Music Saves Lives took place at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, CA December 4th for its first benefit concert. The benefit for suicide prevention consisted of a set by an all-star band of icons mostly local and ⅗ of Queens of the Stone Age that was billed as Josh Homme & Friends to keep the surprise. In between sets comedian/actor David Forseth did stand-up and helped out with the live auction.
The All-Star band consisted of Orianthi (Michael Jackson), Brett Scallions (Fuel), Billy Morrison (Billy Idol), Richie Kotzen (Winery Dogs), Kevin Martin & Island Styles (Candlebox), Julia Lage (Vixen), and Jonathan Mover (Joe Satriani/Alice Cooper). The band performed seated down, playing acoustic and electric. The first two songs “Running Down a Dream” (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) and Oasis’ “Wonderwall” were performed without Kotzen, then he joined in on the rest of the seven song set including covers by Jimi Hendrix Experience, Elvin Bishop, The Beatles, and Cheap Trick.
Homme & Friends was Homme and fellow QOTSA members Troy Van Leeuwen (Guitar) and Michael Shuman (Bass). Homme had his family in attendance including his father and sons. His oldest son Orrin Ryder joined in for “Into the Hollow” on tambourine. The five song set began with “I Sat by the Ocean” and ended with “Go to the Flow.” For being a hard-rock arena band that also headlines major festivals, it was definitely a very special performance to see the band play acoustic partially and in a venue with just a few hundred in attendance.
About SAVE: “SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education) is one of the nation’s first organizations dedicated to the prevention of suicide. It was founded on the belief that suicide is a preventable tragedy, and that every individual plays a crucial role in the effort to prevent it. SAVE utilizes the latest and most reliable evidence to develop educational programming for youth and young adults, conduct training for professionals across a wide array of industries, and support those who have experienced the devastating loss of a loved one due to suicide. Through these vital initiatives, we know we can SAVE lives.” www.save.org
All-Star Band Setlist:
- Running Down a Dream- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
- Wonderwall- Oasis
- Babe I’m Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin
- All Along the Watchtower- Jimi Hendrix Experience
- Fooled Around and Fell in Love
- Revolution- The Beatles
- Surrender- Cheap Trick
QOTSA Setlist:
- I Sat by the Ocean
- I Never Came
- Into the Hollow
- Villains of Circumstance
- Go With the Flow
