Hurricane Sandy benefit gig premieres ‘Nirvartney’
Macca/Nirvana collaboration was just one of the highlights from rock star-studded show
The remaining members of Nirvana and Paul McCartney performed a brand new song together last night at the 12/12/12 Hurricane Sandy Benefit gig. The track is called ‘Cut Me Some Slack’ and was written by Dave Grohl and the former Beatle for the soundtrack to Grohl’s forthcoming documentary, ‘Sound City’.
Before launching into the performance at New York’s Madison Square Garden, McCartney said "So recently, some guys asked me to go and jam with them. I finally understood that I was in the middle of a Nirvana reunion."
The line up for the gig read like a who’s who of the rock world: Eric Clapton, The Who, Bon Jovi and the Rolling Stones all took to the stage, along with Roger Waters who sang ‘Comfortably Numb’ with Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder.
Clapton began his set with an acoustic ‘Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out’ before an electric ‘Got To Get Better In A Little While’ and ‘Crossroads’. The Who did 'Who Are You', followed by 'Bell Boy' alongside a video of their late drummer Keith Moon, plus 'Pinball Wizard', 'Baba O'Riley' and 'Love Reign O'er Me', while The Stones did ‘You Got Me Rocking’ and ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’.
New Jersey boys Bon Jovi played ‘It’s My Life’ and ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ and duetted with another Jersey veteran, Bruce Springsteen, on ‘Born to Run’. Springsteen opened the show with his E Street Band and ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’. Speaking about the damage to his home state, Springsteen told the crowd, "It was painful to see it damaged... because the Jersey Shore has always been a special place, because it’s inclusive... I pray that that characteristic remains on the Jersey Shore, that’s what makes it special.”
The gig was streamed live online worldwide and will be broadcast on Sky Arts tonight.