Bruce Springsteen Added to Light of Day Virtual Concert Lineup

Bruce Springsteen has officially been added to the Light of Day Foundation’s Winter Love Fest 2021 lineup, a virtual concert taking place between February 12th and February 14th. He will play with Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers on February 13th.

Steve Van Zandt and the Disciples of Soul have also been added to the bill. They will play on February 14th, marking their first Light of Day appearance in the two-decade history of the event.

Springsteen and Van Zandt join a lineup that includes Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Willie Nile, Jesse Malin, James Maddock, Dramarama, Steve Forbert, Jill Hennessy, the Weeklings, Jeffrey Gaines, Low Cut Connie, and John Eddie. The show will air live on Facebook and YouTube.

Light of Day raises money and awareness in the fight against Parkinson’s Disease and its related illnesses. It was started in 2000 as a small birthday party for music industry veteran Bob Benjamin, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the mid-Nineties. Springsteen was a surprise musical guest at the first event and his continued support helped it grow into a massive, worldwide charity concert series that has raised over $5.5 million.

Up until this year, Springsteen has never officially been on the bill, but he’s guested with Grushecky at the vast majority of Light of Day events. Last year, they played a set at the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park, New Jersey, that featured “The Promised Land,” “Atlantic City” and “Darkness on the Edge of Town” in addition to Grushecky originals like “Talking to the King” and “Pumping Iron.” It wound up being Springsteen’s final live performance before the pandemic shut down the concert industry.

This is the first year the event will be held without a live audience. “Even in times of Covid-19, Light of Day WinterFest 2021 will happen, albeit virtually and a month later!” Tony Pallagrosi, Light of Day co-founder and executive director, said in a statement. “The greater Asbury Park musical community, as well as some very special guests, will come together for three days of virtual streaming to raise money and awareness utilizing the awesome power of music in our battle to defeat Parkinson’s, ALS, and PSP in our lifetime. As they say, the show must go on and thanks to the passion of our artists, sponsors, supporters, and our good friend technology, it will.”