The Manhattan Beat: Love Rocks NYC at the Beacon Theatre

Robert Plant, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Sheryl Crow, Hozier, Grace Potter, Billy Gibbons, and Keb' Mo' were among the headliners who performed at the third annual Love Rocks NYC benefit concert for God's Love We Deliver at the Beacon Theatre on March 7, 2019. Clothing designer John Varvatos and real estate broker Greg Williamson, founders of the charity fundraiser, helped raise over $100,000 over four hours of live music and entertainment.

Doyle Bramhall II, Danny Clinch, Mark Flanigin, Buddy Guy, Marcus King, Larkin Poe, Taj Mahal, Lukas Nelson, Ivan Neville & Cyril Neville, Alice Smith, Mavis Staples, Jimmie Vaughan, Bernie Williams were among the performers. Kevin Bacon, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Paul Shaffer, and Martin Short hosted the event; Whoopi Goldberg cancelled due to illness.

Bill Murray referred to the house band as "the greatest band in the history of rock and roll." Bassist Will Lee of The Late Show with David Letterman assembled and directed the house band, which included guitarists Eric Krasno and Larry Campbell, keyboardists Paul Shafer and Jeff Young, and drummers Steve Gadd and Shawn Pelton. Lee also assembled the God's Love Horns, featuring Evan Barker, Ron Blake, Joe Fiedler, Aaron Heick, Jim Hynes and Andy Snitzer, and the We Deliver Singers, consisting of Elaine Caswell, Alecia Chakour, Dennis Collins, Chrissi Poland, Nikki Richards, and Mark Rivers.

The concert started about 8:15 p.m. with former The Late Show with David Letterman announcer Alan Kalter serving as "the Voice of God," introducing the performers and making jokes invisibly from off stage. The highlights of the evening included rare pairings: Buddy Guy with Bernie Williams, Hozier with Mavis Staples, Keb' Mo' with Taj Mahal, Sheryl Crow with Lukas Nelson, Billy Gibbons with Bernie Williams, and Robert Plant with Sheryl Crow. Even the pairing of sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson was notable in that it was the first time in three years, since Ann's husband, Dean Wetter, was arrested for assaulting Nancy's then-16-year-old twin sons in 2016. The evening concluded with Plant, Mahal, Potter, and Nelson covering Big Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle and Roll" and then all of the artists returning to the stage for Traffic's "Feelin Alright."

Since its inception, the Love Rocks NYC concert series has raised nearly $6 million dollars for God's Love We Deliver. The non-profit agency is largely powered by volunteers and daily provides free meals and nutritional counseling for thousands of homebound New Yorkers and their families.

Setlist:

White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane cover, with Grace Potter)
Proud Mary (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover, with Grace Potter) (followed by Martin Short segue)
All Your Love (I Miss Loving) (Otis Rush cover, with Jimmie Vaughan, Mike Flanigin, Danny Clinch, and Doyle Bramhall II)
Ophelia (The Band cover, with Larkin Poe)
Forget about Georgia (Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real cover, with Lukas Nelson)
Find Yourself (Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real cover, with Lukas Nelson)
Damn Right I Got the Blues (with Buddy Guy and Tom Hambridge)
Cognac (with Buddy Guy and Tom Hambridge) (followed by Kevin Bacon segue)
Street Parade (Earl King cover. with Ivan Neville and Cyril Neville)
Touch the Hem of His Garment (The Soul Stirrers cover, with Alice Smith)
Fool for You (The Impressions cover, with Alice Smith)
Cry Baby (Janis Joplin cover, with Marcus King)
We're a Winner (with Keb' Mo' and Bernie Williams)
Leaving Trunk (Taj Mahal cover, with Taj Mahal, Keb' Mo' & Bernie Williams)
All around the World (with Taj Mahal, Keb' Mo', and Bernie Williams) (followed by Martin Short segue)
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher (Jackie Wilson cover, with Hozier)
Take Me to Church (with Hozier)
Nina Cried Power (with Hozier and Mavis Staples)
Wade in the Water (The Fisk Jubilee Singers cover) (with Mavis Staples)
They Gave Us the Blues (Brad Vickers & His Vestapolitans cover, with Martin Short, Bill Murray and Chevy Chase)
If It Makes You Happy (Sheryl Crow cover) (with Sheryl Crow and Doyle Bramhall II)
Everyday Is a Winding Road (with Sheryl Crow and Doyle Bramhall II)
All I Wanna Do (with Sheryl Crow and Doyle Bramhall II)
Midnight Rider (The Allman Brothers Band cover) (with Sheryl Crow, Doyle Bramhall II, and Lukas Nelson)
Legs (ZZ Top cover) (with Billy Gibbons and Bernie Williams)
Foxy Lady (The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover) (with Billy Gibbons and Bernie Williams) (followed by Bill Murray segue)
These Dreams (Heart cover, with Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson)
Crazy on You (Heart cover, with Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson)
Don't (Elvis Presley cover, with Robert Plant, the God's Love Singers, and Larry Campbell)
Like I've Never Been Gone (with Robert Plant)
A Mess of Blues (Elvis Presley cover, with Robert Plant and Jimmie Vaughan)
Rich Woman (Li'l Millet and his Creoles cover, with Robert Plant and Sheryl Crow)
Black Dog (Led Zeppelin cover) (with Robert Plant and Sheryl Crow)
Thank You (Led Zeppelin cover, with Robert Plant)
Shake, Rattle and Roll (Big Joe Turner & His Blues Kings cover, with Robert Plant, Grace Potter, Jimmie Vaughan, Ann & Nancy Wilson, Lukas Nelson and Taj Mahal)
Feelin' Alright (Traffic cover, with the entire cast)