The New York City Ebola scare wasn’t enough to halt the festivities for Bob Gruen’s 69th birthday on Thursday night. In honor of the legendary rock photographer, singer/songwriter Jesse Malin and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong teamed up to play a secret set of covers at the tiny East Village bar 2A.

In front of a packed crowd of Gruen’s specially invited friends and family, the two performed versions of songs such as the Clash’s “Jail Guitar Doors,” the Ramones’ “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker,” and Cheap Trick’s “Surrender.” The hour long show also included a string of special guests including Alice Cooper who kicked off the night with his classic “I’m Eighteen.”

Former Distillers singer Brody Dalle, Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls and rockabilly-revivalist Robert Gordon all made brief appearances. New York musician Paul Collins also sang “Hanging On The Telephone” – a track originally recorded by his old power-pop band the Nerves but which was later made famous by Blondie.

Debbie Harry was also in attendance but did not perform.

Speaking to the Post after the show, Armstrong paid tribute to Gruen’s iconic work which was particularly crucial to the careers of punk and new wave bands like the Ramones, the Clash and Blondie. “When you’re 15, living in the suburbs and learning about punk rock, Bob’s pictures are the ones you tend to gravitate towards.” He also recalled the time when Gruen photographed Green Day in 2009. “When he took us to the top of the General Electric building, it was amazing to think he’d only done this with the Clash, John Lennon, and us.”

Earlier in the night, Armstrong, Malin, Harry, Dalle and Cooper had all played at the annual “Little Kids Rock” benefit concert at Hammerstein Ballroom – a charity which provides music lessons and instruments to under-served American schools.