No, Bruce Springsteen did not make an unannounced appearance at the Light of Day Winterfest in Asbury Park this year. Still, there was fair amount of magic in the night.
Take the festival show at the boardwalk’s Langosta Lounge on Thursday. Two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, Vini Lopez of the E Street Band and Ricky Byrd of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, rocked the Langosta with Springsteen and Jett classics with the help of Eddie Testa, Jarod Clemons, Joe Rapolla, Zack Sandler and the Monmouth University Blue Hawk Records band.
Lopez told E Street Band stories in between songs, and he also undersold the night. “All I can say is the more you drink, the better we’re going to sound,” Lopez said. Joe D’Urso, also a founder of the fest, walked on stage during “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy),” which, of course, featured Lopez on the original recording. “Joe knows that’s my favorite verse of that song, so I jumped up and sang the last verse of Sandy,” D’Urso said. “Right next to Madam Marie.”