Bono, Michael, Moby, Helpless in NY

31 Oct 2001
Bono was a surprise guest at the second New York Against Violence benefit concert.

But he was only the third of three surprises as fans waited the arrival of headlining Beastie Boys. First REM's Michael Stipe took the stage and Moby took up his acoustic guitar to accompany Stipe on a cover of the Velvet Underground's 'All Tomorrow's Parties'.

The pair followed up the song with a rendition of Neil Young's 'Helpless', and then, to everyone's surprise, halfway through the number, Bono wondered out from backstage bearing a makeshift sign echoing the song's title, 'Helpless'.

Bono joined Stipe on vocals for the rest of the song, including a momentary snatch of the opening verse from Bob Dylan's 'Knocking on Heaven's Door'.

Performances from N.E.R.D., Mos Def, The Roots, Pakistani artist Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and a DJ set by Afrika Bambaataa rounded out the sold-out show. it followed Sunday night's benefit, which also featured the Beastie Boys as headliners, along with Cibo Matto, The B-52s and The Strokes.

As at Sunday's show, the Beastie Boys performed a number of hits, including 'Slow and Low', 'Shake Your Rump', 'Sure Shot' and 'Intergalactic', often rhyming over newer tracks, supplied by Mixmaster Mike, including a performance of 'So What'cha Want' laid over the music from Missy Elliott's ubiquitous 'Get Ur Freak On'.

Proceeds from both shows will go to disaster relief funds established by the New York Association for New Americans (NYANA) and the New York Women's Foundation (NYWF) in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

RECENT NEWS

19 Mar, 2025

 Subscribers Special
One year on, one more time from the Sphere and into the mystic with Van Morrison.

9
12 Mar, 2025

Adam is the guest on the latest episode of the 'Is Breakfast Included?' podcast.

6 Mar, 2025

'An unforgettable love story and a tribute to fatherhood, friendship, faith, and music.'

26 Feb, 2025

The powerful emotions of a stadium tour. The intimate storytelling of a one-man show. First feature-length film in Apple Immersive on Vision Pro.