Back in 2001, movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and MTV’s John Sykes put together the massive Concert for New York City at Madison Square Garden.
Now David Ellison’s Skydance will offer a 25th anniversary broadcast on MTV channels on October 20th.
The concert featured Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, David Bowie, Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Jay-Z, The Who, David Bowie, Destiny’s Child, Elton John, plus Eric Clapton with Buddy Guy, James Taylor, Jay Z, and many others. Adam Sandler performed a customized “Opera Man” that brought down the house.
Paul Shaffer was the music director who had to deal with some newer acts showing up with backup tracks on floppy discs to augment their sound. I won’t who they were.
A list of artists and songs is here.
In the end, $35 million was raised for the Robin Hood Foundation, which presumably distributed the money to survivors families.
Everyone hates Harvey Weinstein now, but this was one of his philanthropic bonanzas. It will be hard to cut him out of the show or credits or pretend he had nothing do with it.
As I remember, the show was off the hook, but the after party at the Hudson Hotel was sensational. This was back when the Hudson on West 57th St., was the main location of A list parties and premieres. (Is it still open? I never hear about it.) What a time that was! Paul McCartney led the band.
In the middle of the show, look for a rare Woody Allen short film called “Sounds from the Town I Love.” It’s not available in any other form, and features a lot of name actors.
