"Beat It, Wally!" With pleasure.

You never know what to expect from benefit concerts. Sometimes bands don’t show up. Sometimes bands do and you wish they didn’t. And then there’s nights like "Beat It, Wally!" at Glendale's historic Alex Theater, where everyone makes good and you’re lucky to be there.

The occasion was for the benefit of Wally "Llama" Ingram, a cancer-battling, insurance-deprived drummer who has worked with Sheryl Crow, Jackson Browne, Garbage, Crowded House, Keb’ Mo and Bonnie Raitt. And that’s (among those) who showed up, which probably means that he’s more reliable and steadfast than many drummers I’ve known.

Show highlights: The Section Quartet, performing Led Zeppelin’s "Heartbreaker" on violins and cello; the mind-bendingly growly smooth blues performance by Keb’ Mo’, the appearance of Crowded House (a surprise add, having arrived that morning from New Zealand) and Shirley Manson holding forth like the 21st-century torch singer that she is.

Also more than worthy were the Martinis, a band lead by Joey Santiago, the Pixies’ (former? At this point, not sure) swirly sound guitarist and Linda Mallari, who bears an odd resemblance to a sunnier Kim Deal, with a special appearance by Pixies’ drummer David Lovering. A bonus round followed with Santiago, Lovering and guitarist Eric McFadden performing "Gouge Away."

The inevitable closing jam went on a little too long, but it was kicked off with the appearance of a gray-bearded George Clinton, who stomped around the stage demanding "We want the funk!" Sheryl Crow did her best to comply.