Music industry-oriented fundraising platform Fandiem on Wednesday hosted its first-ever “Holiday Superjam” at Brooklyn, NY’s Brooklyn Bowl. Over the course of the two-set show, the funky house band—featuring The Nth Power’s Nikki Glaspie (drums, vocals) and Nick Cassarino (guitar, vocals) and Dumpstaphunk’s Ivan Neville (keys, vocals) and Tony Hall (bass, vocals)—worked through a long list of classic songs with help from a rotating cast of special guests including George Porter Jr., Craig Robinson, Reggie Watts, Louis Cato, Shira Elias, River Eckert. The result made this cold December evening in New York feel more like a hot, swampy Jazz Fest late-night in New Orleans—a brand of fleeting magic with which many in attendance, both onstage and in the audience, were well acquainted.
Following first-set pairings of Bobby Womack’s “Across 110th St.”/”Nobody Wants You When You’re Down and Out” and Sly & The Family Stone’s “Family Affair”/”Everyday People”, Reggie Watts—the longtime bandleader on The Late Late Show with James Corden—strolled onstage during the introduction to “What’s Love Got to Do with It” and proceeded to give his best Tina Turner impression on lead vocals. From there, legendary The Meters bassist and funk pioneer George Porter Jr. joined in to steer the ship toward New Orleans for classic Meters cuts “Just Kissed My Baby” and “Africa” (complete with “New Orleans” alternate lyrics).
Next, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert bandleader Louis Cato joined the fray, singing lead vocals and trading runs with Shira Elias on a moving cover of Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”. From there, Cato shifted to bass and River Eckert got involved on piano for a set-closing “Take Me to the River”.
Even beyond the two-set Superjam, the event was full of surprises. The night got started with DJ Logic behind the decks, Reggie Watts delivered a brief DJ performance of his own during set break, and teenage piano prodigy River Eckert offered up a pair of brief solo mini-sets—the second of which included a surprise sit-in by beloved comedic actor and Nasty Delicious bandleader Craig Robinson on vocals for John Lennon’s “Imagine”.
When the band re-emerged for the second round of the Fandiem Holiday Superjam, they took their time easing into a thick, driving groove that eventually took shape as The Who’s “Eminence Front”. Partway through the song, rapper Mr. AT—a former cohort of Cassarino’s in Big Daddy Kane’s Lifted Crew—for a freestyle rap verse that served as an unexpected highlight of the multi-genre spectacle.
Following a bombastic take on Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On” featuring the core band and Elias, the group shifted its focus to The Purple One for back-to-pack Prince covers, “Little Red Corvette” and “I Would Die 4 U”, giving Cassarino a chance to flex his jaw-dropping fretboard heroics. A hair-raising duet on Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” led by Neville and Elias then set up George Porter Jr.’s return to action for two more from his massive cache of classic NOLA songs: “Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley”, the Allen Toussaint-penned Robert Palmer track originally recored with The Meters and Lowell George (Little Feat) as the backing band, and “He Bite Me (The Dragon)”, the gritty Meters deep cut.
Craig Robinson jumped back in on lead vocals next for a soulful run through Bill Withers’ ubiquitous “Use Me”, which led into a a romp through Stevie Wonder-penned Chaka Khan/Rufus gem “Tell Me Something Good” and, in turn, a Reggie Watts-led take on Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”, leaving lips grinning and heads shaking as the ensemble briefly cleared the stage. Finally, as the clock ticked toward midnight, the all-star crew returned to the stage and howled at the moon for one last number, Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London”.
The Fandiem Holiday Superjam benefitted Music Will, the largest nonprofit music program in the U.S., which provides hands-on, culturally responsive music education to more than 1,000,000 students in thousands of public schools nationwide, and Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, who offer services and financial assistance for career musicians and music industry professionals. Grants are earmarked for medical and vital living expenses, including insurance premiums, prescriptions, medical treatment and operative procedures, housing costs, food costs, utilities, and other basic necessities. For more information about Fandiem, head here.
Below, check out the setlist from the two-set Fandiem Holiday Superjam, a selection of crowd-shot videos from the show, and a gallery of photos via Ken Spielman. For more information about Fandiem, head here.
Fandiem Holiday Superjam ft. George Porter Jr. – “Just Kissed My Baby” (The Meters) – 12/17/25
[Video: themeboudin]
Fandiem Holiday Superjam ft. Craig Robinson, Reggie Watts, River Eckert, More – “Werewolves of London” (Warren Zevon) – 12/17/25
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Setlist: Fandiem Holiday SuperJam | Brooklyn Bowl | Brooklyn, NY | 12/17/25
Set One: Miss You, Across 110th St./Nobody Wants You When You’re Down & Out, Family Affair > Everyday People, What’s Love Got to Do With It [1], Just Kissed My Baby [2], Africa [3], Man in the Mirror [4], Take Me to the River [5]
Set Two: Eminence Front [6], Ramble On, Little Red Corvette > I Would Die 4 U, Time After Time, Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley [2] > He Bite Me [2], Use Me [7], Tell Me Something Good, I Wanna Dance With Somebody [8]
Encore: Werewolves of London [9]
[1] Reggie Watts joins after intro (lead vocals)
[2] with George Porter Jr. (bass guitar, vocals)
[3] with George Porter Jr. (bass guitar, vocals) and Louis Cato (vocals)
[4] with Louis Cato (vocals)
[5] with Louis Cato (bass) and River Eckert (piano)
[6] with Mr. AT (freestyle rap verse)
[7] with Craig Robinson (vocals)
[8] with Reggie Watts (vocals)
[9] with Craig Robinson (vocals), Reggie Watts (vocals), River Eckert (piano)
Additional notes: House band featured Nick Cassarino (guitar, vocals), Nikki Glaspie (drums, vocals), Tony Hall (bass, vocals), and Ivan Neville (keys, vocals), with Shira Elias (vocals) on most songs. Special guests rotated in and out as noted above. Setlist details may be incomplete.
