October 30, 2009
Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello perform during Thursday's gala at Madison Square Garden.
By Jerry Shriver, USA TODAY
The event: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills & Nash and numerous guests kicked off a two-night celebration, playing both their own songs and the music that inspired them.
TIMELINE: A quarter-century of rock royalty
VIDEO: Check out the performances
Envious insider: "I'm a fan — I don't know what to say to half these guys," said Tom Hanks backstage before the show. His production company is working with HBO, which is filming the concerts to air Nov. 29 as a four-hour special. "I grew up with the hi-fi on in the front room, the (Beatles') White Album on — everything that's going on tonight is the soundtrack of our lives."
Banner night: The acts performed under a wood-framed arch adorned with images of Fats Domino, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, the Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Sizzling warm-up: As lights dimmed, video clips played on a curved screen above the stage, showing Rock Hall induction speeches and all-star jams of dozens of stars.
Killer opening: Following a short welcoming speech by Hanks ("When we were down, rock 'n' roll lifted us"), the man some consider rock's true king, Jerry Lee Lewis, lit into Whole Lotta Shaking Going On at a white baby grand. Though his manner was subdued, with none of the trademark hellfire menace, his voice was strong and the fingers pounded the keys adroitly.
Double triple whammy: CSN honored the hall's 25th and Woodstock's 40th with an electrifying version of the festival's theme song. Stephen Stills still has the guitar chops, even when not prodded by rival and sometimes bandmate (and double inductee) Neil Young, who didn't appear. Graham Nash showed off his gorgeous tenor on Marrakech Express while David Crosby let his freak flag (now long and white) fly on Almost Cut My Hair, which tripped and soared for five-plus minutes.
Just dropped in: Bonnie Raitt, the first of the night's stream of guests, got strong vocal support from Crosby and Nash as she and her guitar took the lead on an aching Love Has No Pride. The Allman Brothers got a nice shout-out as the four sang a funk-blues version of Midnight Rider.
A dream-team theme: Raitt was followed by Jackson Browne (The Pretender) and James Taylor (Mexico and Love the One You're With). After a CSN nod to Buffalo Springfield via Stills' Rock & Roll Woman, the whole folkie crew reassembled for a Garden-wide singalong on Teach Your Children.
Hometown heroes: Paul Simon — first by himself, then with Dion (DiMucci), then with Nash and Crosby on a magical Here Comes the Sun, and finally with Little Anthony and the Imperials — was just a sweet tease for the outpouring of love that greeted Art Garfunkel's appearance. The duo ran off a string of hits, including a mesmerizing Sounds of Silence. After trading verses on Bridge Over Troubled Water, they mingled their voices rapturously on the bridge before bringing it home alone on a high note.
Wonder of Motown: Stevie Wonder, celebrating the 20th anniversary of his induction, encountered early microphone problems and switched his planned opener from You Haven't Done Nothin' to a Blowin' In the Wind singalong. Then he launched into an unplanned Uptight (Everything's Alright) to get everyone dancing, followed by an unplanned and joyous I Was Made to Love Her/For Once in My Life. The crowd, unaware of the changes, lapped up whatever he and his turn-on-a-dime band offered.
Teachers and students: After dropping to his knees briefly for a harmonica solo on Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours), Wonder returned to his electric piano and welcomed mentor Smokey Robinson for a smoldering Tracks of My Tears, then disciple John Legend for the sensuous and consciousness-raising Marvin Gaye classic Mercy Mercy Me. Blues great B.B. King, the oldest announced performer at 84, strolled out slowly in a vivid smoking jacket, strapped on his guitar Lucille, then spun a spell with The Thrill Is Gone.
Missing Michael: The late King of Pop got his props from Legend and Stevie, who broke down briefly during Jackson's The Way You Make Me Feel, then recovered to lead the clap-a-thon.
Trading off: Sting walked onstage playing bass guitar during Higher Ground, then traded helium-voiced lead vocals with Stevie on Roxanne, with the two sounding surprisingly alike. 2009 inductee Jeff Beck made a surprise appearance on Superstition and dropped in a scintillating heavy-metal guitar solo to close the powerhouse set.
Parting waves: E Streeter Steve Van Zant wandered through the crowd during Simon's and Wonder's sets.
Hometown heroes II: New York seldom gets wound this tight — Simon & Garfunkel and Bruce at the Garden, and the Yankees winning a World Series game. Springsteen and company kept the stars aligned with a long, raucous and righteous set to close the first night.
Back in black: The E Streeters, all clad in New York black, launched into the N.Y. anthem Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out. Bruce Springsteen bent back until his head almost touched the stage, then leapt up to direct the revival. Saxophonist Clarence Clemons, wearing a black fedora and draped with a gold scarf, commanded his side of the stage with honks and shouts. Not wasting time, he brought out Sam Moore of Sam & Dave for Hold On I'm Comin', prefaced with a glorious a capella intro. Sweaty and furious, it blew up the house.
The Bruce blend: Moore took a powerful lead on Soul Man as Bruce and band did giddy soul moves behind, in a perfect melding of forces and influences and circumstances.
Enraged: Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello joined in for The Ghost of Tom Joad, spitting torrents of guitar licks abetted by Nils Lofgren and Van Zandt. For his own songs, Springsteen stuck mostly to material from his classic Born to Run album, which he has been performing in its entirety at a few recent shows.
Next up: John Fogerty, called by Springsteen "the Hank Williams of our time" for Fortunate Son, a '60s protest song Springsteen has sometimes performed. Creedence Clearwater Revival's Proud Mary was done proud with a faithful stomping version, as the heavenly hootenanny continued. Springsteen honored key influence Roy Orbison ("Me and John will take a stab") with a lovely Pretty Woman, punched up with a horn section.
A fine, fine song: Bruce kept the soul vibe alive by bringing out Darlene Love for A Fine, Fine Boy, a Phil Spector-produced '60s classic. Springsteen grinned from ear to ear as Love, Patti Scialfa and Clemons pounded out Da Doo Ron Ron.
Going 180: Having reached back to country, soul and girl-group pop, Bruce spun forward to offspring punk by bringing out Morello for The Clash's London Calling.
The New Yorkers: "Is there anybody alive in New York City?" Bruce implored before Badlands' end with Morello. Heck, yeah, the wrung-out crowd replied, pleading successfully for an encore. He completed the regional trifecta by bringing out Long Island favorite son Billy Joel to take over the piano for You May Be Right. Joel stayed on for his saucy Only the Good Die Young, as Springsteen's voice began to strain a bit. Joel's New York State of Mind was the obvious next choice, and he and Springsteen gave it their saloon crooner best. Who knew Bruce had that in him?
Funneling the fun: The concerts raised money for a permanent endowment of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum, co-established in 1984 by Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. Tickets went for $80-$2,500, with VIP packages priced as high as $100,000.
Behind the scenes: Big guns from the entertainment and publishing worlds helped put the show together, including Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner, screenwriter Cameron Crowe and guitarist Robbie Robertson, formerly of The Band.
The end: Before anyone had to run for buses and subways, the band rolled out a post-1 a.m. Born to Run, with Joel taking a turn on the sacred text. Springsteen walked to the lip of the stage, let fans pound his guitar, then sent 19,500 tramps like him out into the New York night. Almost. All his guests came back on for a loving (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher tribute to Jackie Wilson. Wave after wave of pure soul joy, carried out for countless choruses, carried it home.
Next stop: Tonight, when U2, Aretha Franklin, Jeff Beck and Metallica will headline.
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