Five Great Moments from The 12/12/12 Concert For Sandy
In light of the new 12/12/12: A Concert for Sandy documentary premiering tonight in New York City, the time is now to reflect on one of the most iconic concerts in recent memory. The star-studded lineup descended on New York City’s Madison Square Garden for a six-hour show that saw numerous first-time collaborations and once in a lifetime performances.
In addition to the stellar night of music, the show served as an outlet to raise money to aid in repairing the areas effected by Hurricane Sandy as well as heal a fractured region. Here are five great moments.
Roger Waters & Eddie Vedder: “Comfortably Numb”
Roger Waters played relatively early in the evening, and set the bar for collaborations as the former Pink Floyd member invited Pearl Jam’s own Eddie Vedder to sing “Comfortably Numb.” Vedder, in his usual stoic nature, shouldered the vocal duties on the chorus, making this one of the most chilling versions of the tune ever played.
Chris Martin & Michael Stipe: “Losing My Religion”
In one of the most shocking moments of the evening, Coldplay’s Chris Martin invited R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe on stage for the alternative rockers classic “Losing My Religion.” Stipe, not on the original guest list, took the stage for the first time since R.E.M.’s breakup. Although the singer seemed reluctant at first, and Martin was clearly struck by nerves (that suit didn’t help keep him cool), this unique pairing turned in a fantastic performance.
Bruce Springsteen: “Jersey Girl”
Naturally, the show kicked off with Jersey native, The Boss–Bruce Springsteen. An emotional Bruce moved through his short set and included this bit towards the end, as he fit in a snippet of “Jersey Girl” to close out “My City of Ruins.” Despite being in New York, the crowd erupted as Bruce referenced the New Jersey Boardwalk, which sustained irreparable damage during Hurricane Sandy.
Billy Joel: “Miami 2017”
Bronx native Billy Joel took the stage later in the evening. The Piano Man delivered an energetic set full of his hits. Opening with this performance of “Miami 2017,” Joel referenced just about every borough in the tri-state area in this song–sending the crowd into a frenzy. The irony in the song comes with the fact that many probably sought safety in Florida following the devastating hurricane.
Nirvana & Paul McCartney: “Cut Me Some Slack”
The moment everybody was waiting for finally arrived in hour five of the show. Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear combined forces to form “Maccavana” to debut a brand new song “Cut Me Some Slack.” The tune ended up on the soundtrack for Grohl’s Sound City documentary and was generally well-received. Immediately following this performance, fans were starving for a Maccavana tour, unfortunately nothing has materialized. Yet.