Unhelmeted Stars Cycle Through Palomino

After the post-Live Aid glut of all-star charity events, some cynics suggested that audiences might experience “compassion burn-out,” and no longer respond to high-minded appeals to aid noble, altruistic causes. The cynics should have been at the Palomino Club on Saturday night when a packed house responded to urgent cries to raise money for . . . more lobbyists in Sacramento to fight mandatory helmet laws for motorcyclists.

As causes go, this one may not seem quite as vital as fighting world famine or farm foreclosures, but don’t tell that to the bikers who lined up to see such country and pop stars as Dwight Yoakam, John Schneider and Gary Busey. (Bruce Willis--whose name had been included in ads for the benefit--did not appear.) The event was sponsored by the California Motorcyclist Assn., which took the position that untrained and unlicensed riders are a greater danger than unhelmeted riders.

The highlight of the show was seeing Yoakam perform a loose, improvised medley of his hits, backed only by his own guitar. Schneider showed that he has matured into a credible country-rock performer, mixing heartfelt ballads with Eagles-like rockers. Busey played a couple of Buddy Holly songs, and Harley-riding comedian Rick Overton played to the audience’s macho sensibilities by noting, in so many words: These days we may have to wear condoms, but we’ll be damned if we’re going to wear helmets.