Rain doesn't dampen spirit at 9/11 'Never Forget Concert' at Jones Beach

Call it the calm before the storm. Despite the looming threat of Hurricane Henri, thousands of Long Islanders came to Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater on Saturday to not only hear live music but also pay respect to the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, commemorating its 20th anniversary during the "Never Forget Concert."

Artists such as Journey, The Chainsmokers, Steve Miller Band, Jesse Colin Young, John Fogerty, Ann Wilson of Heart, Lee Brice, Wyclef Jean, Gavin DeGraw, Wé McDonald, Flo Rida, Lee Greenwood, NYPD Officer Danny Rodriguez and Long Island-raised Jax joined together to raise funds for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. The nonprofit organization provides mortgage-free homes to our nation’s catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, Gold Star and Fallen First Responder families with young children.

A blended color guard of New York Police Department officers and FDNY firefighters lined the stage as McDonald sang the national anthem.

"We can never forget what happened 20 years ago when we lost 2,977 Americans," said Frank Siller, Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s CEO. "We must never forget and honor the sacrifice the men and women in uniform and first responders made by doing good and taking care of their families."

A statue was unveiled featuring a New York City firefighter and an NYPD officer with their arms around each other kneeling before an array of steel beams from the fallen Twin Towers.

After a rendition of "America the Beautiful" from NYPD officer and singer Rodriguez in the pouring rain, country singer Brice delivered his hits, "I Drive Your Truck," "Drinking Class" and "Save the Roses." Brice was backed by a house band led by guitarist-music director G.E. Smith of Amagansett, featuring David Letterman’s former bandleader-pianist Paul Shaffer. Comedian Paul Reiser served as host.

Jax, aka Jackie Miskanic, who placed third in the 14th season of "American Idol," was the most local artist as she grew up in Atlantic Beach. "Jones Beach, are you kidding me?" said the 25-year-old singer as the rain came down. "When it rains here, it POURS!"

After her piano ballad, "Like My Father," she dedicated a cover of the Foo Fighters’ "My Hero" to her first-responder father who was in the front row.

Rodriguez returned for a rousing rendition of "Into the Fire" from "The Scarlet Pimpernel" followed by McDonald who brought the house down with a sassy blues arrangement of Billy Joel’s "New York State of Mind."

DeGraw had the crowd going with his hits "Soldier" and "I Don’t Want to Be," but it was Flo Rida who injected some much-needed energy to the damp crowd.

"C’mon party people. … MAKE SOME NOISE!" he demanded. "I need everybody to go CRAZY!"

The audience got up and danced to "Good Feeling" and "My House." Flo Rida even brought Jax back out to sing on "Wild Ones" before lighting up the house with his hit, "Low."

By 9 p.m. the tide from Zach’s Bay started to rise flooding the orchestra and causing the first 10 rows to be cleared out and pausing the show for 15 minutes.

Young got the music started again with "Darkness Darkness" and "Get Together," the 1967 anthem from his old band, the Youngbloods, with Miller guesting on lead guitar.

Wilson sang tenderly on a rendition of Queen’s "Love of My Life" followed by a powerful cover of Aerosmith’s "Dream On." Then she delivered what the crowd was waiting for — the Heart rocker "Barracuda."

Greenwood pulled on the heartstrings as he crooned "God Bless the U.S.A." which brought audience members to their feet, holding hands and singing in unison.

"I am what you call the American dream, so let me take you on a vibe," said Jean before kicking into Bob Marley’s "Redemption Song" and "No Woman, No Cry." Jean and Journey did double duty as they both performed at "We Love NYC — The Homecoming Concert" at Central Park in Manhattan earlier in the day.

On his own track, "Gone Till November," Jean showed off his guitar skills by playing a solo from behind his head. He then demanded to see some "body movin’ " during his performance of "Maria Maria."

Fogerty turned up the volume with the blistering riff of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s "Up Around the Bend" and the most appropriate song of the evening, "Have You Ever Seen the Rain." More CCR classics such as "Bad Moon Rising," "Proud Mary" and "Fortunate Son" kept the crowd engaged as the hour grew late.

In a surprising move at 11 p.m., comedian, actor and talk radio DJ Joe Piscopo emerged on stage to perform "New York, New York" as Shaffer tickled the ivories.

The Chainsmokers (the electronic duo of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart) brought the most production of the night with multiple video screens, fireworks, pyrotechnics, smoke towers and swirling spotlights on "Takeaway," "Paris" and "Closer."

The Steve Miller Band took the stage just before midnight, easing in with "I Want to Make the World Turn Around" and "Fly Like an Eagle" before Miller asked the crowd "Are you ready to have a little fun? Are you ready to go to ‘Swingtown’?"

Long Islanders sang every line to "The Joker" but it was "Rock’n Me" that got them to boogie.

Journey closed out the six-hour concert and, judging by the crowd’s response to the band’s 12:30 a.m. arrival, they were the act fans came to see.

Guitarist Neal Schon took a page from Jimi Hendrix’s book by playing an instrumental version of the national anthem before the band clocked in with "Any Way You Want It," "Separate Ways" and "Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’."

Keyboardist Jonathan Cain dedicated "Faithfully" to 9/11 first responders and their families, causing people to hold up their cellphone lights.

But the biggest moment was saved for the biggest song of the night. When Journey launched into "Don’t Stop Believin’," it was as if the constant rain the crowd had to endure was forgotten judging by the level of elation.

A fireworks display concluded the show at 1 a.m. as people chanted, "USA! USA! USA!"

The concert was recorded and will be broadcast on Q104.3 FM, select iHeart stations and iHeartRadio app on Sept. 11. To donate to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, visit t2t.org.

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.