It's hard to understate the influence the Beastie Boys had, be it culturally, musically or otherwise.
They were one of the few acts that transcended genres, style and even time itself, somehow remaining forever young even when they manned up about the discrepancies of their youth. (I'm referring, of course, to the band's shoutout to women in "Sure Shot," a move meant to make amends for some of their more misogynistic lyrics earlier in their careers.)
When news of Adam "MCA" Yauch's passing spread like wildfire around Twitter long before it was officially announced, it didn't take long for the outpouring of public condolences to begin, and it was a true testament to the wide-reaching appeal of the Beasties' music that — aside from countless Twitter and Facebook statements from rock stars, comedians, movie stars and others — tributes appeared at Madison Square Garden during a Knicks game, before Saturday's UFC on Fox and even down on New York City's Lower East Side, where a small candlelight vigil was placed at the corner of Ludlow and Rivington, the former location of the real-life Paul's Boutique.
While countless live performances over the weekend undoubtedly were dedicated to MCA, two tributes in particular caught our eye: Coldplay performed a piano-heavy cover of "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)" at the Hollywood Bowl Saturday night, while Red Hot Chili Peppers worked a version of "So What'cha Want" into their jam during their show in Newark, New Jersey. You can watch footage of both below.
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Josh Hart is a former web producer and staff writer for Guitar World and Guitar Aficionado magazines (2010–2012). He has since pursued writing fiction under various pseudonyms while exploring the technical underpinnings of journalism, now serving as a senior software engineer for The Seattle Times.
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