By Tim Saunders on
A huge selection of bands have agreed to take part in Sound Relief, two concerts benefiting victims of Australia’s bushfires early next month.
Coldplay, Kings Of Leon and Jack Johnson are just some of the names signed up to appear in the concerts, to be held in Melbourne and Sydney on March 14. Organizers are hoping the twin concerts – labeled by some as ``the single largest music concert event in Australia’s history" – will raise up to $5 million dollars. 100-per-cent of the money raised from the Melbourne show will go to the Red Cross bushfire appeal, while the Sydney proceeds will be split between the bushfire appeal and for victims of the Queensland floods.
Also set to appear are Kasey Chambers, Paul Kelly, Liam Finn, Split Enz and a reformed Midnight Oil and Icehouse. Aussie legends Hunters and Collectors are also reforming for the concerts, with lead singer Mark Seymour telling the Herald Sun: “The sheer magnitude of this tragedy has really hit home for all of us – how important it is to show that we care about the lives of fellow Australians, especially given that they suffered a tragedy that simply came about because they lived in a certain postcode. What’s happened to them could have happened to any of us.”
Country singer Kasey Chambers shared similar feelings about the tragedy that has claimed over 200 lives and left thousands homeless.
“You try and find the thing you can do,” she said. “I can’t put out fires, I can’t rebuild houses for people but I can use my position as a musician to raise some money and hopefully inspire people to find their thing that they can do. It’s a pretty proud day to be Australian to see all of us come together.”
Tickets are expected to cost $75 and will be available from Ticketek from March 4.
Copyright © 2009 Look to the Stars
