WES ORSHOSKI
Bruce Springsteen performs with Stevie Van Zandt’s and Van Zandt’s Disciples of Soul band at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, on Dec. 14, 2025.
Bruce Springsteen, a longtime supporter of the Hungerthon organization, made an unbilled appearance at the 50th anniversary Hungerthon Benefit Concert at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, Dec. 14, performing “I Don’t Want to Go Home,” “Tenth Avenue Freeze-out,” “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” and “Merry Christmas Baby” with E Street Band member Stevie Van Zandt and Van Zandt’s Disciples of Soul band.
You can watch videos of the performances, as well as what happened when a fire alarm interrupted “I Don’t Want to Go Home,” below. Under the videos is a 27-photo gallery by Wes Orshoski.
Other performers scheduled to appear at the benefit included Steve Chapin & the Original Harry Chapin Band (featuring Tom Chapin and Jen Chapin), Jim Babjak and Dennis Diken of The Smithereens, Garry Tallent, Sameer Gadhia and Eric Cannata of Young the Giant, Yola, Amy Helm, The Dixie Dregs, Jimmy Vivino with Mark Barden, Randy C. Moore and Danny Clinch.
Ticket proceeds benefited WhyHunger (formerly known as World Hunger Year), and food was collected on-site to be donated to the Shore-based Fulfill food bank (formerly The FoodBank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties).
World Hunger Year was co-founded by Harry Chapin. After singing “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” Springsteen briefly spoke about meeting Chapin in 1977, when they were both using the same New York studio to record their respective albums. Chapin died in a 1981 car crash, at the age of 38.
For more on WhyHunger, visit whyhunger.org.
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And here is a gallery of photos, taken by Wes Orshoski:
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