Ahh, the acoustic benefit concert ... always a night full of quality music, short set lists, and talented singer/songwriters. Pete Yorn [ tickets ] headlined this one, the Gimme Shelter Benefit, held Thursday night (12/11) at the Roxy in West Hollywood, CA.

The superbly organized show, a fundraiser for St. Joseph's Venice Beach homeless shelter, gave concertgoers six quick five-song sets from indie artists Alexi Murdoch [ tickets ], Abba Roland, The Like, Mellowdrone, Lisa Loeb [ tickets ], and Phantom Planet [ tickets ]. The final hour of the night belonged to the headliner.

Clearly, Pete Yorn was the big draw of the evening, earning the night's liveliest applause. Flanked by a pair of bandmates, Yorn--dressed in a button-down shirt and a gray jacket--took his seat and proclaimed, "All right, let's play some rock and roll." His set included hits off his splendid debut, "Musicforthemorningafter," and its follow-up, "Day I Forgot," and featured fan favorites "Just Another," "Crystal Village" and "Sense."

Vulnerable but never wimpy, Yorn plowed through his hour-long set, stopping only to offer the occasional, "How are you guys doing?" and the requisite "This is a really great cause." But mostly, his time onstage was spent focused on the music. A spirited "Strange Condition," the singer's biggest hit, roused the mellow crowd. Yorn closed the show with a great version of "Life On a Chain," the opener off his debut.

Phantom Planet was well represented by bassist Sam Farrar, singer/guitarist Alex Greenwald and his new Apple iBook laptop computer. The fellas opened with a song they introduced as "First Things First." It was punchy--thanks to the iBook's beats--and packed with hooks. The duo later covered Guided by Voices' "Game of Pricks," and closed their five-song set with a fun, easy cover of Elvis Costello's "Watching the Detectives."

Lisa Loeb, whose brief time onstage featured her hit "Stay," was adorable. The singer gave advice on how to make potato pancakes for Hanukkah, and explained how the story of the holiday was a tale of inspiration and hope. On a night dedicated to giving hope to people without shelter, hers was a sincere and well-articulated monologue.

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