( RollingStone.com ) -- When the Flaming Lips took the stage toward the end of the annual Tibet House benefit show at Carnegie Hall last night , there were none of the mirror balls or laser beams that typically end a Lips show -- but the band had a different surprise in store . After a stunning take on rarely played `` Soft Bulletin '' track `` Feeling You Disintegrate , '' frontman Wayne Coyne invited composer Philip Glass to the stage 's grand piano . `` We 've been rehearsing with him all day , '' Coyne said . `` And he 's pretty f -- ing cool . '' The band kicked into a slow , hushed version of their classic `` Do You Realize ? `` , Coyne strumming his acoustic guitar , the body of which was connected to a green bubble . Late in the song , Glass took over with a spiraling piano line that vaguely hinted at the Lips ' melody while guitarist Steven Drozd slowly added chilling touches of reverb . Coyne looked visibly moved and stopped playing entirely , closed his eyes and raised his fist , grinning . Rolling Stone : Exclusive performance : The Flaming Lips rehearse trippy version of 'Do You Realize ? ' `` Playing with him is how playing with Syd Barrett must have been , '' Coyne said after the performance , `` Changing something just as you 're catching on . And that 's exactly what you want . '' This year marked the 61st anniversary of the 1950 Chinese invasion of Tibet , and the benefit -- which also featured Patti Smith , Michael Stipe , Taj Mahal and the Roots -- is in its 21st year . The show kicked off with several Tibetan monks in robes chanting in front of a large painting of the region 's sprawling Potala Palace . The Roots were the first performers to bring the entire audience to their feet when they were joined by Angelique Kidjo for a rousing `` Move on Up . '' Their peak was their take on Neil Young 's `` Down by the River , '' a reprise from their Carnegie appearance last month at a Young tribute show . Guitarist Captain Kirk Douglas took center stage , wailing on his Gibson SG and throwing in riffs of `` Hey Joe '' under Young 's lyrics . R.E.M . are n't touring off `` Collapse into Now '' ( out March 8th ) , but Michael Stipe looked thrilled to be onstage . He debuted two never-performed R.E.M . songs : `` Saturn Return , '' off 2008 's `` Reveal , '' which he performed standing behind the piano , and gorgeous new `` Collapse '' track `` Everyday is Yours to Win . '' He told the crowd he had only played the song in bassist Mike Mills ' living room in L.A. two weeks earlier , but it sounded like an R.E.M . classic . Rolling Stone : Michael Stipe discusses making `` Collapse into Now '' at rehearsal for Tibet House Benefit Concert . Last year , Iggy Pop made a scene stage diving into the relatively stiff Carnegie crowd as Smith watched from the side of the stage . This year , she gave the most aggressive performance , beginning with the Youngbloods ' `` Get Together , '' which sounded like more of a plea than ever , and then kicked into an apocalyptic take on Buddy Holly 's `` Not Fade Away . '' Her band grooved on the raucous Bo Diddley beat while Smith gave an impassioned speech that proved she 's been glued to the news lately . `` In Cairo and Wisconsin ... . the people are taking to the streets , taking the power ! '' she yelled . She also cited recent mysterious incidents -- thousands of blackbirds falling from the sky and dead fish washing up in Arkansas -- saying , `` Mother Nature is calling with such anguish . We must find a way to show love , because if you do n't show love for Mother Nature , she will fucking take you down ! '' Rolling Stone : Video : Watch Iggy Pop 's final stage dive at Carnegie Hall . At the after party at New York 's Gotham Hall , Coyne clutched he scarves he wore during his performance . He was still beaming from playing with Glass . `` There 's a vulnerability to the song , and I think he knew that , '' Coyne said . `` That vulnerability makes all the difference . That makes it believable and makes it seem like anything can happen . '' Copyright © 2010 Rolling Stone .
This year marked the 61st anniversary of the 1950 Chinese invasion of Tibet . The benefit in its 21st year . In a statement released on Friday, China said it was "gravely concerned" about the situation and urged India to exercise restraint and avoid any actions that could escalate tensions.