12-12-12: How The Sandy Relief Concert Drew Billions Of Viewers

If there is one defining characteristic of America, and people in general, it is that when disaster strikes we come together. Hurricane Sandy was a freakish storm that caused intense damage to an area not prepared for hurricanes, took people’s lives, and left many without food, water, or electricity. In response to the devastation, the 12-12-12 Concert was organized to provide relief. Within minutes of tickets being open for sale they were sold out and added up to $30 million in funds.
 What an Amazing Lineup!
The musical lineup at the concert was simply astounding. To jump ahead to one of the last performances of the night, after performing a few songs of his own, Paul McCartney took on the role of Kurt Cobain and performed with the remaining Nirvana members. The opening act was Bruce Springsteen and the East Street Band, and there are too many amazing acts between them and the end to discuss in detail. The list of notable performers includes, in no particular order: Bon Jovi, Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam, Roger Waters from Pink Floyd, Kanye West, Chris Martin from Coldplay, Billy Joel, the Rolling Stones, Daltrey and Townsend from The Who, Alicia Keys, and more. Many of the performers joined up with other acts, making the whole night a list of unique performances.

 Singing for the Cause
In addition to the high-profile musical acts, many of the celebrities and musicians chose acts that highlighted the meaning behind the concert. Alicia Keys is a native New Yorker, lending even more power behind her performance of “Empire State of Mind” that included the appearance of many rescue workers from the city on stage. As for the speakers, Billy Crystal was raised in Long Beach, Susan Sarandon was born in New York, and Adam Sandler grew up in Brooklyn. Sandler even delivered a parody of “Hallelujah” that expressed his anger at Sandy and his desire to “Kung Fu” it. Other guests included Leonardo DiCaprio, Brian Williams, Ben Stiller, Jake Gyllenhall, and Chelsea Clinton.
 Community Spirit with Thousands Involved
For a concert like this to be successful, it requires a willingness on the parts of the people to offer their time and money to the cause. Several factors play into why this concert was so successful from both a fundraiser standpoint and the massive number of viewers it garnered from online streaming, attendees, and people watching through channels provided by www.cablenet.net.
No matter how great the lineup may be, it takes a great cause to make over 2 billion people simultaneously take the same action.
Hurricane Sandy was a natural disaster that hit one of the most influential and symbolic portions of the country, and the world stood together to help support and uplift them. If for some reason you were not aware that the fundraiser was taking place or just happened to miss it, please take the time to visit the official websites of the concert and of the Robin Hood Foundation, the charity group that helped to organize and run the event. Any donation, however small, can add up to help ease the suffering of your fellow man.
Craig Linden is an avid cable TV fan. He enjoys keeping up with the latest shows and sharing his observations on various entertainment websites.