After much anticipation, both local and international musicians have come together for the latest bushfire and flood benefit - 'Sound Relief'. On Saturday March 14, Sydney and Melbourne will hold these Live-Aid-style fund raising concerts at the the SCG and MCG respectively.
A smorgasbord of musicians have put aside time from touring, chilling, recording and even retirement for the gig. Heavyweights Coldplay and Kings of Leon will be performing that night on their own tour, but are more than happy to make some time for a special appearance and perform 4 songs. Melbourne will get the added bonus of seeing Peter Garrett put aside the Labor uniform for a one-off with legendary Midnight Oil, whilst both cities get a selection of some of our finest local talent, past and present, including Hoodoo Gurus, Split Enz, Jet, The Presets, and Phase 2 of Wolfmother.
Put together by the united front of Chugg and Frontier Touring, the Melbourne shows promises to donate 100% of all proceeds to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal, with the Sydney show splitting its proceeds between the Victorian Bushfire and Queensland Premier’s Disaster Relief Fund Appeal.
Tickets for both events are $75 and go on sale 9am Wednesday March 4 through ticketek.
SYDNEY LINEUP
Coldplay (ACOUSTIC) Eskimo Joe Hoodoo Gurus Icehouse Jet Josh Pyke Little Birdy The Presets Wolfmother You Am I + more acts to be announced (rumours are Foo Fighters or possibly Robbie Williams)
MELBOURNE LINEUP
Augie March Bliss N Eso with Paris Wells Gabriella Cilmi Hunters & Collectors Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson w/ Troy Cassar-Daly Jack Johnson Jet Kings Of Leon Liam Finn Midnight Oil Paul Kelly Split Enz Wolfmother
The concerts will be a celebration of multiple music genres, with artists playing short sets packed with hits. Concert goers are encouraged to attend the concerts from start to finish as major artists will be spread across the bill right from the very start of the day.
Jack Johnson must feel he is connected to Nick Drake because they're both acoustic guitarists. He's probably right, because there ain't much else they have in common. Nevertheless, Jack has decided to put together a tribute album dedicated to enigmatic hippie songwriter Nick Drake. The likes of Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl and Norah Jones have weighed in as well. Drake died in 1974 from an overdose on antidepressants, aged 26. His too-short career birthed three troubled and delicately beautiful albums that weren't recognised then, but have since gone on to earn cult status.
The tribute album, set to be released through Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records, also includes a short film of late actor Heath Ledger simulating suicide to Drake’s song Black Eyed Dog. It was believed Ledger was developing a Drake biopic when he died last year of an accidental overdose. He made the Black Eyed Dog video for an art installation in 2007. We at Music Universe are looking forward to it so much that we've been playing Drake's albums all week. Oh yeah, we've also gone through a dozen boxes of Kleenex.
Jack Johnson's Sleep Through The Static has debuted at number one in the USA with sales of 374,000 units. The album also debuted at number one in Australia and the UK this week.
'Sleep Through The Static' is Johnson's forth studio album.
As a digital release, it has also clocked up the best ever first week sales for an album on iTunes, selling more than 100,000 digital albums.
'Sleep Through The Static' was produced by JP Plunier who last worked with Jack on the 'Brushfire Fairytales' album.
The album cover for 'Sleep Through The Static' has been designed as environmentally friendly. The album was recorded using 100% solar energy; printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper, and carries the 1% For The Planet logo.
Further for the environment, Johnson is using waste management services to fuel tour vehicles and generators with biodiesel, eco-friendly tour merchandise and materials to CO2 offsets on his 2008 world tour.
Jack is about to embark on an Australian tour:
MARCH 13 – WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong 15 – Centennial Park, Sydney 16 – Avica Resort, Gold Coast SOLD OUT 25 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne SOLD OUT 26 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne 27 – Memorial Drive, Adelaide 29 – Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Hawaiian modern day folkster Jack Johnson is set to return to Australia, playing venues that prove his popularity hasn't dropped an inch. It's been three years since Jack last toured Australia (although he was on the Sydney leg of the Live 8 shows). News just came in that most of his concerts are now sold out, however, Jack has just announced another Melbourne concert on the 26th. Lucky for those living in Melbourne.
His latest single is 'If I Had Eyes' and it comes from his fourth studio album 'Sleep Through The Static'. The album will be released in Australia just in time for the tour, on February 2.
Check him out at:
MARCH 13 – WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong 15 – Centennial Park, Sydney 16 – Avica Resort, Gold Coast SOLD OUT 25 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne SOLD OUT 26 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne 27 – Memorial Drive, Adelaide 29 – Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Hawaiian modern day folkster Jack Johnson is set to return to Australia, playing venues that prove his popularity hasn't dropped an inch.
It's been three years since Jack last toured Australia (although he was on the Sydney leg of the Live 8 shows).
His latest single is 'If I Had Eyes' and it comes from his fourth studio album 'Sleep Through The Static'. The album will be released in Australia just in time for the tour, on February 2.
Check him out at:
MARCH 13 – WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong 15 – Centennial Park, Sydney 16 – Avica Resort, Gold Coast 25 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne 27 – Memorial Drive, Adelaide 29 – Members Equity Stadium, Perth
