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Gary Jules sings "Mad World", as heard on Donnie Darko and the Gears of War trailer
Earlier this month was "Ho-Ho-Tel 2008" at the Hotel Cafe (MySpace) in Hollywood. The three night fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting the LAFD's "Spark of Love" Toy Drive, featured a "very good" all-star lineup of singer-songwriters and bands that included The Abdomen (MySpace), Sweet Talk Radio (MySpace), Alvin Stewart (MySpace), Holly Conlan (MySpace), Laura Jansen (MySpace), AM (MySpace), The Paper Raincoat (MySpace), Meiko (MySpace), Buddy (MySpace), Gary Jules (MySpace), Brian Wright (MySpace), Joe Firstman (MySpace), Greg Laswell (MySpace), Cary Brothers (MySpace), and Butch Walker (MySpace) for Friday, while Sunday included Jenni Alpert (MySpace), Rob Giles (MySpace), Shane Alexander (MySpace), Charley Turner (MySpace), Lissie (MySpace), Austin Hartley-Leonard (MySpace), Jay Nash (MySpace), Brother Sal (MySpace), Chris Pierce (MySpace), Jim Bianco (MySpace), Pedestrian (MySpace), Andy Clockwise (MySpace), Foster Timms, Tim Jones (MySpace), and Truth and Salvage Co. (MySpace).
As with the October Obama Nights! fundraisers, each artist was limited to about three songs per set, although Walker performed just one to the dismay of the audience, which included singer Pink, who pleaded for just one more song (he politely declined). While Meiko performed an original Christmas song, others performed covers, with Conlan performing "I'll Be Home for Christmas", Turner and Lissie performing solo versions of "Blue Christmas", and Laswell performing on piano, a song he joked about just writing, "Little Drummer Boy".
Special thanks to The Abdomen, Sweet Talk Radio, Alvin Stewart, Holly Conlan, Laura Jansen, AM, The Paper Raincoat, Meiko, Buddy, Gary Jules, Brian Wright, Joe Firstman, Greg Laswell, Cary Brothers, Butch Walker, Jenni Alpert, Rob Giles, Shane Alexander, Charley Turner, Lissie, Austin Hartley-Leonard, Jay Nash, Brother Sal, Chris Pierce, Jim Bianco, Pedestrian, Andy Clockwise, Foster Timms, Tim Jones, Truth and Salvage Co., and the Hotel Cafe.
