Any concert that begins with a Preservation Hall Jazz Band second line is gonna be a good one. When that second line is led by Jon Batiste and Bill Murray, however, the night is gonna be great. Kicking off the 10th annual Love Rocks NYC concert, Ben Jaffe and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band marched down the aisle of the Beacon Theatre to raise funds for God’s Love We Deliver, a charity which delivers medically tailored meals to its clients. The night promised an all-star lineup, one that wouldn’t have been out of place at Newport Folk, performing for nearly four hours. Here are some of the best:
Jon Batiste
After helping kick off the evening with “Iko Iko” and “Hey Pocky Way”, Batiste took a spot behind the grand piano, joined by Steve Jordan on drums, for an emotional take on Sam Cooke’s classic “A Change Is Gonna Come”. The protest song hasn’t lost any of its power, and unfortunately, it still remains relevant over 60 years later, as Batiste proved with his soulful rendition and his proclamation, “that’s how I know, we can win, we can win, we can win y’all”.
Mavis Staples
Whoopi Goldberg introduced a total surprise guest, the powerful Mavis Staples (who had just played her own show at the Beacon over the weekend), joined Elvis Costello, Warren Haynes and Hozier to trade vocal duties on the Band‘s “The Weight” before all shining together. Given the combined might of the folks on stage, the epic tune could have closed the night all on its own, but Staples was the true gem as the audience roared for her while Costello and Hozier each took to a knee.
Linda Perry
Linda Perry led the audience on an entirely unexpected journey with her rendition of Soundgarden‘s “Black Hole Sun”. Although she didn’t mention the group’s lead singer, the late Chris Cornell, his loss was palpable when she sang “no one sings like you anymore” and the audience. Perry followed up with her anthem “What’s Up”, pausing to note she wrote it in San Francisco during a time similar to the current political climate, before giving the audience the opportunity to shout “What’s going on?” at the top of their lungs.
Bay Melnick Virgolino
An unbilled surprise, NYC’s Bay Melnick Virgolino, an 11-year-old who had been on America’s Got Talent last year, joined ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons and Joe Bonamassa to rip through B.B. King’s “The Thrill is Gone”. Clad in his leather jacket, Virgolino was a showman and a virtuoso, demonstrating guitar prowess on par with some of the players on stage.
Zarna Garg
Along with JB Smoove and the aforementioned Bill Murray, Zarna Garg was one of a few comedians throughout the night and arguably the one with the strongest set. The Indian-American comic cracked jokes about her motherland and heritage, her mother, and her financial travails to an appreciative audience.
Paul Simon
A hush fell over the audience as the legendary Paul Simon took the stage. The Upper West Side venue was likely blocks from his home, but it’s become rarer to see Simon perform due to his hearing issues (though he does have a summer tour planned). Simon worked with a smaller ensemble to perform the classics “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”, “Still Crazy After All These Years”, and the timeless “The Boxer” as the audience sat rapt.
Nile Rodgers & CHIC
Wrapping up the evening, and following in the familial, dance vibe Mary J. Blige had just set moments earlier with “Family Affair”, Nile Rodgers returned with CHIC to perform a joyous finale which included “We are Family”, “Good Times” and, to close out the night, “With a Little Help from My Friends”, with most of the performers returning. In between trading verses, the musicians took turns playing off each other. In particular, it was fun watching the musicians with Virgolino; the comparatively tall Hozier had to duck down to his level while Rodgers knelt to play guitar, and Costello stared intently as they crooned together.