July 04, 2005

What a surprise?! Maybe that's what people thought when they enjoyed the six-song set played by Bruce Springsteen at Keflavik International Airport when his plane stopped early Wednesday to refuel. "He just came in and did some songs," said Federick Johnson, a service manager at the airport. Strolled into the terminal with his acoustic guitar, Springsteen played "Dancing in the Dark," "Bobby Jean" and "This Hard Land," along with "Working on the Highway," "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?" and "I'm on Fire."

Robby Takac, Goo Goo Dolls bassist, is in the schools supplying donated instruments collected by his Music is Art Foundation. There, at the Albright-Knox Art Museum, he curating an exhibit and helping an HMO raise awareness of lead paint-related illnesses. Moreover, he also is brainstorming with his alma mater, Medaille College, on music-teaching ideas.

Express in words what he's done, Takac admits, "I don't consider myself any kind of, like, philanthropist, or any sort of weird, self-righteous savior of the universe or anything like that. It's just, coincidentally, I'm having the time of my life and great things are happening, so I may as well keep it rolling."