LOS ANGELES, CA- A lineup of Laurel Canyon legends linked up for the seventh iteration of Light Up The Blues on April 26, a particularly chilly night at the legendary Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Benefitting Autism Speaks, which is celebrating its 20th year, the event once again featured Neil Young and Stephen Stills along with his son Chris Stills. Joining them this year were Billy Idol, Nathaniel Rateliff, Linda Perry, Cat Power, and Rufus Wainwright, alongside The Spectrum Bluegrass Band, Abbey Romeo, and other artists on the spectrum, showcasing the beauty and creativity of the community. What was once a humble effort led by the Stills family has, over a decade later, become one of the preeminent events for fans of CSNY and the Laurel Canyon sound, all while bringing awareness and needed resources to the autistic community.
This year’s emcee was the uproarious Ken Jeong (“The Masked Singer,” “Community,” “The Hangover” films), perhaps the event’s first licensed physician and comedian ever to host. Coming out swinging with a hilarious piano version of Radiohead’s “Creep” that he threatened to reprise in all of our homes, Jeong entertained the nearly sold-out crowd with his high-energy brand of self-deprecating humor and quick, improvisational wit.
As in past iterations, LUTB featured members of the spectrum community taking the stage to share their experiences and talents. This year’s show opened with a performance from Abbey Romeo, one of the stars of Netflix’s “Love on the Spectrum.” Terrified of the water since childhood due to her autism, she was 17 years old before she overcame her fear and learned how to swim. She performed a song she wrote about her life-changing first experience at a waterpark — a joy so many take for granted — setting the tone for what would be a heartfelt evening celebrating the many achievements as well as highlighting the myriad struggles of a vibrant community.
Christina Applegate, who has been candid about her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, made a rare onstage appearance to introduce her lifelong friend Chris Stills. Chris’s brother, Henry, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, is the reason the cause is so close to the Stills family’s heart. In the current era of polarization and misinformation, Stills understands the challenges ahead for the community and cheers on the work of organizations like Autism Speaks, which work to bring awareness and provide resources.
“An educational catastrophe is happening, which means that we just got to show up in the best ways we can,” Stills told us on the blue carpet — blue is the color of autism awareness — before the show. “We’re really fortunate to be able to show up this way. We started in 2013 at Club Nokia, and now we are at the Greek. [Autism Speaks] is a great organization to be representing the people on the spectrum. They’ve been wonderful all these years and [the event] is just growing and growing. [In today’s climate], I’m trying not to say mean things about people that are doing bad things, at a terrible time, in the worst way. This is not the world we want to live in. I think education [is key] — the more people that know the better.”
Rufus Wainwright joined Chris Stills on stage to perform “Going to a Town,” a track Wainwright described as “very of the moment.”
Venerable songwriter Linda Perry, who has penned hits for artists like P!nk and Christina Aguilera and rose to fame with her band 4 Non Blondes, performed soulful new music backed by a fantastic band. With songs that touched on themes of love, resilience, and fighting for change, her set encapsulated the spirit of the evening.
Perry was introduced by actor Gary Cole (“Veep,” “Pineapple Express,” “Office Space”), whose daughter was diagnosed with autism in 1994. He credits Autism Speaks for helping families navigate a diagnosis.
“That’s why I got involved. At that time, it was still kind of a baffling condition because it affects so many things in people’s lives — socially, learning-wise, comprehension-wise. It’s difficult to explain to people what’s going on with your kid,” Cole shared on the blue carpet. “As a parent, you realize kids grow up and they become adults, but they still sometimes struggle with what autism presents itself with.
“I’m happy to say my daughter is doing really well, and a lot of the struggles that she had she worked very hard on as a kid — she overcame a lot,” Cole continued. “That gap closed between her apprehension and frustration and she was able to organize herself. … In 1994 there certainly was knowledge of [autism] but nothing compared to what it is now. And that’s what this organization provides.”
The night continued with Cat Power bringing indie vibes with a set that included an ethereal version of her 1998 track “Cross Bones Style.”
One of the standout performances of the night came from English punk icon Billy Idol, joined by his longtime guitarist Steve Stevens on acoustic guitar. Tearing through hits “White Wedding,” “Eyes Without a Face,” and “Rebel Yell,” Idol and Stevens brought arena-rock energy to the Greek, with Stevens showcasing his virtuosity on acoustic guitar and Idol delivering his trademark snarls.
Setting the stage for the acts to follow, Nathaniel Rateliff played two solo acoustic songs that put his mountainous vocals on display. It was Rateliff’s first time playing LUTB.
“I was happy to come and be a part and happy to raise money for the issue,” he told us on the blue carpet. “I think educating people on autism is important and for us all to understand people with autism’s experiences, and just general experiences in life that we don’t understand,” Rateliff said.
Some of the warmest moments of the evening came as the temperature dropped, with the inimitable Stephen Stills taking the stage. Flanked by Benmont Tench of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers on piano and Grammy-winning producer and engineer J.J. Blair on acoustic guitar, Stills played hits that spanned his solo career and his time with Crosby, Stills & Nash. Stills brought Rateliff back for a version of “Colorado,” but when the opening chords for Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” rang out, the crowd knew exactly what was about to go down. Reuniting with his old bandmate, Stills brought out Neil Young for the evening’s most singable moment. Trading guitar solos and smiles, the two played with the energy of youths honing their chops in the garage.
Neil Young, backed by his band the Chrome Hearts, opened by debuting the new song “Let’s Roll Again,” about bringing the spirit of America back to the auto industry. Calling out Ford, GM, and Chrysler to make better, cleaner cars that “won’t kill our kids,” Young also jabbed at Elon Musk by singing “If you’re a fascist, drive a Tesla!” It was Neil Young with all his characteristic fire, never shying away from a moment to speak his truth. His set was largely made up of a 17-minute version of “Ordinary People,” a track not played since 1989, but appropriately encapsulating the zeitgeist.
Rallying the audience with chants of “Take America Back!” Young finished the night with an all-star jam of his most famous hit, “Rockin’ in the Free World.” With both Stills in tow, the band played with vigor and urgency, aware of how vital their message is.
Though storm clouds threatened to dampen the evening, it did little to dampen the spirit of the cause. From its humble beginnings in 2013 at the Club Nokia theater in downtown LA to now being nestled in the green hills of the Greek, Light Up The Blues invokes the power of music to bring people of all walks of life together, with the aim of celebrating humanity and all its experiences and dimensions.
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