See St. Vincent, Jack Antonoff, Bartees Strange (and His Talented Mom) Sing in Holiday Cheer
In her song, “At the Holiday Party,” St. Vincent describes a convivial scene in which everyone celebrating loosens up, maybe takes a few pills, and lets down their guard. It’s about enjoying a safe space and being yourself, and she brought that same vibe to Jack and Rachel Antonoff’s ninth annual Ally Coalition Talent Show on Tuesday. Video from the event shows her performing that track, off her 2021 album, Daddy’s Home, with some of the night’s other performers, including Jack Antonoff on piano and Bartees Strange on guitar. “You can’t hide, you can’t hide, you can’t hide from me,” she sang.
The event, which took place at New York City’s Skirball Theatre, benefits the Ally Coalition. Over the years, the Antonoffs’ Talent Show has raised more than $2 million to support unhoused LGBTQ+ youth in the U.S. The Tuesday edition raised more than $430,000 for the organization.
In addition to St. Vincent, who also performed “New York,” other performers included Jason Isbell, Claud, Clairo, and a show-stealing performance by Bartees Strange’s mom, Dr. Donna Mitchell-Cox.
Dr. Mitchell-Cox accompanied her son for an acoustic rendition of “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess. Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Janis Joplin have all recorded memorable renditions of the tune, but Dr. Mitchell-Cox leaned into some acrobatic vocalizations, raising and lowering her hands to the pitches, as her son looked on proudly. Bartees Strange took a turn at the mic, but he ultimately looked pleased that his mom was upstaging him. “She’s, like, ridiculous,” he said proudly, according to Variety. Isbell and St. Vincent both referenced Dr. Mitchell-Cox’s performance later in the concert.
Other notable performances included Isbell’s cover of John Prine’s “Hello in There” and Claud’s cover of Taylor Swift’s “Betty,” which got the audience singing along. Clairo also performed a moving rendition of her own “Blouse” with accompaniment by Strange and Bleachers. When they were finished, each of the performers nodded at each other in approval, which is the kind of warm acknowledgement everyone should expect at a holiday party. Especially, if mom’s there.