Madonna Taps Katy Perry as Art for Freedom Guest Curator

By Sarah Weiss

Katy Perry is kicking off the New Year as a guest curator for the Art for Freedom initiative, an online public art project that incites artists to express their personal meaning of freedom through a medium of their choosing.

Perry will join Madonna to hand pick one artist in the month of January who creatively exhibits an original view of the fight for human rights. Madonna will then grant a $10,000 reward to the charity of the winning artist’s choosing. The program is ongoing, and Madonna has pledged to donate $10,000 to a non-profit of the winning artist’s choice each month.

“Art can change the world, but first it needs to be seen and heard‎,” said Madonna. “Katy Perry and I are asking you to be that voice and show us how you define freedom in 2014. This will be a year of monumental changes for human rights, and we want you to be a part of that change. Let us hear from you.”

To join the project, visit the website to upload your original poem, video, photo, or music or tag posts #artforfreedom. Every project must convey the values of Art for Freedom. Each day the website will showcase a work of art chosen from the public submissions.

“I am so fortunate to have the freedom to express myself through music,” said Katy Perry. “Now I’m calling all of my incredibly creative KatyCats to use their talent to show Madonna and me how they express their freedom. I believe that 2014 can be a year of great social change. Together we can all stand up for Human Rights. Join the conversation, and let your art be your voice.”

Art for Freedom was launched in September 2013 and has received more than 3,000 submissions from people around the world to date. It is a project driven by Madonna in partnership with VICE Media to promote free speech and address persecution throughout the world.

Watch: Heart-Melting Moby Video About Pet Adoption

Moby and a furry friend

By Laura Ferreiro

Just in time for the holidays, Moby has released a heart-warming video for his upcoming single, “Almost Home.” The famed animal rights activist and vegan teamed up with the Best Friends Animal Society in Los Angeles, where he filmed the video alongside several adorable furry friends.

In the inspiring video, Moby holds onto puppies and kittens while flashing signs with the lyrics to his song, which features Damien Jurado on vocals. The lyrics about waking up to find that you’re almost home seem strangely appropriate in this context.

The dogs’ and cats’ personalities shine through in just a few seconds, and the video ends with a snapshot of each animal and a note stating their adoption status, encouraging people to adopt those who haven’t yet found good homes.

The video ends with a message from Moby: “Find your next friend at your local animal shelter. Adopt today.” It’s hard to think of a holiday gift that would bring more joy than a furry critter in need of a home!

Holiday Concerts in L.A. and D.C. Benefit Local Charities

Jonathan Wilson

By Sarah Weiss

No one is immune to catching holiday some holiday cheer — just ask Jonathan Wilson and Mike Campbell. Together the two musicians will host the second annual Merry Minstrel Musical Circus, A Holiday Gathering and Goodwill Jamathon at the Troubadour on December 20 and 21. Special guests will be announced over the next few weeks, but fans will be sure to witness two nights of musical camaraderie. All of the proceeds from the concert will go benefit Manual Arts High School and Tazzy Animal Rescue Fund.

Jonathan Wilson, who released his second album, “Fanfare,” in October on Downtown records, is partnering again with Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) to bring this charitable concert to fruition. Last year’s concert included artists such as Jackson Browne, Bob Weir, Jeff Lynne, and Benmont Tench, among others.

“The room was packed wall-to-wall,” declared Rolling Stone about last year’s event. “Campbell…and Wilson traded jagged, searing guitar lines. Weir stretched out for several minutes of improv with the band and also led the Dead’s ‘West L.A. Fadeaway’ and ‘Truckin’,’ with four guitars onstage in epic twang.”

Donations to Manual Arts High school will be used to provide new brass and woodwind instruments to support their burgeoning band program.

The concert will also benefit Tazzy Animal Fund, an animal rescue that focuses on senior and medically challenged dogs.

Tickets for the event are available here.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country in Washington D.C., the 9:30 Club is raffling off a music lover’s dream — two tickets to every 9:30 Club show in 2014.

Going strong after 12 years in a row, the renowned concert venue will give a raffle ticket to anyone who donates new or clean previously owned clothes, a canned food item, or contributes $5 to help local charities that feed the hungry and the homeless.

Donation collections will begin at the 9:30 Club on December 1 and will last until December 31. A maximum of 10 raffle tickets will be distributed to each person per night.

