All-star events like the Tibet House Benefit Concert offers music fans a truly unique experience. There aren’t many occasions where you’ll see, for example, Orville Peck covering Lou Reed before The Bear star Ebon Moss-Bachrach delivers an Allen Ginsberg reading, Michael Stipe recites a century-old poem and then covers David Bowie, and Angélique Kidjo leads Carnegie Hall in an “Afrika” singalong — all in the same night.
Now in its 38th year, the annual Tibet House Benefit is, of course, about more than just star-studded appearances. The purpose has always been to “protect, preserve, and empower the unique Tibetan culture,” and given how those traditions are rooted in personal growth and the pursuit of peace, the mission inherently resonates with global struggles.
Hence, Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hütz calling out that, “The struggle of Ukraine, one in the same with the struggle of Tibet House!” before launching into “Solidarity.” Patti Smith added Greenland to Ginsberg’s “Footnote to Howl,” and Allison Russell changed the lyrics in “Superlover” to reference Israel and Palestine, her voice trembling with emotion. The weight of the geopolitical mess that is our current world was inescapable — but instead of succumbing, it was acknowledged as an outside force to be resisted via channeling equanimity, hope, and unity.
And so the evening’s eclectic lineup found ways to emphasize that beauty and purpose. Arooj Aftab’s mesmerizing performances of “Raat Ki Rani” and “Mohabbat” set an enchanting tone, followed by Tenzin Choegyal performing “GangeRi Rawe” from his soon-to-be-released album Be the Sky, accompanied by a Tibetan children’s choir from Queens, plus tUnE-yArDs and Gina Gershon (yes, Gina Gershon). Smith’s rendition of “Peaceable Kingdom” was the icon at her most magical, and Stipe’s cover of Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World” with Choegyal and Laurie Anderson was arguably the night’s single most powerful — perhaps only rivaled by his haunting rendition of his Big Red Machine (Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon) collab “No Time for Love Like Now,” dedicated to a late friend he last saw at 2024’s Tibet House concert.
Amidst the long string of performances were pure delights for music fans. With Merrill Garbus’ distinctive cadence and quirky timbre filling the legendary music hall, tUnE-yArDs debuted their new single “Limelight” just a day before announcing their new album, Better Dreaming; Anderson, Russell, and Gershon sang backup as the self-proclaimed “Yard Birdies.” Russell also joined Orville Peck for only the second-ever live performance of “Chemical Sunset,” their collaboration from Peck’s 2024 duets LP Stampede. Prior to that, Peck covered Leonard Cohen’s “Chelsea Hotel #2,” noting, “I’ve always wanted to cover it, and this seemed like a nice night to do it.”
All cool moments, to be sure, perhaps only topped by the all-hands-on-deck “People Have the Power” led by Gogol Bordello. However, they’re not the ones that should most stick with attendees. No, that would be things like Stipe’s gentle reading of Max Ehrmann’s “Desiderata,” with Anderson’s echoing and ethereal playing behind him, reminding us to be kind to ourselves amidst a cruel world. It felt as fitting for 2025 as it undoubtedly was in the 1920s.
At different times, Anderson led the audience in Tai chi moves Cohen once practiced, and shared their three rules for living: “Don’t be afraid of anyone… Get a really good bullshit detector and learn how to use it… Be really tender.” She added a fourth, passed down by Tibetan leaders: “Practice feeling sad without actually being sad; do not become sad yourself.”
Jackson Browne capped off the tender calls for peace (before Gogol’s rocking finale) with renditions of “Don’t You Want to Be There” and “Far From the Arms of Hunger.” His acoustic set may not have been the most immediate, but the message in those songs encapsulated the whole evening’s deeper purpose.
Such is the beauty of the Tibet House Benefit Concert: The performances may be truly awesome in their scope and exclusivity, but the sum of the experience holds the night’s real magic. Although there were dozens of “I was there” moments to recount to jealous friends later on, it’s the meanings behind them that hopefully linger.
See a photo gallery of the 2025 Tibet House Benefit Concert, including backstage shots, below.
