The Light of Day Foundation is celebrating its 25th anniversary in January with a series of concerts all across New Jersey and New York City, culminating on January 18 with Bob’s Birthday Bash at the Count Basie Center’s Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey. The bill for that show includes John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls, Brian Fallon of the Gaslight Anthem, Brian Baker of Bad Religion, Pete Steinkopf of the Bouncing Souls, Dramarama, Willie Nile, and Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers.
Other events will take place at Asbury Park, New Jersey’s Stone Pony, Wonder Bar, McLoone’s Supper Club, Watermark, and Berkeley Ocean Front Hotel. There will also be concerts at Outpost In The Burbs in Montclair, New Jersey, and City Winery in New York City. Check out the official Light of Day website for more info.
Light of Day was born in November 2000 when a series of local musicians gathered at the Stone Pony to raise money for Bob Benjamin, a former Billboard writer and rock manager who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 1996. Unannounced guest Bruce Springsteen showed up at the end of the evening to jam with Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers. In the years that followed, Light of Day grew exponentially into a series of concerts all across the globe.
Springsteen was never officially on the bill, but he appeared at most of the shows in the early years when his schedule permitted. He hasn’t performed at one since the 20th-anniversary celebration in 2020.
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“For many years, a lot of the buzz surrounding the event was because of Bruce,” Light of Day Executive Director and Co-Founder Tony Pallagrosi told Rolling Stone in 2020. “And Bruce has been so gracious to us and such a godsend. Because of him, we have worldwide presence. But when I became executive director, I really wanted people to know why we are there. It’s about Parkinson’s and ALS [Lou Gehrig’s Disease] and PSP [Progressive Supranuclear Palsy] and finding a cure and helping people on a daily basis. I wanted to pound that message home more and more every year and I think I have.”
Over the years, Southside Johnny Lyon, Darlene Love, Michael J. Fox, Gary U.S. Bonds, Max Weinberg, LaBamba’s Big Band, Jesse Malin, Jakob Dylan, Ed Kowalczyk, Lucinda Williams, and Suzanne Vega have all performed at Light of Day. Along the way, it raised approximately $6.5 million.
