Kevin Bacon sings “Run Rudolph Run” as a comedy and music mix and mingle at the Yearend Soho Sessions in New York City

In its final edition in 2024, Soho Sessions, the bi-monthly charity music series, brought some comedy into the mix for the first time with a line-up curated by comedians, actors and actresses WTF Podcast host Marc Maron, along with appearances from guitarist, singer and songwriter Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Kevin Bacon.

“Comedy and music have always had the amazing ability to move people, and bringing comedy to the Soho Sessions feels like a natural evolution… It’s the perfect end to the year,” said Greg Williamson, co-founder of RWE Partners Producers behind the series, the annual Love Rocks benefit concert and other charity events. Since its inception, RWE Partners has raised $60 million through live music for various charitable causes related to mental health, music education, gun safety and more.

Proceeds from December’s Soho Sessions benefited NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), the largest grassroots mental health organization in the United States, providing resources to people with mental illness and their families and advocating for change in the mental health landscape. including improved mental health care.

“We know that the statistics say that one in five of us live with a mental illness, but five out of five are affected by it,” said Kate Kennedy-Lynch, director of external affairs at NAMI. “Everyone loves someone or is someone living with mental illness, and NAMI is here to remind you that you are not alone. Events like the Soho Sessions remind us of this.”

The evening began with the Soho House Band with bandleader Jimmy Vivino (The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien), along with bassist Adam Minkoff, drummer Shawn Pelton and Maron on guitar, before comedian Maddie Wiener opened the comedy and then switched music throughout the evening.

Wiener, who recently appeared The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallonjoked about the differences and subtleties between the genders and being non-binary. “I think people are becoming cool, even if it’s not their thing,” Wiener said. “I talked to my dad about it and said, ‘I’m kind of gender fluid.’ And my dad is 60 but still wants to be there and he said, “Oh, that’s great.” “You’re like Abby (Sciuto) from NCIS.” And I thought, “I think that’s just a gothic style.” “But I can’t be mad because it’s so far away that it’s impressive how he got there.”

(RELATED: Gary Clark Jr. Performs “JPEG RAW” During Intimate Soho Sessions Gig)

After another break from the house band with their cover of Bob Dylan’s “Going Going Gone” and Maron on vocals, comedian Nimesh Patel delivered his 17-minute performance.

“I wanted Bernie (Sanders) to win,” Patel joked about the 2016 US presidential election. “I wanted Bernie to win because I’m 38 and most of my friends have overtaken me financially, and I wanted him to win for them finishes her off and brings her back to my level,” Patel joked. “If we all go to Chipotle and everyone but me gets guacamole – no more, not with Bernie Sanders as president. Either everyone gets guacamole or no one gets guacamole.”

Towards the end of the evening, Vivino introduced Bacon after she mentioned that he had recently seen his 2008 drama Frost/Nixon. “Kevin Bacon has some scenes in it that are amazing – he’s everywhere, guys,” Vivino said. “Thanks, Vinny,” Bacon said before leading the band into Chuck Berry’s 1958 Christmas hit “Run Rudolph Run.”

Ingram, who was released Live in London in 2023, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album, was next, delivering more blues and piercing guitar solos before Maron moved on to his comedy set.

“The older I get, the more I’m not sure I can even recognize happiness anymore,” Maron joked. “I was just changing my cat’s water – I’m not bragging – and one of my AirPods fell into the water. So I fished it out and put it back in my ear and it worked. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such happiness. I thought, “Oh my God, everything is turning around.”…This is a big day. I could hear Pink Floyd in both old ears.”

Maron remained on stage for the final performance and Bacon and Ingram also joined the band for a bluesy jam-out.

Ingram and Bacon join previous Soho Session artists including Paul Simon, Rickie Lee Jones, Paul Shaffer, Marc Cohn, Gary Clark Jr., Marcus King, The Struts, Lukas Nelson, Warren Haynes, Brittney Spencer, YOLA, Amos Lee and Larkin Poe, among many others.

The next Soho Sessions will take place in February 2025.

Main photo: (L-R) Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Marc Maron and Kevin Bacon (Photo: Tina Eves)