The star-studded Love Rocks benefit returned this week, broadcasting live from the Beacon Theatre via FANS.live.

The famous faces at the event extended beyond the music as performers Jeff Garlin and Michael Imperioli acted as hosts – special guest Tina Fey also made an appearance, as did Bill Murray who surprised viewers early on with a drum duel alongside Pedrito Martinez.

As for the music, Grace Potter made waves at the top of the setlist, offering some rock and roll vibes with Martinez on Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” before Ivan Neville took things down to NOLA with Allen Toussaint’s “Yes We Can Can.”

(Neville – along with several others – notoriously caught COVID-19 at 2020’s Love Rocks event, which took place on March 13, 2020 on the cusp of the COVID-19 crisis in New York City.)

British songstress Yola then took the stage to sing her own “Hold On,” followed by the live debut of her track “Stand For Myself.”

Later, guitarist/former New York Yankee Bernie Williams surprised fans with a collaboration on “Cheap Sunglasses” with ZZ Top’s Bily Gibbons and photographer/musician Danny Clinch. Williams followed that with a sneering version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Foxy Lady,” featuring Gibbons and sacred steel master Robert Randolph.

Other highlights included Potter and Jon Bon Jovi going back-and-forth on the hit “You Give Love A Bad Name” and plenty of Warren Haynes action – namely on Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See” (with Williams and Randolph), the Allman Brothers’ “Old Friend” (acoustic) and Leon Russell’s “Delta Lady” (with Potter and Martinez).

Sarah Bareilles and Yola offered some of the evening’s best vocal performances on “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and Nathaniel Rateliff nodded to late NYC music icon/WFUV host Rita Houston with his tune “Time Stands.” (Rateliff also did his best Van Morrison with a take on “Caravan.”)

From there, Gary Clark Jr. plugged in, and cranked up the blues-rock with his own “When I’m Gone” and “Feed The Babies.”

The evening ended a few songs later, with Randolph, Joe Bonamassa and longtime Love Rocks participant Jimmy Vivino trading licks on The Alabama State Troupers’ “Going Down.”

However, Love Rocks was sure to have one more love-fest, as the entire case of musicians returned for an encore of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

As always, Love Rocks raised money for those in need. According to organizers, “This year’s concert event will also pay tribute to the NYC Frontline workers who have played a critical role in supporting the city during the pandemic. God’s Love We Deliver, which was founded during the AIDS pandemic in 1985, has been an essential services provider during COVID-19, and its staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to continue to cook and home-deliver medically tailored meals to its clients living with severe illness, meeting the ever-growing demand for its services.”

Visit LoveRocksNYC.com for more info.

Check out the entire show and setlist (via setlist.fm) below:

Love Rocks
June 3, 2021
Beacon Theatre, New York City

American Girl – Grace Potter, Pedrito Martinez

Yes We Can Can – Ivan Neville, Jimmy Vivino

Hold On – Yola

Stand For Myself – Yola, live debut

Supercharged – Ayron Jones

Help! – Emily King

Cheap Sunglasses – Billy Gibbons, Bernie Williams, Danny Clinch

Foxy Lady – Bernie Williams, Billy Gibbons, Robert Randolph

American Reckoning – Jon Bon Jovi

You Give Love a Bad Name – Jon Bon Jovi, Grace Potter

Can’t You See – Warren Haynes, Robert Randolph, Bernie Williams

Old Friend – Warren Haynes, acoustic

Delta Lady – Warren Haynes, Grace Potter, Pedrito Martinez

Down by the River – Tash Neal, Jimmy Vivino

Brave – Sara Bareilles

If I Can’t Have You – Sara Bareilles, Emily King

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Sara Bareilles, Yola

Ain’t No Sunshine – Fantastic Negrito, Pedrito Martinez, Bernie Williams

How Long? – Fantastic Negrito

Time Stands – Nathaniel Rateliff, dedicated to WFUV host Rita Houston

Caravan – Nathaniel Rateliff

When I’m Gone – Gary Clark Jr., Pedrito Martinez

Feed the Babies – Gary Clark Jr., Pedrito Martinez

Knockin’ – Ledisi

Them Changes – Ledisi

Breaking Up Somebody’s Home – Joe Bonamassa

Going Down – Robert Randolph, Joe Bonamassa, Jimmy Vivino

Enc:
While My Guitar Gently Weeps – Everyone

Notes:
House Band: Will Lee, Larry Campbell, Steve Gadd, Eric Krasno, Shawn Pelton, Ricky Peterson, Jeff Young, God’s Love Horns & We Deliver Singers