Sandy benefit concert: Rock legends hit the right notes
Sandy benefit concert: From Paul McCartney to Alicia Keys, the "12-12-12" benefit concert in Madison Square Garden for victims of superstorm Sandy was a night of great performances.
Jon Bon Jovi joins Bruce Springsteen (r.) on stage during the "12-12-12" benefit concert for victims of superstorm Sandy at Madison Square Garden in New York December 12.
Lucas Jackson/Reuters
New York
Ìý²¹²Ô»å the E Street Band opened an all-star benefit concert for victims of Superstorm Sandy on Wednesday, in what producers promised was "the greatest line-up of legends ever assembled on a stage."
The "12-12-12" concert at '²õÌý features a who's who of rock and pop, including The Rolling Stones,Ìý,Ìý,Ìý,Ìý,ÌýÌý²¹²Ô»å Bon Jovi.
"How do I begin again? My city's in ruins?" Springsteen sang. He was joined by  for "Born to Run," ushering in what was to be a night of musical duets.
Next up,Ìý performed alongside , and later in the evening  was due to jam with Dave Grohl.
°ä´Ç³¾±ð»å¾±²¹²ÔÌý took the stage for a Sandy-themed spoof on 's "Hallelujah," rhyming the title with "Sandy, Screw Ya!"
Backstage, actress  recounted losing power in her  home but said that was a small hardship compared to the real victims who lost their homes.
, guitarist of the E Street Band, scolded "the oil companies" and "Wall Street guys" for not doing more to help.
"Even with the music business not what it used to be... we are proud to be here," he said.
±Ê°ù´Ç»å³Ü³¦±ð°ùÌý said Waters, McCartney ²¹²Ô»åÌýÌý´Ç´Ú Coldplay had reached out to "other legends to join them on stage and create once-in-a-lifetime moments."
Before the concert, Sykes said $32 million had already been raised from ticket sales and sponsorships. With the concert's potential to reach 2 billion people through broadcast and digital platforms, organizers are hoping to raise tens of millions more.
To help with the fundraising, celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio,Ìý,Ìý,ÌýÌý²¹²Ô»å  are taking part in a telethon during the concert, which is expected to last between four and five hours.
It is being broadcast live on television, radio, movie theaters, on Facebook and iHeartRadio, and streamed on digital billboards in ,ÌýÌý²¹²Ô»å .
More than 130 people were killed when Sandy pummeled the Ìý´Ç´Ú the  in October. Thousands more were left homeless as the storm tore through areas of , New Jersey ²¹²Ô»åÌý, causing billions of dollars in damage.
Sykes said personal stories of neighborhoods and people severely affected by Sandy will be showcased during the concert.
Sykes was also involved with "The Concert for  City" after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which raised more than $30 million for charity.
He said technological advances over the past decade have exponentially changed the reach of fundraising.
"We have both traditional and new media behind us in a way that we've never had before, and that is really going to be the 'x-factor' on how much money we can raise for the victims."
Donations raised from the one-night concert produced by Ìý²¹²Ô»å , will go to the , which will provide money and materials to groups helping people hardest hit by the storm.
Additional reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Jill Serjeant, Patricia Reaney and Eric Beech