special, delivering his lines with whole-hearted passion and getting virtually everyone in the club to sing along and wave their hands with him.

A second sold-out "Light of Day" show -- featuring Jeffreys, John Eddie, Dan Bern, Marah and others -- was scheduled to take place at the Pony last night. Both shows were organized by Grushecky's manager, Bob Benjamin of Highland Park, who has Parkinson's Disease.

Benjamin also spearheaded the recent two-CD Springsteen tribute, "Light of Day," benefiting Parkinson's Disease and cancer charities. Artists who appeared on the album and also performed their covers on Saturday included Nile ("I'm On Fire"), Jennifer Glass ("Bobby Jean"), Gary Lucas ("Ain't Got You") and Mike Rimbaud ("Atlantic City").

Jeffreys contributed to the album, singing "Streets of Philadelphia," but bypassed the song Saturday, preferring to emphasize politically conscious originals like "Don't Call Me Buckwheat" and "We the People." Toward the end of "Hail, Hail, Rock 'n' Roll" (his own song, not the Check Berry tune of the same name), he called on Springsteen to join him, and Springsteen did, adding a dazzling guitar solo. Springsteen stayed on stage, playing guitar and singing backing vocals, for Jeffreys' set-closing cover of the Question Mark & the Mysterians garage-rock classic, "96 Tears."

Tyrell, who has toured and recorded with Springsteen, played violin for the Jennifer Glass Band, then sang two songs from her recent solo album, "White Lines," with Glass' band behind her. One of these was the title track, an eloquent and frankly autobiographical song about her life as a traveling musician.

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