Roy Orbison won’t be singing for the lonely on the radio tonight. It’ll be Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and a star-studded cast of their New Jersey friends, hoping to make you feel a little less alone while you’re livin’ on a prayer in quarantine. We’re talking, of course, about the “Jersey 4 Jersey” benefit show, the can’t-miss event for parents all across the East Coast, taking place Wednesday night at 7 p.m. ET. The remote concert will raise money for the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, which helps the response to the coronavirus pandemic in the state, which accounts for over 10 percent of all confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Along with Springsteen (joined, of course, by wife Patti Scialfa) and Bon Jovi, the show will feature performances by Charlie Puth, SZA, Tony Bennett, and Halsey, while Danny DeVito, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg, Kelly Ripa, Chelsea Handler, and Saquon Barkley will also drop in. The biggest draw, though, will be the first reunion of Fountains of Wayne in seven years to memorialize the band’s songwriter Adam Schlesinger, who died of COVID-19 earlier this month. Sharon Van Etten will take Schlesinger’s place on the bass. “Adam would have been proud that Fountains were helping to raise money for fellow New Jerseyans,” singer Chris Collingwood said in a statement.
If you’re in Jersey, Philadelphia, or New York City, you have some options to catch the show. It’ll be broadcast on WABC7, CBS2, NBC4, WPIX 11, WWOR 9, News 12, WNJU, and NJTV in the New York–New Jersey area, along with 6ABC, CBS3, NBC10, and Fox 29 in Philadelphia.
But if you’re really feeling nostalgic, why not gather around the ol’ radio? The special will also be broadcast on stations including 1010 WINS, WCBS 880, Z100, 103.5 KTU, WCBSFM 101.1, WFAN 66 AM and 101.9 FM, Magic 98.3, 106.7 Lite FM, 95.9 The Rat, 710 WOR, Power 105.1, 107.1 The Boss, 100.1 WJRZ, Great Gold 1410, Country 94.7, 103.7 NNJ, Alt 92.3, Max 106.3, 105.5 WDHA, 1450 WCTC, 102.3 WSUS, and Q104.3 in New Jersey and New York. (In other words, just turn the radio on and you’ll hear it.)
If you’re outside the Jersey area, you can still get in on the fun — stream the show on Apple Music or Apple TV. Sadly, unlike a Bruce show, it’ll only be an hour, so don’t be late!