Last night, the 37th Annual Tibet House US Benefit Concert brought an evening of a magical performances to Carnegie Hall in New York City by an eclectic lineup of artists that included Laurie Anderson, Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, Maya Hawke, Bowen Yang, Jlin, Gogol Bordello, Christian Lee Hutson, Shazad Ismaily, Gina Gershon, The Philip Glass Ensemble, Tenzin Choegyal, The Scorchio Quartet and The Patti Smith Band. The evening’s co-artistic directors and curators’ were Philip Glass and Laurie Anderson.
Like every year, what makes the annual Tibet House Benefit Concert so memorable and special are the extraordinary one-night-only performances and collaborations. The evening had countless standout moments as the artists celebrated the Year of the Dragon. Kicking off the night with their resonant chants, the Tibetan Monks performed to an entranced audience before welcoming Tibet House President Bob Thurman who shared his gratitude for the evening’s co-artistic directors and the Tibetan people. Laurie Anderson took to the stage to lead concertgoers through stunning soundscapes in an otherworldly guided meditation to “Walk The Dog” accompanied by Martha Mooke, Shazad Ismaily, Tenzin Choegyal and Gina Gershon on the jaw harp. Tenzin Choegyal remained on stage to perform the joyful “Himalaya,” backed by the strings of 2024 GRAMMY winners’ Scorchio Quartet, which was preceded by an experimental rendition of the Tibetan national anthem “Gyallu” – a song that is still unable to be listened to freely in Tibet.
Next up, Maya Hawke treated the audience to an acoustic, heart wrenching performance of unreleased song “Hang In There,” accompanied by Christian Lee Hutson, Shazad Ismaily and Scorchio Quartet before an airy take on “Black Ice” dedicated to her uncle, Tibet House Executive Director, Ganden Thurman. Diving into solo, stripped-back performances of “After Hours” and “Northsiders,” Christian Lee Huston then welcomed Jlin to the stage who, for her first performance at Carnegie Hall and at Tibet House, brought the tempo up with her critically acclaimed single “The Precision of Infinity” that features Philip Glass. It was a particularly poignant moment as she tearfully confessed to the audience, “I never thought as a Black woman from Gary, Indiana I’d be here at Carnegie Hall.”
Playing Part Eight of “Music in Twelve Parts,” the renowned Philip Glass Ensemble captivated concertgoers before training a spotlight on Philip Glass, who was seated in a box over the audience, to thunderous applause. Introduced by Laurie Anderson, Saturday Day Night Live favorite Bowen Yang brought some comedy to Carnegie, “I’m wearing Fenty Beauty concealer, just like Allen Ginsberg would have wanted,” before reading the acclaimed poet’s “Who Be Kind To” accompanied by the Patti Smith Band. He then introduced Maggie Rogers who performed stunning versions of fan-favorite “Alaska” and her latest single, “Don’t Forget Me,” before introducing Joan Baez which she called “the greatest honor of my life.”
After sharing the moving “GOD IS GOD,” Joan Baez brought Maggie Rogers back out for a surprise performance of Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” before Laurie Anderson joined on “There But For Fortune,” which received a standing ovation and got Carnegie Hall on their feet. Dedicating “Mi Companera” to refugees and countries that should be free around the world, Gogol Bordello kept the party going with “When Universes Collide” and “Solidarity,” turning Carnegie Hall into a glorified rock arena as Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, Maya Hawke and Bowen Yang danced on stage before the entire company returned to close the show with Joan Baez’s famed anthem “We Shall Overcome.” Uma Thurman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Arden Wohl and Jonah Freeman served as the evening’s honorary chairs.
The festivities continued late into the night as the performing artists, VIPs, and Tibet House supporters including Chloë Sevigny, Clairo, Sarah Morris, Jason Weinberg and more enjoyed the elegant post-concert gala at Ziegfeld Ballroom -- a perfect end to one of the longest-running and most acclaimed live cultural events in New York City. Proceeds support the work of Tibet House US as they forge ahead with their mission to protect, preserve, and empower the unique Tibetan culture.
Throughout its rich history, the Tibet House US Benefit Concert has had hundreds of world-class artists participate, including boygenius, Alabama Shakes, Phoebe Bridgers, Carly Simon, David Bowie, Stephen Colbert, Lou Reed, Sharon Jones, FKA twigs, The Roots, Jim James, Vampire Weekend, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Blood Orange, Sigur Ros, R.E.M, Emmylou Harris, Jon Batiste, Nathaniel Rateliff, Jason Isbell, Iggy Pop, The Flaming Lips, Keanu Reeves, Eddie Vedder, Annie Lennox, Brittany Howard, Black Pumas, Cage The Elephant, Cyndi Lauper, Trey Anastasio and many, many more. The event has garnered praise from many, including New York Times, Rolling Stone, Hollywood Reporter, Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly, Associated Press, Billboard, Vogue, and more.
