
Bruce Springsteen performs at Light of Day festival's "Bob's Birthday Bash" concert at the Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ, Jan. 18, 2025. (Al Mannarino | For NJ Advance Media)Al Mannarino | For NJ Advance Media
Somewhere between slugging back a shot of tequila and smearing cake icing on his nose, Bruce Springsteen shared a secret with his crowd Saturday night.
The song in question was “Pink Cadillac,” a loose and goofy B-side from 1984, and a fine match for Springsteen’s free-wheeling hour on the Count Basie stage — an unbuttoned surprise set that hurtled deep into the Jersey night.
Springsteen and Grushecky, the enduring heartland rocker from Pittsburgh, have been friends for half a century, so when The Boss decides to show up and commandeer the party — as he’s now done 13 times in the bash’s 25 years — Grushecky’s six-piece outfit acts as backing band.
READ MORE: All 337 Springsteen songs, ranked. The ultimate list.

Bruce Springsteen performs at Light of Day festival's "Bob's Birthday Bash" concert at the Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ, Jan. 18, 2025. (Al Mannarino | For NJ Advance Media)
Though it was Bruce himself who would flub the tune, stumbling over the wordy bridge, giggling to himself as he tried to power through it, finally succeeding on his third pass.
Such was the playful tenor of Springsteen’s first Light of Day appearance since 2020, and his first public performance since his arena tour wrapped in November. The 75-year-old rocker was in excellent spirits, reveling in the relatively low stakes — no burden of expectations from a crowd of 20, 40 or 60,000 diehards, who’d paid top dollar to see him specifically. No, this Light of Day show was technically headlined by John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls (who was also excellent, more on him later) and the return of New York rocker Jesse Malin, who’s been recovering from a debilitating spinal stroke he suffered in 2023.

Bruce Springsteen performs at Light of Day festival's "Bob's Birthday Bash" concert at the Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ, Jan. 18, 2025. (Al Mannarino | For NJ Advance Media)
The sold-out crowd was overjoyed to have Springsteen there at all, so any extra Boss magic was, forgive me, icing on the cake. The set was plenty sweet, as Springsteen and the House Rockers opened with Grushecky’s own bruiser “Never Be Enough Time,” where Bruce ripped a searing solo, his guitar cranked to jet engine roars.
“According to Forbes magazine, I’m a billionaire,” he said. “I wish I was, but that, ladies and gentlemen, that is fake news. Because if I was a billionaire, the first thing I’d do is buy another car. The second thing I’d do, I’d buy another guitar. But really, when the Lord comes back, he’s not gonna ask you how much money you got in your bank account. He wants to know what you’ve got in your love account.”

Bruce Springsteen performs at Light of Day festival's "Bob's Birthday Bash" concert at the Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ, Jan. 18, 2025. (Al Mannarino | For NJ Advance Media)
Next, on Grushecky’s “Pumping Iron,” Springsteen played backup dancer, flowing his arms like a member of the Supremes before engaging Danny Clinch — his personal photographer who also plays harmonica — in an energetic call and response between Bruce’s guitar and Clinch’s instrument.

Bruce Springsteen performs at Light of Day festival's "Bob's Birthday Bash" concert at the Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ, Jan. 18, 2025. (Al Mannarino | For NJ Advance Media)
It was a thrilling conclusion to an overwhelming night of rock music for a good cause, which has over the years raised more than $6.5 million for Parkinson’s research and brought benefit concerts to more than a dozen countries in North America and Europe.
More ‘Bob’s Birthday Bash’ highlights
If Springsteen didn’t steal the spotlight, much of the night’s shine would’ve gone to Rzeznik, 59, who is best known for fronting his Buffalo-born, pop-rock band the Goo Goo Dolls, and their stream of late ‘90s radio smashes.

John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls performs at Light of Day festival's "Bob's Birthday Bash" concert at the Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ, Jan. 18, 2025.Al Mannarino |For NJ Advance Media
Rzeznik elevated the night to an intimate retrospective on his band’s biggest hits, strumming intricate guitar parts for “Slide,” “Name” and “Black Balloon,” and delivering a raspy vocal that felt ready for a re-record. The crowd was enraptured, singing along heartily to the pleading closer “Iris,” and its well-worn refrain “I just want you to know who I am.”
Sadly, there was no time for a Rzeznik/Springsteen “Better Days” meets “Better Days” mash-up.

Jesse Malin performs with Bruce Springsteen at Light of Day festival's "Bob's Birthday Bash" concert at the Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ, Jan. 18, 2025.Al Mannarino |For NJ Advance Media
“It feels good to be straight up,” Malin said, noting how he’d been practicing that standing move 15 times a day at home.

Willie Nile performs with Bruce Springsteen at Light of Day festival's "Bob's Birthday Bash" concert at the Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ, Jan. 18, 2025.Al Mannarino |For NJ Advance Media

Bruce Springsteen performs at Light of Day festival's "Bob's Birthday Bash" concert at the Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ, Jan. 18, 2025.Al Mannarino |For NJ Advance Media
Other mini-sets included Jersey’s own The Weeklings, Dramarama (who curiously didn’t play their hit “Anything, Anything,”) and country duo Williams Honor. The bombastic band leader Anthony D’Amato, better known as Remember Jones, opened the show with some horn-heavy theatrics and emceed the long night of tunes.