On October 13, 1986, a ridiculous lineup of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Bruce Springsteen, Nils Lofgren, Don Henley, Tom Petty and Robin Williams played a benefit for the Bridge School, a school that assists children with severe physical impairments and complex communication needs, at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif. No one expected the benefit to turn into an annual concert, especially when there wasn’t one the next year. Yet here we are, 25 years later, about to witness the 25th anniversary of the concerts this weekend. For those of us who can’t make it to Shoreline, we can watch the action as it happens on Saturday (only) thanks to first-ever Bridge School Benefit webcast.
Jimmy Fallon will host Saturday’s festivities, for which Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Arcade Fire, Eddie Vedder, Los Invisibles (featuring Carlos Santana, Cindy Blackman Santana & guests), Beck, Mumford & Sons, Devendra Banhart and Norah Jones with The Little Willies are set to perform. Foo Fighters and Tony Bennett will also be on Sunday’s bill. You can watch the webcast through YouTube or through a custom app on Facebook. Through the Facebook app, the online audience can share photos and Bridge School concert memories on Facebook while watching the concert as it happens. Concertgoers and those watching at home are encouraged to use the “#supportbridgeschool” hashtag. The first act takes the stage at approximately 5PM PT on Saturday evening.
Here’s a look at the complete Bridge School Benefit history…
- Bridge I October 13, 1986 in Mountain View, California at the Shoreline Amphitheater
- Performers included: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Nils Lofgren, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Robin Williams, and Bruce Springsteen.
- Bridge II December 4, 1988 in Oakland, California at the Oakland Coliseum
- Performers included: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Nils Lofgren, Billy Idol, Bob Dylan, G. E. Smith, Jerry Garcia & Bob Weir, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Tracy Chapman.
- Bridge III October 28, 1989
- Performers included: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Tracy Chapman, Tom Petty, and Sammy Hagar.
- Bridge IV October 26, 1990
- Performers included: Neil Young, Cheech Marin, Gene LaFond and Larry Kegan, Jackson Browne, Edie Brickell, Elvis Costello, Steve Miller, and Crazy Horse.
- Bridge V November 2, 1991
- Performers included: Gene LaFond & Larry Kegan, Neil Young, Don Henley, Nils Lofgren, Tracy Chapman, John Lee Hooker, Sonic Youth, and Willie Nelson.
- Bridge VI November 1, 1992
- Performers included: Neil Young, Sammy Hagar, Elton John, Pearl Jam, James Taylor, and Shawn Colvin.
- Bridge VII November 6, 1993
- Performers included: Neil Young, Melissa Etheridge, Warren Zevon, Ann & Nancy Wilson, Sammy Hagar & Eddie Van Halen, Bonnie Raitt, and Simon & Garfunkel.
- Bridge VIII October 1 & October 2, 1994
- Performers included: Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Pearl Jam, Pete Droge, Mazzy Star, Ministry, and Indigo Girls.
- Bridge IX October 28, 1995
- Performers included: Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Beck, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois, The Pretenders, and Hootie & The Blowfish. Blind Melon were originally scheduled to perform, but canceled after the death of Shannon Hoon one week before.
- Bridge X October 19 & October 20, 1996
- Performers included: Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Pearl Jam, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Idol (Day 2 only), Pete Townshend (Day 1 only), David Bowie, Patti Smith, Cowboy Junkies, andHayden.
- Bridge XI October 18 & October 19, 1997
- Performers included: Neil Young, Metallica, Lou Reed, The Smashing Pumpkins, Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler, and Kacy Crowley.
- Bridge XII October 17 & October 18, 1998
- Performers included: Neil Young, R.E.M., Phish, The Wallflowers, Sarah McLachlan, Barenaked Ladies, Jonathan Richman, Eels, and Pete Droge & Mike McCready (Day 2 only).
