The second annual LOVE ROCKS NYC! benefit concert for God’s Love We Deliver hosted live performances by the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, Norah Jones, Emmylou Harris, Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen, ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons, Government Mule’s Warren Haynes, Gary Clark Jr., Mavis Staples, Ziggy Marley, Andra Day, Trombone Shorty, Marc Cohn, Lucinda Williams, Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm with Steve Jordan, Heart’s Ann Wilson, Patty Smyth, Anthony Hamilton, the Bacon Brothers, Bernie Williams, Valerie Simpson, John McEnroe, Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo, Jimmie Vaughan, Doyle Bramhall II, Ivan Neville, Amy Helm, Allen Stone, the London Souls’ Tash Neal, Jimmy Vivino, Bob McEnroe, Tangiers Blues Band’s Chris Scianni and Danny Clinch and others. Presented by John Varvatos and Greg Williamson and hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Murray and Michael and Kevin Bacon, the concert at the Beacon Theatre raised more than $2 million for the New York City-based not-for-profit organization on March 15, 2018.
Musical director/bassist Will Lee (the CBS Orchestra) led a massive house band that accompanied most of the performers. The band also included pianist Paul Shaffer (the CBS Orchestra), guitarists Eric Krasno (Soulive, Phil Lesh & Friends) and Larry Campbell (Levon Helm, Bob Dylan), keyboardist Jeff Young (Jackson Browne), and drummers Steve Gadd (James Taylor, Eric Clapton) and Shawn Pelton (Saturday Night Live). The ad-hoc We Deliver Singers and God’s Love Horns also contributed to some of the performances.
Trombone Shorty opened the night and ignited the crowd, setting the tone for a memorable evening to follow. After an inspirational and informative introduction by Goldberg, Andra Day took to the stage to perform her song “Rise Up,” dedicated to American veterans. Musical highlights included unanticipated collaborations, including Trombone Shorty and Ivan Neville on “On Your Way Down,” Keith Richards, Steve Jordan, Gary Clark Jr. and Ivan Neville on “Happy,” Keith Richards, Robert Cray and Norah Jones on “Make No Mistake,” Emmylou Harris, Norah Jones and Lucinda Williams on “When Will I Be Loved,” Jimmy Vaughan, Doyle Bramhall, Gary Clark Jr. and Billy Gibbons on “Pride and Joy,” Mavis Staples, Amy Helm, Donald Fagen, Jimmy Vivino, Marc Cohn on “The Weight,” David Hidalgo and Doyle Bramhall II on “Presence of the Lord,” and Ann Wilson and Bernie Williams on “Barracuda” and “The Immigrant Song.” The most amusing segment of the evening happened when Bill Murray encouraged the audience to donate cash on the stage for the charity; dozens of attendees walked up the aisles and handed him large bills. The evening concluded with most of the artists returning to the stage to join Ziggy Marley for a rousing performance of Bob Marley‘s “One Love.”
Several speakers, including the hosts, and a video and slide show informed the audience on the work of God’s Love We Deliver. The agency is the New York metropolitan area’s leading provider of life-sustaining meals and nutrition counseling for people living with severe illnesses. Begun as an HIV/AIDS service organization in 1985, God’s Love cooks and home-delivers more than 1.7 million meals annually to New Yorkers living with 200 different diagnoses. All of the agency’s services are provided free of charge.
Setlist:
- Fire on the Bayou (The Meters cover, performed by Trombone Shorty, Ivan Neville, House Band)
- On Your Way Down (Allen Toussaint cover, performed by Trombone Shorty, Ivan Neville, House Band)
- Rise Up (performed by Andra Day, House Band)
- Drown in My Own Tears (Ray Charles cover, performed by Andra Day, House Band)
- I Like It Like That (The 5 Royales cover, performed by Jimmie Vaughan, Jimmy Vivino, Danny Clinch, Doyle Bramhall II, House Band
- Take Me to the River (Al Green cover, performed by Allen Stone, Nona Hendryx, House Band)
- Last Time (The Rolling Stones cover, performed by The Bacon Brothers, House Band)
- You’re All I Need to Get By (Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell cover, performed by Valerie Simpson, Anthony Hamilton, House Band)
- Love Child (Diana Ross & the Supremes cover, performed by Patty Smyth, House Band)
- Lucille (Little Richard cover, performed by Tash Neal, Doyle Bramhall II, David Hidalgo, Chris Scianni, House Band)
- Presence of the Lord (Blind Faith cover, performed by David Hidalgo, Doyle Bramhall II, House Band)
- Walking in Memphis (performed by Marc Cohn, House Band)
- Respect Yourself (The Staple Singers song, performed by Mavis Staples, House Band)
- The Weight (The Band cover, performed by Donald Fagen, Mavis Staples, Marc Cohn, Jimmy Vivino, Larry Campbell, Amy Helm, Steve Jordan, House Band)
- We Have Come Too Far (performed by Lucinda Williams, House Band)
- Two More Bottles of Wine (performed by Emmylou Harris, House Band)
- Angel Dream (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers cover, performed by Norah Jones, House Band)
- When Will I Be Loved (The Everly Brothers cover, performed by Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, House Band)
- You Must Believe in Yourself (performed by Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm with Steve Jordan)
- Just How Low (performed by Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm with Steve Jordan)
- Make No Mistake (performed by Keith Richards, Norah Jones, Hi Rhythm with Steve Jordan, Ivan Neville)
- Happy (The Rolling Stones song, performed by Keith Richards, Hi Rhythm with Steve Jordan, Ivan Neville, Gary Clark Jr.)
- Aja (Steely Dan song, performed by Donald Fagen, House Band)
- Reelin’ in the Years (Steely Dan song, performed by Donald Fagen, House Band)
- Come Together (The Beatles cover, performed by Gary Clark Jr., House Band)
- Bright Lights (performed by Gary Clark Jr., House Band)
- Pride & Joy (Stevie Ray Vaughan cover, performed by Gary Clark Jr., Billy Gibbons, Doyle Bramhall II, Jimmie Vaughan, Mike Flanigan, House Band)
- Sharp Dressed Man (ZZ Top song, performed by Billy Gibbons, John McEnore, House Band)
- Barracuda (Heart song, performed by Ann Wilson, Bernie Williams, House Band)
- Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin cover, performed by Ann Wilson, Bernie Williams, House Band)
- She Came in Through the Bathroom Window (The Beatles cover, performed by Warren Haynes, House Band)
- Melissa (The Allman Brothers Band cover, performed by Warren Haynes, House Band)
- True to Myself (performed by Ziggy Marley, House Band)
- Love Is My Religion (performed by Ziggy Marley, House Band)
One Love (Bob Marley & the Wailers cover, performed by all)
