Star power for a school

This week one of California’s most beloved rock music institutions will celebrate its 20th anniversary and, as always, the artists need only glance over their shoulders to the rear of the stage to see the true VIPs on hand.

The 2006 edition of the Bridge School Benefit Concert will be Saturday and Sunday at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, and don’t think for a minute that it’s not worth the trip to the Silicon Valley or digging out a scarf.

The all-acoustic fundraiser’s lineup this time around includes its hosts, Neil and Pegi Young, as well as Trent Reznor, Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band, Brian Wilson, the Foo Fighters, Death Cab for Cutie and Gillian Welch. More than that, the anniversary should only add burnish to the sparkling ambience of the franchise.

The event has a spirit both homespun and high-minded -- no surprise considering its genesis. Neil and Pegi Young started the event to raise money for the Bridge School, which works with children who have severe physical and communication challenges and their families. The concerts are low-glitz affairs and their purpose is never out of sight -- the rear of the stage is packed with the students and their loved ones. For the Youngs, it’s a cause close to the heart; their son, Ben, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as an infant, and the rock star’s first son, Zeke (with actress Carrie Snodgress), also was diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy.

Young’s passion and prowess have brought a who’s who to the show every October: Through the years, those fans have seen the stage feature Bruce Springsteen, the Who, David Bowie, Simon & Garfunkel, Tom Petty, R.E.M., Jerry Lee Lewis and Green Day.

More than that are the singular moments, such as a giddy Eddie Vedder and Sheryl Crow singing backup for Wilson’s Beach Boys hits, Tony Bennett and Paul McCartney doing a duet or the Red Hot Chili Peppers risking their rock cred with a version of “Brandy.”

For more information on tickets and the cause they benefit, the website for the school is www.bridgeschool.org. A CD, “Bridge School Concerts, Vol. 1,” also is widely available.

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-- Geoff Boucher