The New York City-based rock singer-songwriter Jesse Malin suffered a rare spinal stroke in May 2023 that left him paralysed from the waist down.
The release of a star-studded tribute album entitled ‘Silver Patron Saints : The Songs Of Jesse Malin’ in September 2024 was accompanied by tickets going on sale for a special benefit concert in London at Islington Assembly Hall on 1st May.
It sold out immediately, so an additional date was announced for the following evening at The Garage venue close by. With that also sold out, it has been moved back to Islington Assembly Hall, with a further 300 tickets that were made available on 28th February. Tickets already purchased for The Garage event remain valid for the new date.
Malin made a return to the stage at the Beacon Theatre in New York City last December for two benefit concerts to help pay for his ongoing rehabilitation. They were the biggest hometown shows of his career and he was joined by a host of guest musicians. The same formula is to be replicated in London where the likes of Billy Bragg and Peter Perrett have already been confirmed to appear with him.
“I have a really special connection to London, as it was the first place that truly embraced me when my debut album came out and it is always very meaningful to play there,” Malin has previously stated. “I am blown away by the response to these shows and am so excited to play them. Thank you once again for all the love and support. You guys are the best.”
Iggy Pop played Bruce Springsteen’s cover of Malin’s ‘She Don’t Love Me Now’ on his weekly BBC 6 Music show on 23rd February, commenting that “Jesse’s a really talented songwriter, whose approach to writing reflects the people of New York maybe more than Johnny Thunders, New York Dolls and even The Ramones.”
VARIOUS ARTISTS
SILVER PATRON SAINTS
THE SONGS OF JESSE MALIN
out now
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Both a tribute and benefit album, ‘Silver Patron Saints : The Songs Of Jesse Malin’ contains 27 choice cover versions of songs written by Malin from across his career, with all proceeds from it going to his Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and helping to pay his medical costs.
Often a contributor to other people’s causes, Malin is grateful to the musicians who rallied around him for ’Silver Patron Saints’. These include Bruce Springsteen, Billie Joe Armstrong, Lucinda Williams and Elvis Costello, The Hold Steady, Tommy Stinson, Alison Mosshart (with the late Wayne Kramer), Tom Morello, Counting Crows, Dinosaur Jr., The Wallflowers, Spoon, Susanna Hoffs, Frank Turner, Rancid and many more.
“This record is a dynamite and long-overdue awareness project, non-stop star time in vigorously personal twists on behalf of a great rock & roll songbook,” wrote longtime supporter and Rolling Stone magazine editor David Fricke. “Jesse Malin knows about scars, from his youth, observation and more. They all carry tales, and he’s not done telling them. ‘Silver Patron Saints’ is the gang back at the bar, coming to the stage to toast the composer and his story so far.”