USA: Madison Square Garden gets ready for concert to benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy

Record ID: 858732

  • Title: USA: Madison Square Garden gets ready for concert to benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy
  • Date: 11th December 2012
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 11, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF MADISON SQUARE GARDEN BOARD SHOWING "12 12 12" WIDE VIEW OF CONCERT AREA VARIOUS OF WORKERS ON PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID SALTZMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION, SAYING: "This is going to be the greatest rock and roll show of all time. And the truth is, it was pretty easy to put together because all of the artists wanted to come together and create a community of caring. The artists have been extraordinary." WIDE VIEW OF CONCERT AREA MORE OF WORKERS MAN WORKING ON SOUND BOARD STATION
  • Embargoed: 26th December 2012 12:00
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  • Location: Usa
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVADYK1C1UNYYBPNO1EVJA3X26DJ
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  • Story Text: New York's Madison Square Garden was getting readied for "12-12-12 The Concert for Sandy Relief" on Tuesday (December 11), one day before the historic benefit concert will bring together an all-star line-up of artists such as the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bon Jovi and Eric Clapton.
    The concert is to aid the victims of hurricane Sandy that swept through the east coast of the United States in October, and organizers believe it will be the most widely distributed live musical event ever.

    "This is going to be the greatest rock and roll show of all time," said David Saltzman, the executive director of the Robin Hood Foundation, the charity organization benefitting from the concert.

    "And the truth is, it was pretty easy to put together because all of the artists wanted to come together and create a community of caring. The artists have been extraordinary," he added.
    Native New Yorker Alicia Keys said that she was in the city when Sandy battered the region.

    "I was born and raised in New York. And I was here during everything that happened with Sandy. To witness my city and the tri-state area really going through something that nobody could control it," she said.
    American rocker Bruce Springsteen is born and raised in New Jersey.

    "It took days and days to even understand the level of destruction that occurred along the Jersey shore. What makes the place, that place is a fragile thing very often. Trying to maintain that part of what the Jersey coast was about is important. I wouldn't want to see that part of it and that life disappear."
    Singer Billy Joel, whose iconic song "New York State of Mind," is practically a city anthem is from nearby Long Island, new York.

    "People were stranded. People died. It's kind of traumatic. I mean, I am a Long Islander. I am proud to be an Islander. And to see something like this happen is devastating," Joel said.
    Organizers said that they raised over $30 million (USD) in ticket sales and expect to raise more on the day of the concert, that will be available to nearly 2 billion people in 190 countries via television, radio and the internet.
    More than 130 people were killed and thousands were left homeless as the storm tore through areas of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, causing an estimated $50 billion (USD) in damage.
    Donations raised from the one-night event concert will go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund, which will provide money and materials to groups helping people hardest hit by the storm. Organizers said "every single penny from ticket purchases and donations" will go to serve victims through the Robin Hood Relief Fund.
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