Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Gary U.S. Bonds, Southside Johnny, Max Weinberg 7, and Others
Count Basie Theater
Red Bank, NJ
April 29, 2003

"The Hope Concert for Robert Bandiera, Jr"

CDR --> EAC --> Flac

Disc 1
1. Water (Everett Bradley)
2. Here Comes the Sun (BB)
3. I Shall Be Released (Norman Nardini)
4. Claudine (BB)
5. This Time It's For Real (Ensemble)
6. Passion Street (SSJ)
7. New Orleans (Bonds)
8. You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks (Bonds)
9. Have a Little Faith in Me (JBJ/SSJ)
10. Blaze of Glory (JBJ)
11. The E Street Shuffle (Bruce/MW7)
12. Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (Bruce/MW7)
13. Jole Blon (Bruce/Bonds)
14. Daddy's Come Home (Bonds)

Disc 2
1. Heroes (JBJ)
2. Just Older (JBJ)
3. Souls on Fire (SSJ/JBJ)
4. I Don't Want to Go Home (SSJ/JBJ)
5. The Fever (Bruce/SSJ)
6. Kitty's Back (Bruce/MW7/BB)
7. Soul Deep (Bruce/Bonds)
8. This Little Girl (Bonds/Bruce)
9. Thunder Road (Bruce/JBJ/MW7)
10. Rosalita (Bruce/JBJ/MW7)

Disc 3
1. Tim McLoone Comments
2. A Change is Gonna Come/Havin' a Party (Ensemble)
3. Cold Sweat (partial) (Ensemble)
4. Twist and Shout (JBJ/Ensemble)
5. Quarter to Three (Bonds/Bruce/Ensemble)
6. Seven Nights to Rock (Bruce/Ensemble)
7. I'll Never Find Another You (BB/Ensemble)

Recording Report:
The Basie is not known for being condusive to audience tapers and this one is no exception.  This may get a C+ if I'm feeling generous.  Otherwise, it's mostly for those who were there and completists, or if you're curious as to how some of these songs sounded.

Show report from Backstreets.com:
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.