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Hayley Williams, Florence Welch, Trey Anastasio & more joined Bleachers at Ally Coalition’s 2025 Talent Show (pics, video)

Hayley Williams, Florence Welch, Trey Anastasio & more joined Bleachers at Ally Coalition’s 2025 Talent Show (pics, video)

While Yo La Tengo’s guest-filled 2025 Hanukkah run was beginning its second night at Bowery Ballroom, another beloved holiday tradition was happening just under a mile north and west at NYU’s Skirball Center. The Ally Coalition, Jack and Rachel Antonoff‘s LGBTQ equality nonprofit, held its 11th annual Talent Show, a holiday variety show benefitting the Ally Coalition’s work aiding homeless and at-risk LGBTQ youth with an almost entirely surprise lineup. It’s always one of the highlights of the season, and this year was no exception. Rachel Antonoff usually serves as emcee, but she and her and Jack’s father, Rick Antonoff (also a frequent guest) were sick, so Claud, returning for their third year in a row, took her place, joking that they’d been her understudy. Claud wasn’t the only returning guest – Fun.‘s Andrew Dost was on hand, as was Phish‘s Trey Anastasio (his third year performing), actress and singer Rachel Zegler (her second year) and comedians Mike Birbiglia and Chris Laker.

Paramore‘s Hayley Williams was a surprise guest when Talent Show made its Newport Folk Festival debut back in July, and I had a feeling she might make an appearance on Monday night (12/15). That was, in fact, the case: with Bleachers as her backing band, she performed “Kill Me” and “Good Ol’ Days” off her great 2025 solo album Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party. She also joined Bleachers on “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call” to close out the night, and before that, she and another surprise guest, Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine, covered Judee Sill’s “Lopin’ Along Thru the Cosmos,” joined by Trey and Bleachers. Florence also did two of her own songs with Bleachers — “Free” off Dance Fever, and “Dog Days Are Over” off Lungs. For the later, she had a bunch of the night’s guests come join her, including Hayley, Kelsey Lu, Samia, Annie DiRusso, Claud, and Rachel.

Earlier in the evening, Samia, Annie, Claud, and Hank did a seasonal song called “Jesus Fucking Christmas,” and Samia, Annie and Claud also all joined Bleachers and Trey for “Summer Feeling” later on. Antonoff’s sister-in-law, Rainey Qualley, also did a song with Bleachers, and Kelsey did a solo song earlier in the evening. Chris Fleming‘s very funny standup set was yet another highlight of the night.

A few brief videos screened throughout the night showed highlights of The Ally Coalition’s year, which included more big tours, and their third annual Day of Services, where they, along with various brands and local organizations, provided essential services to unhoused LGBTQ youth. Learn more about Ally Coalition’s work here.

See pictures from Monday night by Amanda M Hatfield and attendee-taken video below.