Concert will rain charity on Sandy victims
At Madison Square Garden in New York Wednesday night, Bruce Springsteen kicks off a star-studded benefit concert for Hurricane Sandy relief.
The 121212 concert, as it’s called, will be broadcast worldwide on TV and streamed online. It features performers from Kanye West to Billy Joel.
“We hope we raise a lot of money,” says David Saltzman, executive director of the Robin Hood Foundation, which will dole out the proceeds to relief organizations.
Before it’s even begun, the concert has raised more than $30 million. Saltzman thinks 121212 could raise more money than the post-9/11 concert, thanks to technology.
“They’ll also be able to donate online in a way they simply could not in 2001,” Saltzman says.
Gary Bongiovanni of trade publication Pollstar says 121212 organizers are savvy at maximizing tonight’s impact.
“Adding in the streaming and social media aspects to the 1212 concert will set a whole new standard,” Bongiovanni says.
He and Saltzman think the public could use a reminder of how much post-Sandy cleanup remains. It doesn’t hurt if that reminder includes the Rolling Stones.
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