Picture this: a billionaire dropping a small fortune on what basically amounted to a rock legend jam session for his company's holiday shindig. Doesn't that just scream extravagance? But wait, this isn't just any party—it's the kind of event that leaves you wondering why everyday folks can't even dream of such indulgence. And here's where it gets really intriguing: when you're sitting on a net worth pushing $9 billion, as per Bloomberg's billionaire profiles, throwing an epic bash becomes not just possible, but practically effortless. For Todd Boehly, the chairman of Eldridge Industries, the choice of entertainment was refreshingly straightforward: anyone famous who was willing to show up. On a chilly Thursday evening, he hosted an unforgettable gathering at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, featuring none other than Slash as the star, backed by a revolving lineup of music royalty including Eddie Vedder, Anthony Kiedis, YUNGBLUD, Brandi Carlile, and Bruno Mars.
This exclusive soirée wasn't just a casual get-together—it was a high-energy concert experience. Slash led an all-star band dubbed 'The Dirty Bats,' which included Chad Smith on drums from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Duff McKagan on bass from Guns N’ Roses, and the talented producer Andrew Watt handling guitar duties. According to setlist.fm, they kicked things off with YUNGBLUD teaming up for fiery covers of Black Sabbath's 'War Pigs' and The Rolling Stones' 'Start Me Up.' Next up was Brandi Carlile, who delivered soul-stirring takes on Led Zeppelin's 'Black Dog' and her own heartfelt tune 'The Story.' Anthony Kiedis then took center stage for Motörhead's high-octane 'Ace of Spades' and Iggy and the Stooges' raw 'Search and Destroy.'
Eddie Vedder followed, treating the crowd to a Pearl Jam medley with classics like 'Corduroy,' 'Better Man,' and 'Wishlist,' plus a wild ride through Dead Boys' 'Sonic Reducer.' Bruno Mars wrapped it up with his own five-song extravaganza, including Led Zeppelin's electrifying 'Whole Lotta Love,' The Police's smooth 'Roxanne,' Jimi Hendrix's groovy 'Fire,' Michael Jackson's iconic 'Dirty Diana,' and Nirvana's grunge anthem 'Smells Like Teen Spirit.' To cap off the night, the entire ensemble reunited for a rousing rendition of Chuck Berry's timeless 'Johnny B. Goode.' Videos of the performance and the complete setlist are embedded below for your viewing pleasure.
To give you some background, Todd Boehly launched Eldridge Industries back in 2015 as a diverse holding company with investments in exciting ventures like DraftKings for sports betting, Vivid Seats for ticket sales, ownership stakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, Fanatics for sports merchandise, and more. On the entertainment front, they control Dick Clark Productions and even the rights to the prestigious Golden Globes. Boehly himself shares control of Chelsea F.C. in the Premier League and RC Strasbourg in Ligue 1, showing his deep ties to sports and media. In essence, financing this private concert spectacle was likely pocket change for someone with such a sprawling empire—think of it as a tiny drop in a very large ocean of wealth.
But here's the part most people miss: is this kind of lavish spending a harmless perk of success, or does it highlight a growing divide in society where the ultra-rich can indulge in fantasies that the rest of us only see on stage? And this is where it gets controversial—some might argue it's just good business networking, fostering creativity and team spirit among employees, while others could see it as wasteful excess, especially when global issues like poverty and inequality persist. What do you think? Should billionaires like Boehly channel more of their resources into charitable causes, or is hosting star-studded parties a valid way to boost morale and innovation? Do you agree that this event was 'ridiculous' in the best way, or does it rub you the wrong way? We'd love to hear your opinions in the comments—let's spark a discussion!
Setlist
War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover with YUNGBLUD)
Start Me Up (The Rolling Stones cover with YUNGBLUD)
Black Dog (Led Zeppelin cover with Brandi Carlile)
The Story (Brandi Carlile cover with Brandi Carlile)
Ace of Spades (Motörhead cover with Anthony Kiedis)
Search and Destroy (Iggy and the Stooges cover with Anthony Kiedis)
Unknown song (with Eddie Vedder)
Corduroy (Pearl Jam cover with Eddie Vedder)
Better Man (Pearl Jam cover with Eddie Vedder)
Wishlist (Pearl Jam cover with Eddie Vedder)
Sonic Reducer (Dead Boys cover with Eddie Vedder)
Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin cover with Bruno Mars)
Roxanne (The Police cover with Bruno Mars)
Fire (Jimi Hendrix cover with Bruno Mars)
Dirty Diana (Michael Jackson cover with Bruno Mars)
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana cover with Bruno Mars)
Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry cover with Eddie Vedder, YUNGBLUD, Anthony Kiedis, Brandi Carlile, and Bruno Mars)
