Paul McCartney's Concert for New York was a celebrity-packed evening featuring the likes of Billy Joel and David Bowie at Madison Square Garden to raise disaster relief funds following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Along the same lines, Michael Jackson, Aerosmith and others performed a benefit show Sunday at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C.

However, Neil Young [ tickets ]'s annual acoustic music shindig was certainly no slouch. The stars came out to Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif., on Saturday and Sunday (10/20-21) in support of the Hillsborough, Calif., school for students with severe learning disabilities. Both shows were sold out well in advance.

The annual Bridge School concerts always feature tons of talent and this year was no different. At least four of the acts on the bill could headline Shoreline on their own.

The big hitters were Dave Matthews, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Pearl Jam [ tickets ] and R.E.M. Rounding out the radio-friendly bill were Ben Harper, Jill Sobule, Billy Idol [ tickets ] and Tracy Chapman. With the exception of Sobule, all of the performers were veterans of previous Bridge School shows.

The strongest sets on Saturday came from R.E.M., Matthews and, believe it or not, '80s-icon Idol. Playing near the midnight hour, headliners Neil Young and Crazy Horse were perhaps the weakest link of the bunch.

Packed between the socially conscious folk of Harper and Chapman, Idol provided just the right dose of playfulness. Although performing in an acoustic setting, Idol didn't change his regular routine one iota. He was still all lip snarls and fist pumps as he rocked the cradle with solid versions of hits like "Eyes Without a Face," "White Wedding" and "Rebel Yell." He hammed it up big time and the Bridge School students that lined the back of the stage really seemed to enjoy his set.

After Chapman rode her "Fast Car" out of the building, R.E.M. came on for what would turn out to be the best set of the night. The band didn't tour behind its last album (the beautiful and unjustly ignored "Reveal"), and so this opportunity to see them live was a real treat for fans.

The group's nine-song set focused on tracks from "Reveal," opening with a double-shot of "Imitation of Life" and "All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)." The band warned the crowd in advance that it might hit a wrong note, but it sounded fresh and confident on both the new songs and old hits like "The One I Love" and "Losing My Religion," which closed the band's set.

Matthews followed R.E.M., and was able to keep the show at a high level. Playing without his band, Matthews strummed his acoustic guitar and purred into the microphone as he rolled out a string of great tunes. He spoke of how he was nervous to be performing with so many great musicians in the building, but he didn't play like he was nervous.

He began his set with much restraint, taking the energetic gospel-tinged title track from his new album, "Everyday," and turning it into a slow saunter of a folk song. But the fever rose as the songs progressed. By the time he hit the set-closer, his fantastic version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," he was strumming and singing like a man possessed.

Pearl Jam has appeared in five of the 15 years. Singer Eddie Vedder (whose new haircut makes him look like a lost Brady Bunch brother) is a passionate man and the rest of the band is very comfortable in the acoustic setting. It's hard to get tired of such songs as "Daughter" and "Last Kiss."

Young appears every year. It's always a treat to see the legend perform with his legendary band Crazy Horse, though Crazy Horse is better in an electric setting. Their best track was a cover of Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind."

The concert ended in a touching fashion as Young and Crazy Horse played an instrumental version of John Lennon's "Imagine." Matthews, Stipe, Vedder and other musicians made their way out to the stage for the song.

"Imagine" has definitely become a symbol of hope in the days following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. The lyrics were displayed on the big video screens as the stars and the fans joined voices in a wonderful display of unity.