“Good evening, Hollywood-fucking-Bowl!” Paul McCartney exclaimed to the flock of Parrotheads gathered before him. A sold-out crowd gathered at the famed Los Angeles venue on Thursday to celebrate Jimmy Buffett's legacy at “Keep the Party Going,” a laid-back one-night-only tribute show filled with select guests.
“I've had the great pleasure of knowing Jimmy, and like everyone else on the bill tonight, I said, 'This is a great man.' He was generous. He was funny. He's done almost everything in his life,” McCartney said, before launching into “Let It Be.” It was a song McCartney said he had played for Buffett at his home in the last week of his life. Buffett died on September 1, 2023, aged 76, after a battle with Merkel cell skin cancer.
Since this is a Buffett tribute, however, any painful appearances took a backseat to the party. The show officially started at 7pm, but in Parrothead's time zone, it was permanently 5 o'clock somewhere. Outside the gates, a sea of fans had donned their best tropical shirts, captain's hats and the occasional parrot accessory to kick off the festivities. Even security wore leis.
Along with the stacked musical lineup, “Keep the Party Going: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett” featured introductions — some via video, some in person — from Dolly Parton, James Taylor, Woody Harrelson, Pat Riley and Dave Matthews. Harrison Ford was there in the flesh.
“There's no other way to say it: There will never be another Jimmy,” Ford told the crowd, before introducing the Zac Brown Band as “one of Jimmy's favorite and most frequent collaborators.” The group broke into new track “Pirates & Parrots,” out April 19, and their Buffett collaboration “Knee Deep,” with Brown literally taking off his pants to perform the song in shorts and a T-shirt backed by Buffett's Coral Reefer Band.
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Mac McAnally, a longtime member of the Coral Reefer Band, introduced Eric Church, who delivered one of the standout performances of the night, as well as one of Buffett's best quotes.
“Jimmy enjoyed life more than anyone,” the country star said. “I can remember we were hiking one day and we were heading towards this view and we started talking about music and songwriting and our careers and his life and my life and death. And, “You know, Eric,” [Jimmy] he said, “Kids like us, we don't really die.” He said, “because songs live forever.”
“And he will,” Church said, as the opening chords of “Son of a Son of a Sailor” played over the Bowl and an image of a sailboat drifting across the water was projected on a screen behind the musicians. . Later, a projection of the Arc de Triomphe appeared behind Jackson Browne as he sang a stirring rendition of “He Went to Paris,” one of Buffett's biggest hits since 1973. A white sport coat and a pink crustacean.
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In the second half, the set list shifted to songs Buffett wasn't exactly known for: Snoop Dogg took the stage for a performance of “Gin and Juice,” along with psychedelic visuals of Buffett in the 2019 Matthew McConaughey film . The beach bum. And Pitbull appeared to perform his own “Don't Stop the Party” before Jon Bon Jovi for “Thank God & Jimmy Buffett.”
Sheryl Crow, who delivered an audience-participation performance of Fins, recalled her adventures with Buffett and being hired by him when she was “absolutely nobody” to sing backup on his 1989 album. Go to see the Lizard. “[Buffett] it is, to me, the most beautiful depiction of what it means to be alive and awake, and absolutely present in every moment,” Crowe said.
For the home, Don Johnson – no stranger to pastels and warm vibes from his Miami Vice days — called to the stage “a bunch of guys [they] used to hang out back in the day” and introduced the Eagles. Fronted by Don Henley and Joe Walsh, the California icons played their own mini set featuring Henley's “The Boys of Summer” and the band's “Take It to the Limit” and “In the City.” The Eagles were around to back McCartney on The Beatles' “Let It Be.”
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However, there's only one way to end a Buffett tribute, and Sir Paul knew it. Grabbing a margarita, she joined the Coral Reefer Band and tribute cast for the finale of “Margaritaville.”
“Jimmy Buffett, get a big kick out of it,” McAnally said. “Raise a glass, show them how to do it.”
Jimmy Buffett Tribute Set List
“It's Five O'Clock Somewhere” – Coral Reefer Band
“Grapefruit – Juicy Fruit” – Jake Owen
“Pencil Thin Mustache” – Coral Reefer Band
“Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes” – Kenny Chesney
“Back Where I Come From” – Kenny Chesney
“One Particular Harbour” – Angelique Kidjo
“Pirates & Parrots” – Zac Brown
“Knee Deep” – Zac Brown
“Son of a Son of a Sailor” – Eric Church
“Volcano” – Timothy B. Schmit
“Tin Cup Chalice” – Brandy Carlisle
“Come Monday” – Brandi Carlile
“Cheeseburger in Paradise” – Coral Reefer Band
“She Went to Paris” – Jackson Browne
“Bubbles Up” – Coral Reefer Band
“Southern Cross” – JD Souther
“Why Don't We Get Drunk” – Coral Reefer Band
“Gin and Juice” – Snoop Dogg
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” – Jake Shimabukuro
“Don't Stop the Party” – Pitbull
“Thank God & Jimmy Buffett” – Pitbull and Jon Bon Jovi
“Fins” – Sheryl Crow
“A Pirate Looks at Forty” – Jack Johnson
“Brown Eyed Girl” – Zac Brown and Dave Grohl
“The Boys of Summer” – Eagles
“Take It to the Limit” – Eagles
“In the City” – Eagles
“Let It Be” – Paul McCartney, Eagles
“Margaritaville” – Coral Reefer Band and Company
from our partners at https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jimmy-buffett-tribute-concert-review-set-list-1235003332/