This year’s charities include the DC Central Kitchen, Sasha Bruce House, Capital Area Food Bank, House of Ruth, So Others Might Eat and Bread for the City.

The winner will be selected at the New Year’s Eve show featuring Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Trouble Funk.

Last year’s winner, Clare Erslev, attended more than 70 shows last year and saw bands such as The Presidents, Reel Big Fish, The Dismemberment Plan, Coheed and Cambria, and GWAR.

“I’ve participated for the last four years by donating clothes mostly,” Erslev said.  “I would hold onto clothes all year, then parse them out into bags, and would bring the bags to the club most everyday after work during the month of December until I ran out.”

Additional drawings for smaller prizes will also be held throughout the month. The more you donate, the more you can win!

 

The Killers Donate Proceeds From “Christmas in LA” to Fight AIDS – Watch Video Starring Owen Wilson

By Laura Ferreiro

The Killers have rekindled their annual holiday tradition of getting into the giving spirit by donating 100% of the proceeds from an original Christmas song to an important cause. The Las Vegas rockers will donate funds from sales of “Christmas in L.A.” to RED, the non-profit organization founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver that works to fight AIDS around the world.

The Killers recruited California roots rockers Dawes to co-write and perform on the melancholy number that paints a vivid portrait of a struggling artist who stays in L.A. for Christmas rather than going home to see his family. Killers frontman Brandon Flowers croons, “I don’t know if I can take another Christmas in L.A./another pitcher of sangria in an empty beach café.”

Meanwhile the video for the song features actors Owen Wilson and Harry Dean Stanton, with some impressive animation from students at Brigham Young University.

Check out the video for “Christmas in L.A.” below.

Dowload the song from iTunes here.

Learn more about RED and join them in fighting for an AIDS-free generation here.

David Byrne organizes benefit concert for Philippines typhoon relief

By Sarah Weiss

When super typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines on November 7, it left millions of people without homes and caused unfathomable death and destruction. In response to the tragedy, former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne is putting on a benefit concert to raise money to support the victims, which will feature the cast of his musical, “Here Lies Love.”

The concert will take place on November 25 at 8 p.m. at Terminal 5 in New York. All of the proceeds will go to support the recovery efforts of Doctors Without Borders in the Philippines.

“We’ll be doing a concert version of the show—this won’t be the same immersive, interactive experience as the theatrical version. But we’ll do EVERY song, in order, with the original cast and costumes—plus I’ll be helping out and singing as well,” says Byrne.

The musical follows the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos, the former first lady of the Philippines. It features music written by Byrne and Fatboy Slim. “The show is about the resiliency of the Philippine people-that sentiment couldn’t be more timely,” Byrne points out.

“If you didn’t see or hear the production, now is your chance to hear it and at the same time to do something for the survivors in the Philippines. Wear comfortable shoes!” adds the renowned singer and humanitarian.

The musical was produced earlier this year at the Public Theatre in New York. It incorporates elements of disco and rock ‘n roll, which are reportedly Marcos’ favorites.

Grab your tickets for the concert here. Help out and learn more about Doctors Without Borders relief efforts here.

Esperanza Spalding recruits Stevie Wonder, Janelle Monae and Harry Belafonte to call for closure of Guantanamo Bay

Esperanza Spalding in the "We Are America" video

By Laura Ferreiro

Esperanza Spalding recruited some of the biggest names in music to appear in a new video that urges people and Congress to take action and close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

The Grammy-winning singer is rallying people in advance of a highly anticipated Senate vote on Guantanamo. “I want to help Congress see that there is public support for the goal of closing Guantanamo,” Spalding says. “The first time I heard about the mass hunger strike at Guantanamo, I was appalled and embarrassed about what my country was doing. As I learned that there were far better options on the table, and that what is going on at Guantanamo is a clear violation of US human rights obligations, I felt I had to do something.”

In the “We Are America” video, Spalding dresses in patriotic red and blue and sings, “I am America, and my America, it don’t stand for this.” Monae appears holding a sign that says, “Congress support President Obama in closing Guantanamo” while Wonder’s placard reads, “Now it’s time for Congress to take effective action and get the job done.”

