Fire alarm can’t stop Springsteen surprise at packed Asbury Park show

🎸 Bruce Springsteen made a surprise appearance at the Stone Pony during a snowy holiday benefit concert in Asbury Park.

🚨 A fire alarm briefly shut down power mid-song, but Springsteen returned and rocked the crowd.

❤️ The show raised money for WhyHunger, honoring Harry Chapin and Springsteen’s decades-long fight against hunger.

ASBURY PARK — A little snow didn’t stop Asbury Park from getting into the holiday spirit over the weekend.

The legendary Stone Pony played host Sunday night to Why Hunger’s 50th anniversary benefit concert, supporting their work to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food in the U.S. and around the world.

Making a surprise on-stage visit was none other than New Jersey’s son, Bruce Springsteen.

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Wearing a short-sleeved white button-down shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap, The Boss casually joined fellow E-Street Band guitarist Little Steven Van Zandt and his band, The Disciples of Soul, on stage for three songs during a special holiday
performance in front of a packed venue.

Fire alarm briefly halts Springsteen’s Stone Pony set

Springsteen first came onstage to sing “I Don’t Want to Go Home.” But, just as he was about to belt out the first words with his famous gravelly, raspy voice, a fire alarm sounded inside the Pony, cutting off power to the stage and sending the house lights up, the Asbury Park Press reported.

Makes sense considering more than 7 inches of snow fell in the area earlier in the day. But it was not that big of a deal. Power soon returned and the show continued.

“I’m not ready to go home yet”

It was clear Springsteen was not about to go home. He came out to rock.

“Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!” Springsteen said before belting out “Merry Christmas Baby and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” at the close of the show, according to The Press.

He even extended “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” with an extra coda. “Steve, Steve, oh Steve, I’m not ready to go home yet. I am not ready to go home. Let’s pick it up from the solo and take it all the way out one more time,” Springsteen said.

The crowd went wild, the Press reported.

After getting all Christmasy, Springsteen recognized the first day of Hanukkah by saying he was going to get bar mitzvahed.

Springsteen honors Harry Chapin and WhyHunger legacy

The event celebrated the career of Harry Chapin, who co-founded WhyHunger.

“I want to send a prayer up and a thank you out to Harry Chapin. I met Harry in 1977 when we were recording Darkness on the Edge of Town. Harry was in the same studio, and I said, ‘Harry, how do you work your charity,’ and he said I play one night for myself and then I play one night for somebody else,” Springsteen said from the stage.

Springsteen’s presence last night was significant for two reasons: one, it’s always a treat when he returns to the iconic Stone Pony, where he began his career, and two, he was helping a cause he has long supported for over 40 years.

Anyone who is a Springsteen fan knows how important combating hunger in New Jersey, around the country, and worldwide is to him.

He has used his music and concert events to fight hunger through merchandise sales, connecting with fans at shows to raise awareness and money for food justice, and through fundraising campaigns like WhyHunger and Hungerthon (promoting the Artists Against Hunger and Poverty) program.

All-star lineup joins WhyHunger anniversary benefit

Other performances last night included members of Little Steven’s Disciples of Soul, fellow E Street Band member Garry Tallent, Young the Giant, Yola, Jim Babjak, The Smithereens, Jimmy Vivino, and more.

Money from the Stone Pony show is going to WhyHunger.

In October, Springsteen also played at The Stone Pony to support Van Zandt’s organization, TeachRock, which is dedicated to improving students’ lives by bringing sound, stories, and the science of music into all classrooms.

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