Tom Waits played NY last night w/ Michael Stipe, Bono & Elvis Costello (but not Nick Cave)

The late, great Hal Willner died two years ago today, which was one day after his 64th birthday. An insane gathering of Hal’s friends and collaborators came together on Wednesday night (4/6) to celebrate the life and spirit of Hal Willner at a private tribute at Brooklyn’s St Ann’s Warehouse.

It was the kind of lineup that only Hal, who was known for impeccably curated tribute concerts and albums, could’ve pulled off, featuring performances by Tom Waits, Bono & The Edge, Elvis Costello, Michael Stipe, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Cat Power, Beth Orton, Eric Mingus, Teddy Thompson, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Suzanne Vega, Gavin Friday, Steve Buscemi, John C. Reilly, Emily Haines, Kevin Drew, and more. The house band included Marc Ribot, Jim White, Kenny Wollesen, Mark Bingham, Roy Nathanson, and lots more.

Nick Cave and Laurie Anderson were also scheduled to perform but were reportedly “Covid no-shows.”

Tom Waits closed the night with a three-song set that included “Oh Shenandoah” (which her performed on the Willner-curated 2006 album Son Of Rogue’s Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys) and finished with Frank Sinatra’s “I’ll Be Seeing You,” which was also the name of the night.

Other highlights we gleaned off social media: Bono & The Edge performed “Get it On / Walk On” and “Angel of Harlem,” Gavin Friday performed “Apologia and “Each Man Kills the Thing He Love,” and Joan Wasser covered Neil Young’s “”On the Beach.”

You can check out the program for “I’ll Be Seeing You: A Tribute to Hal Willner” below.