Flood Aid 2004 promised a good show for a good cause and it delivered on both counts last night at Heinz Hall.

	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Rock star Bruce Springsteen, right, and local rocker Joe Grushecky perform in the "Flood Aid 2004" benefit concert at Heinz Hall last night. Proceeds from the concert will aid victims of the Sept. 17 flooding in Western Pennsylvania that followed Hurricane Ivan. Click photo for larger image. Concert review Boss, Grushecky reign over hurricane-force Flood Aid

Headlined by rock star Bruce Springsteen and Pittsburgh's Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers, the concert also included six other acts who donated their talents to help Allegheny County victims of the Sept. 17 flooding. Tickets for the concert sold out in less than an hour.

Springsteen appeared on stage to thunderous applause at the start of the concert to introduce the first act, Joe Grushecky's son Johnny, and to thank everyone for supporting the cause.

"Thanks for coming out to help," Springsteen said, adding that he would be back later.

Springsteen returned less than an hour later, this time carrying his yellow Telecaster guitar, and joined the New Jersey band Exit 105 to perform lead on Bob Dylan's classic "All Along the Watchtower."

Grushecky came up with the idea to stage the benefit after seeing firsthand the devastation in Carnegie, where his band stores its equipment. Shortly thereafter, he was playing with Springsteen, his longtime friend, at the fabled Stone Pony club in Asbury Park, N.J., Springsteen's hometown.

By 10:10 p.m., shortly after Donnie Iris sang two hits, Springsteen returned to the stage by himself and performed an acoustic set, beginning with "If I Fall Behind."

He later was joined onstage by Grushecky and the Houserockers, who played close to midnight.

Others on the bill included Bill Deasy with Rob James, Rick Witkowski, and Jill West and Blues Attack.

Outside Heinz Hall, demonstrators held signs praising Springsteen and Grushecky for their generosity while deriding U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum. One sign read, "Bruce is Boss and Santorum is Lost" -- an apparent slap at Santorum for a lack of empathy when he visited flood victims.

The concert crowd was primarily middle-aged and very upbeat, including one man in a Santa outfit. Inside the lobby, animated conversations were held and everywhere people were smiling.

Standing just outside the door waiting for his wife was Craig Scupp, a former New Jersey resident now living in Washington, D.C., who is a big Springsteen fan.

"The great thing about musicians is they use their power to help people get through all the [problems] in their lives," Scupp said.

A Brookline couple, J. Kevin and Mary Lynn Keyho, said they had already donated money to the local flood relief effort but wanted to do more.

They talked about how devastating the floods had been -- one of their friends lost his business in Millvale -- and how much more help is needed.

Part of that missing assistance will come from the more than $270,000 raised through the sale of 2,700 tickets and concert t-shirts and through donations. The money will be donated to the Salvation Army, which has earmarked it for local flood victims.

"This is a wonderful gift to the city and all surrounding communities," Mary Lynn Keyho said.

Her husband added, "[Springsteen's] wonderful. He's putting his money where his mouth is. He has been generous to a city that he really has no connection to. What he's doing tonight is continuing that tradition for towns that could use the help."

The show began exactly as scheduled at 8 p.m., with Sean McDowell of WDVE quipping, "Can you believe we're in Heinz Hall?" He then thanked the Pittsburgh Symphony for use of the facility, Grushecky for coming up with the idea and Larry Kuzmanko, director of parks and special events for Allegheny County, for making it happen.