Tibet House Benefit Concert

On Monday night my mother and I attended the Tibet House Benefit at Carnegie Hall in New York City. I had called in late January for the tickets when I saw that Billy Corgan was scheduled to perform. Then there seemed to be some uncertainty that he would be there. As my mother and I made our way up 57th street I was trying to remember not to freak out if he wasn't going to be there...well he was so it was all okay. Our seats were in the third tier. So we were far away but had a birds eye view of the event.

The Tibet House is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving native tibetan culture. It was founded by Robert Thurman who is a professor of religion at Colombia University, the foremost American expert on Buddhism, and Uma's father. The evening began with composer Philip Glass and Robert Thurman speaking about Tibet. For those of you who don't know in 1959 China invaded Tibet and since then thousands of native tibetans have been imprisoned and tortured for attempting to speak out against this action, or for simply attempting to return to Tibet. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is exiled in India. The evening was specifically recognizing the Monlam Prayer festival. (an occasion that Robert Thurman likened to Mardi Gras)

The performances began with a group of Dreplung Loseling Monks chanting a blessing for the new year. This was really neat since it is something that you don't see everyday. The first performer was Ben HArper who sang two songs that were both about Freedom and fighting political oppression.Philip Glass played a composition that he had originally composed for the Dalai Lama's visit to New York several years ago. The Natalie Merchant joined him on stage and they performed a song that they had collaborated on. THe lyrics were sung in Latin based on a 12th century poem written from the point of the Virgin Mary upon seeing Jesus crucified. It was beautiful. As Philip Glass and Natalie Merchant were exiting the stage I saw a familiar figure coming onto the stage. Natalie said "Please Welcome Billy Corgan"

Much applause and screaming. Now I was really excited but I felt that I should try to remain in the context of the event which was a benefit for a serious cause. As Billy got situated with his guitar (the Gibson 323 I think...) a few stray people in the audience called out "I love you, you rule etc" I felt a little embarrassed at that moment. I was excited for my mother to see Billy Corgan because he and The Smashing Pumpkins are all I have been talking about for the last year.

It was really interesting to see Billy perform outside of the context of the Infinite Sadness tour which was all about spectacle and crushing your head in with the music. As we know Billy has also been equally skilled at acoustic playing .He kind of sat down and sad hi. I wasn't sure if he was going to make any statements about Tibet or anything; I think his presence spoke for his support of the cause. (SP played the Tibetan Freedom concert in June of 1996 and I believe Billy is Buddhist) Billy and Smashing Pumpkins have shied away from being overly political with regards to their music etc opting to support causes over the years that they feel are about people. They have donated tracks to No Alternative album in support of the Red Hot Aids organization as well as Sweet Relief Musicians fund.

He began by playing a new song that "has no title". I cannot remember the words too well but the general theme was love and needing someone-perhaps a reflection on a past relationship or event. (not necessarily personally his own but that of the "speaker". His second song was about Death. He didn't write it and I am sorry but I don't know who did. it had a line about mothers and I almost started to cry. Billy was then joined on stage by Natalie Merchant and John Cale (Velvet Underground) and he accompanied Natalie while she sang. Then some more people joined them and Billy played piano while John Cale and Natalie sand Ship of Fools. It was so cool to see Billy play the piano however I couldn't really hear it until the song was almost over.

Throughout his appearances on stage Billy seemed comfortable and in a good mood. My mother asked me later how I thought he felt about being a part of something instead of leading the whole thing. i think he feels just fine about it. Oh and for those of you dying to know he was wearing a black button down shirt, gray pants and dark shoes.

Billy joined Allen Ginsberg on stage to accompany Ginsberg's performance of a piece entitled ballad of the skeletons and at one point he was playing his guitar so rapidly I thought he would fall off his stool.

Two Tibetan musicians/singers performed. This was really beautiful and one of the highlights. It kind of reminded everyone why we were there. Patti Smith came out and did a couple songs and two poems. In my opinion she had the largest contingent of people there to see her, with Billy second and Michael Stipe third. Michael Stipe came out and said that he was dedicating his performance to a nun who was in prison and had additional time added to her sentence because she led other tibetan nuns in recording revolutionary songs onto a walkman. Then he was joined by Patti Smith, and Billy for a performance of E-Bow the letter. I was struck by Billy's performance during this song because I was thinking how he had written an article about REM in his high school newspaper saying that they would probably never become a mainstream success. It was really beautiful. Then Michael and Natalie sang The Long Road a song by Eddie Vedder which is on the soundtrack to the film Dead Man Walking.

Then everyone came on for a rendition of People have the Power. Billy was playing guitar on this one. Then at the end the monks returned to the stage and chanted. Billy was kind of standing in the back with his arms folded and then he kind of had his arms down. Then everyone left the stage and he was kind of the last to get off. My mother leaned over to me and said "Well he's talented but can't someone tell him to stand up straight?"

A great evening for a good cause.

About the performers: Billy Corgan is the lead singer/guitarist of the band Smashing Pumpkins, whose sound is based on the belief that music has no boundaries and has been characterized as defying any genre. Their latest album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, marks the latest chapter in the band's steadily building artistic and commercial success story. In 1996 the band garnered seven MTV music video awards and was nominated for seven Grammy Awards, including album and Record of the year. Most recently Corgan composed Boom Box Music which was used in the film Ransom.