On Wednesday, February 23rd, New York’s Webster Hall (QRO venue review) played host to the first StonesFest. From the same people who’ve been putting on Dylanfest and Pettyfest, Stonesfest was, “A night to get drunk a celebrate the music of The Rolling Stones.” A whole host of musicians & more covered the ultra-iconic rockers for two hours and forty 
minutes – backed by the Stonesfest band & Uptown Horns, Nicole Atkins, James Burke, Hayes Carll, Michael Cera & Alia Shawkat (of Arrested Development), Danny Clinch & The Tangiers Blues Band, Jack Dishel (of Only Son), Anthony Ellis (of 5 o’clock Heroes), Matt Fasco (of Delta Spirit), Will Forte (of Saturday Night Live), Adam Green, John Herington (of Steely Dan), Alec Higgins (of Alberta Cross), Mickey James, Sammy James Jr. (of The Mooney Suzuki), Norah Jones, Tab Kubler (of The Hold Steady), Jesse Malin, Jody Porter (of Fountains of Wayne), Jason Roberts, Steve Schlitz (of Hurricane Bells & Longwave), Binki Shapiro (of Little Joy), The Sheepdogs, Evan Rachel Wood & more performed.
QRO was there, shooting the whole event (only one of two photographers to last all the way through, along with Alexis Maindrault). Your correspondent isn’t nearly enough of a Stones expert to critique the entire night, but here’s photos of everything that went down:
The Stonefest band came out on their own to start the night with “Let’s Spend the Night Together” (Between Buttons, 1967), with Alex Levy on vocals:
Click image for full gallery
Jason Roberts joined the band for “Dead Flowers” (Sticky Fingers, 1971), with Josh Lattanzi singing:
Click image for full gallery
One of the biggest stars of the night, Norah Jones (QRO live review) sang with Austin Scaggs on “Torn and Frayed” (Exile on Main St., 1972):
Click image for full gallery
Matt Vasquez (of The Delta Spirit – QRO photos) brought the honk & tonk for “Honky Tonk Woman” (single, 1969):
Click image for full gallery
Nicole Atkins (QRO live review) and Jody Porter (of Fountains of Wayne – QRO photos) teamed up for “Loving Cup” (Exile on Main St., 1972):
Click image for full gallery
John Herington (of Steely Dan) told the story of the girl with “Far Away Eyes” (Some Girls, 1978) – “Thank you, Jesus”:
Click image for full gallery
Norah Jones returned with Austin’s Hayes Carll for “Beast of Burden” (Some Girls, 1978):
Click image for full gallery
Anthony Ellis (of 5 O’clock Heroes) sang “Live With Me” (Let It Bleed, 1969):
Click image for full gallery
Jack Dishel (of Only Son) performed classic “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (single, 1968) with back-up vocals from Tab Kubler (of The Hold Steady):
Click image for full gallery
Binki Shapiro (of Little Joy) not only did “As Tears Go Bye” (December’s Children (and Everybody’s), 1965), with Norah Jones on back-up keys, but stuck around for the following “I Am Waiting” (Aftermath, 1965):
Click image for full gallery
James Burke & Mickey G got backing vocals from Nicole Atkins & Norah Jones on “Tumbling Dice” (Exile on Main St., 1972):
Click image for full gallery
Steve Schlitz (of Hurricane Bells – QRO album review – and Longwave – QRO photos) was “Happy” (Exile on Main St., 1972):
Click image for full gallery
Saskatoon’s The Sheepdogs joined for Sticky Fingers (1971) lead-off track/single, “Brown Sugar”:
Click image for full gallery
The Stonesfest band took a break while Rolling Stone cover artists The Sheepdogs did second Sticky track, “Sway”:
Click image for full gallery
“No one else wants to sing this, so I will” – Austin Scaggs. Stonesfest band returned to do “Monkey Man” (Let It Bleed, 1969) all on their own.
Danny Clinch & The Tangiers Blues Band came out in full fur for “Midnight Rambler” (Let It Bleed, 1969):
Click image for full gallery
All the johnny-come-lately photogs suddenly appeared when the surprise celebrity turned up, actress/(apparently) singer Evan Rachel Wood for “Angle” (Goats Head Soup, 1973):
Click image for full gallery
Sammy James Jr. (of The Mooney Suzuki) had some “Stray Cat Blues” (Beggars Banquet, 1968):
Click image for full gallery
But the real guest celebrity surprise was not one, but two members of the Bluth Clan, keyboardist Michael Cera & singer Alia Shawkat (of Arrested Development) for “Play With Fire” (Out of Our Heads, 1965):
Click image for full gallery
Jesse Malin & Danny Sage did disco – in the crowd, making sure everyone got down (and making extra work for already over-worked roadies) on “Miss You” (single, 1968):
Click image for full gallery
“What key is this in?” “This is in the key of ‘Bitch’,” (Sticky Fingers, 1971) with Petter Ericson Stakee (of Alberta Cross – QRO photos):
Click image for full gallery
Saturday Night Live‘s Will Forte sang “Emotional Rescue” (Emotional Rescue, 1980) – MACGRUBER!:
Click image for full gallery
Matt Fasco returned for “Can You Hear Me Knocking?” (Sticky Fingers, 1971).
After one fan yelled for it during the break between every song, he finally got “Sweet Virginia” (Exile on Main St., 1972), with Nicole Atkins, Hayes Carll, and Norah Jones:
Click image for full gallery
Adam Green brought his hat & his dance moves to “Let It Blead” (Let It Bleed, 1969):
Click image for full gallery
Nicole Atkins & Jody Porter teamed up once again (this time with Atkins on harmonica) for “Gimme Shelter” (Let It Bleed, 1969).
Norah Jones fronted while everybody else came out for “Wild Horses” (Sticky Fingers, 1971), and then everybody – including the crowd – joined in to close with “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” (Let It Bleed, 1969):
Click image for full gallery
The set list (QRO photo) never ventured past 1980 (and why would it?), with Exile on Main St., Let It Bleed, and Sticky Fingers being the main sources:
“Beast of Burden” (Some Girls, 1978) – Hayes Carll & Norah Jones
