Children, what's that sound? Buffalo Springfield reunited By Marco R. della Cava, USA Today, 10/25 MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Wow, man. There's tie-dyed Woodstock emcee Wavy Gravy getting wanded by security. Backstage, check out psychedelic album-art maestro Stanley Mouse, sketching up a storm. On stage? How about Buffalo Springfield, ripping through nearly a dozen of the band's hits? Who says you can't go back? Saturday's '60s throwback came courtesy of Neil and Pegi Young's 24th annual benefit concert to support the Bridge School, which educates 1 / 7 Children, what's that sound? Buffalo Springfield reunited children with severe impairments. Although the lineup for the all-acoustic, eight-hour affair was typically eclectic, the undeniable focus was on Young's first public reunion with remaining original members of his old band, formed with Stephen Stills and Richie Furay in the musical cauldron of 1966 and disbanded two years later. Springboard to fame The surviving trio did their late bandmates, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin, proud. Opening with a slightly slowed version of the Furay-led On the Way Home, Stills and Young dutifully fell into supporting roles on harmony. 2 / 7 Children, what's that sound? Buffalo Springfield reunited Furay, dressed in a black cowboy shirt, stayed in the spotlight with A Child's Claim to Fame, Do I Have to Come Right Out and Say It and Kind Woman. But the men flanking him would soon show their stuff, making it instantly clear why Springfield was fated to be a passing phenomenon. Young, wearing a fringed brown suede jacket, turned to the children in wheelchairs camped out on stage and told them "This one's for all you kids" before launching into the poignant I Am a Child. Stills, noticeably formal in a sports jacket and tie, matched Young's small masterpiece with his Springfield anthem, For What It's Worth. He added Bluebird for good measure, to the hoots of many of the rained-upon 22,000 packing Shoreline 3 / 7 Children, what's that sound? Buffalo Springfield reunited Amphitheater. "We're Buffalo Springfield, thank you very much," Young announced, seeming to relish the retro pronouncement. Then the trio ripped into Young's roaring Mr. Soul. The evening closed with a jam on Rockin' in the Free World, which featured most of the event's guests: Pearl Jam, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams and Jackson Browne. The rest rocked, too Among the pre-Springfield highlights was Kris Kristofferson singing a faint but heartfelt Me and Bobby McGee, after which he asked the crowd to send 4 / 7 Children, what's that sound? Buffalo Springfield reunited prayers to ailing friend Merle Haggard, whose health prevented him from appearing. "Merle's the closest thing to Hank Williams as we got on this planet," he said. In the shocking category was Billy Idol, who followed with as raucous a 30-minute set of proto-punk as could be summoned from acoustic instruments. After bopping through his radio hit Dancing With Myself, Idol wrapped with Rebel Yell. Pearl Jam captured the crowd with a compact set of recognizable hits such as Better Man. But the real treat was seeing Young join his favorite 5 / 7 Children, what's that sound? Buffalo Springfield reunited Seattle rockers for Walk With Me, from Young's new album Le Noise. While Young stomped through the monster chords, Eddie Vedder took over lead vocals while "Uncle Neil" (as Vedder called him) looked on with an approving smile. Sunday provided largely a repeat of Saturday's extravaganza, both of which opened with folk rockers Grizzly Bear and indie stars Modest Mouse. Two notable changes: a torrential downpour that didn't diminish the crowd even slightly and the replacement of Williams, Browne and Idol with T Bone Burnett's Speaking Clock Revue, which included Elton John, Leon Russell, Ralph Stanley and actor Jeff Bridges. 6 / 7 Children, what's that sound? Buffalo Springfield reunited Elvis Costello kicked the revue off with his vaudevillian A Slow Drag With Josephine ("rock 'n' roll, but as envisioned in 1921"), the weather-appropriate Jimmie Standing in the Rain and his Haggard-dedicated National Ransom. 7 / 7.