A
benefit concert or
charity concert is a
concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a
charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate
humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at issue.
Benefit concerts typically feature popular performers working for little or no pay. The largest such effort in recent memory was the multi-venue
Live 8 concert organized in 2005 by
Bob Geldof and
Bono,and the Live Earth concerts organized by Al Gore and Kevin Wall on 07/07/07 who have been involved in several other similar events. Benefit concerts were also arranged following the
September 11, 2001 attacks, the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and
Hurricane Katrina.
There are various ways by which additional revenue and awareness for the charitable cause is raised - over and beyond the original event. These methods have included theatrically-released concert films, live television, radio and internet broadcasts, audio recordings and home video releases of performances.
The perceived importance of the cause can lead musicians to temporarily set aside disagreements that had led to estrangements. Examples of this include the one-time reunion of
Roger Waters with
Pink Floyd for their 2005 Live 8 performance; and the first post-break-up reunion of
Simon and Garfunkel at a 1972 concert in support of presidential candidate
George McGovern.
There have been benefit concerts dating back to the eighteenth century, a notable example is the one held on December 28, 1791 for the benefit of
Mozart's family after his death on the 5th of the month. Many prominent musicians of the day attended and performed his works.
Notable benefit concerts
- The Monterey Pop Festival (1967)
- The Concert for Bangladesh (1971)
- A Poke in the Eye (With A Sharp Stick) (1976)
- A Gift of Song: The Music for UNICEF Concert (1979)
January 9,
1979 - The
A Gift of Song: The Music for UNICEF Concert was held at the
United Nations General Assembly and broadcast worldwide to raise money for
UNICEF and mark the
International Year of the Child. Performers included
ABBA,
Bee Gees,
Andy Gibb,
Olivia Newton-John,
John Denver,
Earth, Wind & Fire,
Rita Coolidge,
Kris Kristofferson,
Rod Stewart,
Donna Summer. The concert was the idea of impresario
Robert Stigwood, the
Bee Gees, and
David Frost.
- The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979)
- The No Nukes concerts (1979)
September, 1979 The
No Nukes concerts in New York
- The Concerts for Kampuchea (1979)
- The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1981)
thumb|240px|John Fekner's stencil at the
Central Park Nuclear Disarmament Rally, June 12th, 1982, NYC. by John Fekner. Estate of John Fekner © 1982-2007.
- Nuclear Disarmament Rally (1982)
June 12,
1982 - In NYC, 750,000 people marched from the UN to Central Park to protest nuclear weapons — in what was probably the largest single protest in U.S. history. New York City was shut down for the day. The concert featured
Jackson Browne,
Linda Ronstadt,
Bruce Springsteen, etc.
Keith Haring created a poster for the event which was handed out free to the audience and
John Fekner stencils were on the site.
- Conspiracy of Hope US Tour (1986)
- Human Rights Now! World Tour (1988)
- The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert (1992)
April 20,
1992 -
The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert was organized at
Wembley Stadium,
London, to pay homage to recently deceased
Queen singer and to raise money for the Mercury Phoenix Trust, a fund for victims of AIDS. Among the performers:
David Bowie,
Elton John,
Guns N' Roses,
Metallica,
Robert Plant,
Liza Minnelli,
Roger Daltrey,
George Michael.
- America: A Tribute to Heroes (2001)
- The Concert for New York City (2001)
- The SARS Benefit Concert (2003)
July 30,
2003, 450,000 spectators saw
The Rolling Stones,
AC/DC,
The Guess Who, and others at the largest concert in Canadian history, the
The SARS Benefit Concert concert in
Toronto, Ontario,
Canada, held to prove that the city was safe from
SARS.
July 2,
2005 -
Bob Geldof and
Bono organised
Live 8, a set of 8 concerts held in 8 cities around the world on the same day - as part of a campaign to persuade the G8 member governments to increase their fight to eradicate poverty in third-world countries.
July 7,
2007 -
Al Gore inspired and helped organize
Live Earth. During its first year, it consisted of a series of concerts held on all 7 continents of the planet on the same day.
- A Billion Hands Concert (2008)
Parodies and other references
Like other notable cultural phenomena, benefit concerts have been the subject of parody. For example, a
South Park episode,
Chef Aid, features a concert held for the benefit of the character Chef, featuring performances by
Elton John,
Ozzy Osbourne, and
Meat Loaf.