- Bridge XIII October 30 & October 31, 1999
- Performers included: Neil Young, Pearl Jam, Emmylou Harris (Day 2 only), The Who, Sheryl Crow, Green Day, Billy Corgan & James Iha, Tom Waits (Day 1 only), Lucinda Williams, and Brian Wilson.
- Bridge XIV October 28 & October 29, 2000
- Performers included: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Beck, Dave Matthews Band, Robin Williams, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, andTegan and Sara.
- Bridge XV October 20 & October 21, 2001
- Performers included: Neil Young and Crazy Horse, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Tracy Chapman, Billy Idol, Dave Matthews, Ben Harper, and Jill Sobule.
- Bridge XVI October 26 & October 27, 2002
- Performers included: Neil Young, James Taylor, Foo Fighters (Day 1 only), The Other Ones (Day 2 only), Ryan Adams, Tenacious D, Thom Yorke, LeAnn Rimes, Jack Johnson, and Vanessa Carlton.
- Bridge XVII October 25 & October 26, 2003
- Performers included: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Willie Nelson, Pearl Jam, Indigo Girls, Wilco, Counting Crows, Incubus, and Dashboard Confessional.
- Bridge XVIII October 23 & October 24, 2004
- Performers included: Neil Young, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sonic Youth, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Eddie Vedder, Tegan and Sara, Paul McCartney, Tony Bennett, andLos Lonely Boys.
- Bridge XIX October 29 & October 30, 2005
- Performers included: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds (Day 2 only), John Mellencamp (Day 1 only), Los Lobos, Norah Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bright Eyes, and Good Charlotte.
- Bridge XX October 21 & October 22, 2006
- Performers included: Neil Young, Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Brian Wilson, Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor), Death Cab for Cutie, Gillian Welch, and Devendra Banhart featuring Bert Jansch.
- Bridge XXI October 27 & October 28, 2007
- Performers included: Neil Young, Metallica, Tom Waits with Kronos Quartet, My Morning Jacket, Tegan and Sara, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Mayer, and Regina Spektor. Eddie Vedder with Flea & Jack Irons were scheduled to perform but cancelled due to a private family matter.
- Bridge XXII October 25 & October 26, 2008
- Performers included: Neil Young, The Smashing Pumpkins (Day 2 only), Jack Johnson, Norah Jones, Wilco, Death Cab For Cutie, Sarah McLachlan (Day 1 only), Band of Horses(Day 1 only), Josh Groban (Day 2 only) and Cat Power. ZZ Top had been scheduled to perform on Day 1 but were dropped from the bill “due to a scheduling conflict.” Band of Horses replaced ZZ Top in the lineup.
- Bridge XXIII October 24 & October 25, 2009
- Performers included: Neil Young, No Doubt, Chris Martin, Sheryl Crow, Fleet Foxes, Wolfmother, Gavin Rossdale, Monsters of Folk, Jimmy Buffett (Day 1 only), and Adam Sandler (Day 2 only).
- Bridge XXIV October 23 & October 24, 2010
- Performers included:[1] Buffalo Springfield, Pearl Jam, Elvis Costello (Solo Day 1 only), Merle Haggard (canceled due to health)[2] & Kris Kristofferson, Modest Mouse, Grizzly Bear, Lucinda Williams (Day 1 only), Billy Idol (Day 1 only), Jackson Browne & David Lindley (Day 1 only), T-Bone Burnett‘s Speaking Clock Revue featuring: Elton John, Leon Russell, Elvis Costello, Ralph Stanley, Neko Case, & Jeff Bridges (Day 2 Only), and guest appearances by Emmylou Harris (day 1 only) and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (day 2 finale only).
- Bridge XXV October 22 & October 23, 2011
- Performers will include: Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Arcade Fire, Los Invisibles featuring Carlos Santana, Cindy Blackman Santana & Guests, Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters (Day 2 only), Mumford & Sons, Tony Bennett (Day 2 only), Beck, Diana Krall (Day 1 only), and Jenny Lewis.