22nd Annual Bridge School Benefit Neil Young's annual Bridge School Benefit has come to be one of the most anticipated musical event of the fall season in the Bay Area. The mostly acoustic concerts raise funds for the Bridge School, an educational program dedicated to ensuring that children with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their schools and communities.

Kids involved in the program are rightfully given the best seats in the house with an arrangement of chairs right on stage with the performing artists. Young's clout as one of the most respected songwriters in rock inevitably brings in a remarkable group of music luminaries to perform. The iconic songwriter usually kicks off the show with a couple of solo numbers, but this time instead of returning to the stage for a couple of impromptu collaborations (a staple of past benefits), Young will serve as the headliner.

Though he first came to wide attention as a member of the groundbreaking Los Angeles folk-turned-rock band Buffalo Springfield (which included longtime collaborator and combatant Stephen Stills), he soon moved on to superstar status as a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. But the songwriter has always been more revered for his wildly varied solo work. Ranging from blistering rock salvos with backing band Crazy Horse ('Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere' and 'Tonight's the Night') to aching country-folk ('Harvest' and 'Comes a Time'), his albums have been acclaimed as much for their emotional honesty as for their creativity throughout the '70s.

Though Young went through a rough patch during the '80s as he experimented with electronics, rockabilly and the blues, his 1989 album 'Freedom' found him back in top form. Through the following decade, he produced some of his most enduring work yet, including 'Ragged Glory,' 'Harvest Moon' and his more recent triumphs 'Greendale' and the anti-Bush political statement 'Living With the War.'

The rest of the Bridge Benefit line-up doesn't feature draws like last year's return by Bay Area thrash heroes Metallica or the highly anticipated collaboration between celebrated songwriter Tom Waits and avant-garde string group the Kronos Quartet (particularly after Texas blues-rock trio ZZ Top was forced to drop out), but the collection of younger songwriters and indie acts is sure to pull a big crowd. Popular solo acts Jack Johnson and Norah Jones anchor the bill both nights while Lilith Fair founder Sarah McLachlan (Saturday only) and pop-opera superstar Josh Groban (Sunday only) will be joined by a parade of indie-rock acts: Smashing Pumpkins (Sunday only), Death Cab For Cutie, Wilco, Cat Power, Band of Horses (Saturday only). As always, music fans can expect some unusual collaborations and special surprise guests at this acoustic summit of stars.Mountain ViewShoreline Amphitheatre5 p.m. Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun.$39.50-$15010/25/200810/26/2008MusicRockPopBenefit