ANTONOFF, ISBELL LEAD ALLY COALITION BENEFIT
Jack Antonoff once again wheeled out a dazzling surprise lineup for the ninth annual Ally Coalition Talent Show at New York's Skirball Center Tuesday (12/19), welcoming Jason Isbell, Claud, Clairo, St. Vincent, his seldom-seen side project Red Hearse, his band Bleachers and even his father Rick onstage. The event raised more than $430k to support unhoused LGBTQ+ youth.
"I love this night," Antonoff told the crowd after opening at the piano with a two-song set of "Goodmorning" and "Merry Christmas, Please Don't Call." The latter was debuted at the 2022 edition of the benefit but has yet to be officially released. From there, the show featured a succession of high-profile friends and collaborators, including Antonoff's former fun. bandmate Andrew Dost and Bartees Strange, whose mother joined on vocals for a rendition of George Gershwin's "Summertime."
Isbell joked about how Antonoff asked him to facilitate an intro to the late John Prine during their first meeting backstage at the Grammys, and proceeded to cover Prine's "Hello in There." Alluding to the vocal prowess of Strange's mom, he added that he used to hide his mom's Journey cassettes from her when he was a kid to prevent her from being able to sing along with them.
Antonoff and Bleachers anchored the guest-filled last portion of the show in various musical incarnations, beginning with a solo acoustic take on "I Want To Get Better" during which Antonoff humorously spaced on how to begin the second verse. Claud's cover of Taylor Swift's "Betty" was the next best thing to an actual appearance by Swift, whose most recent work in the studio with Antonoff on Midnights is nominated for multiple Grammys. Afterward, Rick Antonoff joined Claud on acoustic guitar for "Soft Spot," while Clairo gamely attempted Vashti Bunyan's "Winter Is Dead" before giving up and moving onto her own "Blouse" ("this is so nerve-wracking!," she said).
One of the bigger surprises of the show was a two-song set from Red Hearse, Antonoff's pseudo-R&B trio with vocalist Sam Dew and producer Sounwave. The group released a self-titled album in 2019 but hasn't been heard from much since, although Antonoff said at one point, "we should make another album or something." The show wound down with an appearance by another Antonoff collaborator, St. Vincent, who performed "... At the Holiday Party" and "New York" accompanied by him on piano.
Sets from comedians Sarah Sherman, Sam Jay, Jacqueline Novak and Chris Laker were interspersed with the music, while Antonoff's sister Rachel served as the MC and referenced getting too high on an edible at last year's gathering (we know the feeling!). The concert was preceded on 12/16 by Ally Coalition's second annual Day of Services in New York, which provided at-risk LGBTQ+ youth with hot meals, clothing, supplies and medical services.
