While many national touring bands converged at Las Vegas' Vegoose and New Orleans' Voodoo Music Experience over the weekend, Neil Young hosted his 21st annual Bridge School Benefit at Mountain View, CA's Shoreline Amphitheater. As in years past, the event featured an eclectic mix of musicians, including Young, Jerry Lee Lewis, Metallica, Tegan & Sara, Regina Spektor and John Mayer. The reclusive Tom Waits also played a rare set backed by the Kronos Quartet. After scheduled performer Eddie Vedder--who was set to play a show with longtime friends Flea and Jack Irons--bowed out at the last minute, Pearl Jam's former opening act My Morning Jacket delivered an acoustic set which peaked with the delicate "Golden."

Unlike past Bridge School benefits, however, almost no collaborations took place during the two-day event. Before his set, Young said, "I'm not doing any songs you know, probably," and proceeded to play most of the numbers from his new Chrome Dreams II. Perhaps the weekend's most unique performance was by metal icons Metallica. As guitarist James Hetfield joked from the stage, "Metallica goes acoustic and funk" and delivered a cover-heavy set featuring semi-unplugged takes on such eclectic selections as Nazareth' "Please Don't Judas Me," Garbage's "I'm Only Happy When It Rains," Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms" and Bob Seger's "Turn the Page." The group has long claimed that its 1997 performance at the Bridge School inspired the band to add an acoustic segment to its live show. Mayer also got into the cover game and delivered a
version of Tom Petty's "Free Falling."

Neil Young is currently in the midst of an extended tour in support of Chrome Dreams II. The format of the guitarist's tour features an acoustic, mostly solo set followed by a fully electric performance.

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