Dave Grohl played a secret show at the Largo in Los Angeles on Monday, bringing his ‘Hanukkah Sessions’ with Greg Kurstin to a live format for the first time, joined by a star-studded list of special guests.
The gig at the 250-capacity club was presented by director Judd Apatow, with money raised from the night going to the Anti-Defamation League. Grohl (who is not Jewish) and Kurstin (who is) comprised a backing band of drums and keys for a slate of Jewish artists, performing songs by Jewish artists. Those guests included Pink, Beck, Karen O and Tenacious D.
Guest performers at Grohl and Kurstin’s ‘Hanukkah Sessions’ Show Included Pink, Jack Black, Karen O and Inara George
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As Variety reports, the night began with Grohl, Kurstin and Apatow covering Blood Sweat & Tears’ ‘Spinning Wheel’. Pink performed next, saying, “My name’s Alicia, and I’m a Jew,” before performing her own ‘Get This Party Started’. Grohl and Kurstin were then joined by Kurstin’s The Bird and the Bee bandmate Inara George, who performed 10cc’s ‘The Things We Do for Love’.
Grohl’s daughter Violet joined the duo to perform Janis Ian’s ‘At Seventeen’, honouring the song’s recently-deceased producer, Brooks Arthur. Beck emerged next, playing his own song ‘E-Pro’, before Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O came out to perform their hit ‘Heads Will Roll’.
The evening also saw Jack Black rip through Rush‘s ‘The Spirit of Radio’, before Grohl and Kurstin were joined by all guests for a rendition of Randy Newman‘s ‘I Love L.A.’ The night was closed out out by an encore of David Lee Roth‘s ‘Just a Gigolo’ featuring Black’s Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass.
Though it wasn’t made explicitly clear, it’s likely the performances will make up the third edition of Grohl and Kurstin’s Hanukkah Sessions video series. The longtime collaborators began the project in 2020, continued it last year, and have covered songs by a range of different Jewish artists including Bob Dylan, Beastie Boys, Billy Joel, the Ramones, Amy Winehouse, Peaches and more.
Further Reading
Watch Dave Grohl Put His Spin On Barry Manilow’s ‘Copacabana’
Dave Grohl Goes Full Hair Metal Mode To Cover Van Halen’s ‘Jump’
Here’s Dave Grohl Covering *Checks Notes* Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’
