Longtime Green Day producer Rob Cavallo turned 60 years old on March 21st, so he celebrated with an amplified concert of acts from his label at the Bourbon Room on Hollywood Boulevard.
Cavallo has most notably produced Green Day albums since their breakout "Dookie"in 1994. Since then, he's produced Green Day’s albums "Insomniac" (1995), "Nimrod" (1997), "Warning" (2000), "American Idiot" (2004), and the three-part "¡Uno!" "¡Dos!" "¡Tré!" (2012).
At the Sunday night show on March 19th, each member of Green Day performed at the birthday bash as their side project, The Coverups. Normally, The Coverups only play cover songs, but for Cavallo's birthday, they played some Green Day staples.
Documentary filmmaker Becky Tahel Ben David was in attendance and took the time to share the highlights from the invite-only experience.
"It was cool—they played so many amazing covers and then ended with ‘Basket Case!’" Ben David told Rock Music Life. Similar to Green Day, Ben David is known for an acclaimed creation with the word "American" in the title: her 2021 award-winning documentary "American Birthright."
“There was so much love in the room,” Ben David continued. “Rob’s wife Kim convinced him to have the party to begin with, and she planned it all meticulously — and even rocked out to an opening ‘Silly Love Song” rendition, poking fun at how Rob would ‘rather eat glass than listen to sappy songs.’ She’s the opposite, loving the sap. They’ve been together since 1985.”
Other bold-faced names spotted in attendance were Lisa Loeb, Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 and former bassist in Jane’s Addiction and for Alanis Morissette, Chris Chaney. There was a video package featuring birthday wishes from Cavallo’s fellow artists and friends who couldn’t be there, including Dave Matthews Band and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine.
“The love was felt, the entire guest list felt like one big family by the end of the night,” Ben David said. “Makes 60 look younger than ever, and makes being super accomplished that much more appetizing.”
There was a birthday cake with a black and white photo of a less-than twelve-month-old Cavallo frosted on the top. The bartenders even wore shirts with “Rob’s 60th” on them as they served his signature cocktail: espresso coffee and vodka, martini style.
The night also featured performances by some emerging artists repped by Cavallo’s management company, Done Deal Management.
Ben David gave a rundown to the best of her memory of who performed and what they played:
Nico Franc, Hardcastle, and Liam Jones played a cover of “Ventura Highway” by America.
Roland Faunte played a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” and The Strokes’ “Last Nite.”
777Villain and Anthony Kilhoffer played “Can’t Stop.”
The Walters played a cover of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. They also played an original, “Rob.”
DeathByRomy, Jayden Hammer and Cheska Zaide played a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Parker played covers of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” and Hole’s “Celebrity Skin.”
“Deathbyromy was dope! Nico was great, and Roland really crushed ‘Creep,’” said Nathan Ben David, Becky’s husband. Nathan is also an artist and producer, and served as the night’s official photographer. Together, they run the media company, Mannafest Media.
All photos in this article are by Nathan Ben David.
Below is the setlist for Green Day’s side project “The Coverups” for Rob Cavallo’s 60th birthday party at the Bourbon Room on Sunday:
"I Think We're Alone Now"
(Tommy James & the Shondells cover)
"Rockaway Beach"
(Ramones cover)
"A Million Miles Away
(The Plimsouls cover)
“Ziggy Stardust”
(David Bowie cover)
“Fox on the Run”
(Sweet cover)
“I Wanna Be Sedated”
(Ramones cover)
“Ready Steady Go”
(Generation X cover)
“American Girl”
(Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover)
“I Fought the Law”
(The Crickets cover)
“Should I Stay or Should I Go”
(The Clash cover)
“Where Eagles Dare”
(Misfits cover)
“Head Over Heels”
(The Go‐Go’s cover)
“Dancing With Myself”
(Generation X cover)
“Drain You”
(Nirvana cover)
“Suffragette City”
(David Bowie cover)
“All the Young Dudes”
(David Bowie cover)
“Surrender”
(Cheap Trick cover)
“Dance the Night Away”
(Van Halen cover)
“Basket Case”
(Green Day cover, with Rob Cavallo on guitar)
