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Musicians Rally for Tsunami
01/07/2005 12:05 PM, E! Online
Charlie Amter
The music world may have been slow to respond to the tsunami
tragedy, but a wave of upcoming events aims to help make up the
difference.
While several large-scale events are reportedly
in the planning stages, including a Live Aid-style charity concert at
Cardiff Stadium in Wales with U2 and The Darkness asked to headline the
late January gig (a stadium manager puts the chances for the gig
happening at 50/50), several individual artists are going at it alone
when it comes to charity to help victims in the ravaged South Asia and
Africa.
Sting announced he would perform a benefit show Feb.
10 in Perth, Australia, with 100 percent of the net proceeds donated to
relief efforts. The former Police frontman had been booked to play a now
canceled Feb. 9 show in tsunami-struck Sri Lanka.
Even
closer to hard-hit coastal areas in Asia, some of Hong Kong's most
beloved musicians and actors, including Jackie Chan , Andy Lau , Arron
Kwok and Nicolas Tse, have rerecorded the 1980s USA for Africa
fundraising hit "We Are the World." The Asian consortium plans to
release the tune as a single to benefit the victims of the
earthquake-induced tsunami.
U.K.-based musicians have also
ramped up relief efforts.
Brian May announced this week that
proceeds from the 1,000th London performance of the Queen-based musical
We Will Rock You on Jan. 12 will be donated to the Disaster
Emergency Committee appeal for tsunami and earthquake relief efforts.
That same U.K.-based agency received help this week from
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. The rocker couple have reportedly donated
$190,000 and agreed to appear in an MTV-produced television ad
soliciting public donations. "We can save lives and get people back on
their feet," Ozzy says in the ad.
"Like you, we've been
watching images of the tsunami floods and we're shocked by the death and
devastation," Sharon adds in the spot, "But we need to act right now. In
order to help the most vulnerable, lots of money is needed quickly."
Another group, fronted by former Bee Gees Robin and Barry
Gibb, ex-Rolling Stone Bill Wyman , Steve Winwood and Boy George, are
recording a charity single called "Grief Never Grows Old."
Not to be outdone, U.S. musicians are coming out strong as the scope of
the disaster becomes clearer every day.
SoCal rockers Linkin
Park already offered up $100,000 for aid and are teaming with the
American Red Cross to set up the Music for Relief charity.
Deep in the heart of Texas, Willie Nelson, Patty Griffin, Ray Price,
Alejandro Escovedo and other guests will play a benefit this Sunday at
the Austin Music Hall. The show is sold out and is reportedly being
filmed for a DVD release.
And in Seattle, the Presidents of
the United States of America, MxPx and Smoosh will perform at the
Showbox on Jan. 12 with proceeds going to the Tsunami Relief effort of
Northwest Medical Teams.
Finally, Vancouver has what looks
to be the biggest confirmed benefit, set to take place Jan. 29 at the GM
Place. Clear Channel Entertainment will produce the Concert for Tsunami
Relief event, with such acts as Sarah McLachlan , Avril Lavigne and the
Barenaked Ladies confirmed.
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