Iggy Pop with Laurie Anderson at the 2020 Tibet House Benefit at Carnegie Hall
photo by Ellen Qbertplaya

Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, Phoebe Bridgers & more @ 2020 Tibet House Benefit (pics, setlist)

Wednesday night was the 2020 edition of the annual Tibet House Benefit at Carnegie Hall and, as usual, the night’s entertainment was curated and led by Philip Glass and featured a whole host of big name performers.

Following an invocation from a group of Tibetan monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery, Glass welcomed the audience and gave introductory remarks, and then Stewart Hurwood performed a short piece using the drones technique that Lou Reed favored (he was also wearing a Lou t-shirt).

From there, Phoebe Bridgers came out and performed her new single “Garden Song” and then welcomed The National’s Matt Berninger to the stage and they performed their duet “Walking on a String.” Matt then performed “Distance Axis” and finished his set with a cover of Mercury Rev’s “Holes.”

Tibetan musician Tenzin Choegyal performed “Snow Lion” and then Bettye LaVette came to the stage and covered of Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin'” and George Harrison’s “Isn’t It a Pity” before performing her own song “They Call it Love.”

Actress Sandra Oh came out to read Allen Ginsberg’s poem “When the Light Appears” who was followed by Margo Price who performed three songs, including “All American Made” which had her backed by the Patti Smith Band.

Next up was Iggy Pop, who read Lou Reed’s poem “We Are the People” (which Lou read at St. Mark’s’ Church in 1970) before busting out a chamber music version of The Stooges “I Wanna Be Your Dog” with Laurie Anderson, Rubin Kodheli and Tony Shanahan backing him. There may have been cellos, but Iggy still ended up shirtless.

The night ended with Patti Smith who performed her 1996 Kurt Cobain tribute “About a Boy” and “Don’t Say Nothing” before bringing everyone out for a rousing rendition of “People Have the Power.”

Check out pictures from the evening in the gallery above, and a few instagram videos and the setlist, below.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9DtG55FfC2/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9Ej8FnlSVm/

2020 Tibet House Benefit at Carnegie Hall

photos by Ellen Qbertplaya