From Backstreets:

Ticket Alert: "Change Rocks"
This year's model of the Vote for Change tour, it seems: Bruce Springsteen will be performing October 16 at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom, joining Barack Obama, Billy Joel "and friends" for a "Change Rocks" concert to benefit the Obama Victory Fund. Springsteen endorsed Obama back in April; this is his first benefit performance for the campaign.

Tickets are available at three donation levels, starting at $500 for a balcony seat. For more information, visit our news page to download a PDF, or click here to buy tickets online.

Balcony seats are limited; tickets at any level must be purchased by October 14.

Courtesy of fiftyamp on IORR:

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
SATURDAY: Springsteen to Join Rally for Obama in Philadelphia

Free concert for Pennsylvanians will be huge opportunity to register voters and sign up volunteers; preferred tickets must be picked up at campaign offices

PHILADELPHIA — Bruce Springsteen is coming to Philadelphia this weekend to perform an acoustic set at a rally on the Ben Franklin Parkway in order to assist the Obama campaign’s voter registration and volunteer recruitment efforts.

The concert will take place on the Saturday before Pennsylvania’s voter registration deadline on Monday.

“Senator Obama is a great fan of Bruce Springsteen and is honored to have his support. This will be a great opportunity to gather tens of thousands of our supporters together in one place as we register new voters and bring new volunteers into this campaign for change,” said Craig Schirmer, the Pennsylvania State Director of the Obama-Biden campaign.

The campaign has already registered and mobilized an unprecedented number of voters in the state, and the makeup of the electorate will be fundamentally different than it was in 2004. In that election, John Kerry beat George Bush by 144,000 votes at a time when Democrats outnumbered Republicans by 580,000 voters. This year, that advantage will be about 1.2 million.

The New Jersey native endorsed Senator Obama in April, writing that the Democratic nominee “speaks to the America I’ve envisioned in my music…a country that’s interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit.”

The concert will take place on Saturday at Benjamin Franklin Parkway between 20th and 22nd Streets.

Gates open at 2:00 and the program will begin at 3:30.

For access to the best viewing area, preferred tickets will be distributed to those who sign up to volunteer. This can be done beginning at 10:00 AM on Wednesday at the Obama-Biden campaign for change offices listed below.

General admission tickets can be secured at the following website: pa.barackobama.com/springsteen

BRUCE & BILLY JOEL are teaming up for a fundraiser at The Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC for a benefit concert for Obama's campaign. The tickets are $500 - $25,000 ~ it's a cool club show, but no way I can shell out that kind of cash for a political event. The event is happening October 16th and they are calling it: "CHANGE ROCKS"

I guess that means rock music is the reason to change the government? Or political change is as good as rock music??? I prefer my rock & roll music without political influences. But if they show it on TV for free I will watch it, and I know the NY press is going to be all over this one. Security will be tight.

I personally dont like it when entertainers feel they can use their status etc to rally folks behind a political figure.In the case of Billy Joel..I'm sure McCain is delighted.....

Brainbell Jangler wrote on Oct 1^st, 2008 at 1:57pm:


LOL...I'm all for free speach.Just dont try rammin it down my throat cause you can strum a fuckin guitar

Bitch wrote on Oct 1^st, 2008 at 12:46pm:



well, if anything it only proves that anyone who is so clueless that they need a celebrity to make up their mind for them will get the government they deserve.

Bitch wrote on Oct 1^st, 2008 at 12:46pm:

I wonder if Bon Jovi will join the fun?!? It's nice to see O'Bama reaching out to the little people, as usual!

McCain should get the Dixie Chicks to play for him......Palin?.....hmmmmm  Skeeter Davis?

PartyDoll MEG wrote on Oct 1^st, 2008 at 5:07pm:



I dont mind either way..Its an easy choice to make to take it at face value. I like listening to a lot of acts whose opinions I dont necessarily agree with.

However, I think its fucking idiotic in this day and age to expect any artist - and especially one who writes his own material -  to live in some kind of vacuum. Maybe popular music should never have progressed beyond 'silly love songs'.

The sensitivity of some people and ease with which folks get offended never ceases to amaze me. Especially amongst fans of a band who throughout their history have been all about freedom of expression.

PartyDoll MEG wrote on Oct 1^st, 2008 at 5:07pm:

It's one thing to attend one of Billy Joel's shows or BS's & they inject some moronic message. But not too many thinking GOPer's will attend a show wherein the proceeds go to the Empty Suit.

LadyJane wrote on Oct 1^st, 2008 at 6:34pm:



Well, I dont see it as primarily a political thread - more a music news story, so as its Bruce related and theres an ongoing thread on him, thats where  I decided to move it.

It only becomes a political thread when people decide to make it one.

Which, of course, they won't......

Thanks for sharing your memories, Nelly!!

Bruce will be at the OSU Oval on Sunday.  Guess who will be on it like fly paper?!!!!

Free Preferred tickets obtained and didn't even have to sign my life away....

A beautiful fall afternoon with Bruce(Oh and Vote for Change! )..
even if it is just a short little sighting, it will help ease the withdrawal pains...