Spalding urges people to join in the fight to shut down Guantanamo by calling their Congressional representatives and reminding them that indefinite detention and unfair trials are “illegal, un-American and unnecessary.”

The controversial Guantanamo Bay detention camp is a U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba that was established in 2002. The Bush administration claimed that the prison camp was established to detain extraordinarily dangerous prisoners, to interrogate them in an optimal setting and to prosecute prisoners for war crimes, but it has since been widely criticized for its practices of torturing prisoners and not giving them a fair trial.

Check out the “We Are America” video below.

Esperanza Spalding – We Are America from ESP Media on Vimeo.

Andrew Bird Teams Up with Nature Valley for the Quietest Show on Earth to Preserve National Parks

Andrew Bird & Tift Merritt at the Quietest Show on Earth PHOTO: Laura Ferreiro

By Laura Ferreiro

It’s hard to think of a more idyllic setting for a concert than the middle of a gorgeous, windswept Joshua Tree-filled desert. This was the setting for the Quietest Show on Earth – an intimate performance featuring Andrew Bird and Tift Merritt to support US National Parks.

The concert was sponsored by Nature Valley, purveyor of fine granola bars and nuts. As it happens, Nature Valley has a long-standing relationship with national parks, having donated more than $1.8 million to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), funding preservation projects at parks across the country.

The afternoon began with a two-hour hike into the Mojave Desert Land Trust – a parcel of land that will likely be annexed into the Joshua Tree National Park later this year. The concert was originally supposed to take place in the park itself, but the government shutdown that closed national parks across the country led to a last-minute venue change. Bird and Merritt hiked alongside eight sweepstakes winners who were flown  from all parts of the country into California’s Mojave Desert to witness the Quietest Show (as well as a couple of journalists and a film crew).

After making our way past various obstacles including tumbleweeds traveling at high speeds and stinging cactus plants, we stumbled across the perfect spot for the performance. We laid blankets down on the sand as Bird pulled out his violin and Merritt strapped on her acoustic guitar. They delivered a completely unamplified, acoustic performance comprising several of Bird’s tracks including “Dear Old Greenland,” “Sweetbreads” and “Something Biblical,” which seemed perfectly suited for the desert environs. Merritt offered up gorgeous harmonies and Bird demonstrated his renowned whistling prowess and penchant for alternating between plucking and bowing his violin.

The Quietest Show on Earth lived up to its name, as there was no amplification or lighting of any kind beyond the microphones used to record the performance. Highlights can be seen here.

Bird and Merritt hike in Joshua Tree before the Quietest Show on Earth PHOTO: Laura Ferreiro

With the launch of  QuietestShowonEarth.com, Nature Valley aims to raise awareness for America’s national parks and encourage consumers to do their part to support the parks via a donation to the NPCA. In addition to making a donation, visitors can download the playlist from the show and other exclusive content including videos of the performance, a behind-the-scenes look at the show and photos from the performance.

Bird, who loves visiting the parks and outdoor sports including hiking and mountain biking, said he was excited to do his part to help preserve our national parks. “What sold me is that this is all benefiting the National Parks Association,” he said. “Hopefully it will get people to pay attention to the fact that these parks aren’t as protected as we think. There are a lot of mining, drilling and logging interests threatening them. The government can’t protect them alone.”

Check out Andrew Bird and Tift Merritt performing “Give It Away” at the Quietest Show on Earth.

Members of the Black Keys, Midlake, Dhani Harrison and more for Dylan Fest New York and San Francisco

By Sarah Weiss

What could be better than singing along to Rolling Stones and Tom Petty tunes with some of the best musicians in the business? Singing along to Bob Dylan songs, of course!

Best Fest – the team that created the sold-out Petty Fests and Stones Fests – will bring the Dylan Fest to New York and San Francisco later this month. Every cent of ticket sales proceeds will go to benefit Sweet Relief, a renowned non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to career musicians in need.

Dylan Fest will return to New York where it originated and will take place at the Bowery Ball Room on November 11 and 12. It’s set to feature Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, Doyle Bramhall II, Jason Isbell, Dhani Harrison (son of Beatle George Harrison), Craig Finn and Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards, among many others.

Dylan Fest San Francisco is set to take place at the Great American Music Hall on November 20, and will feature Doyle Bramhall II, Sly & The Family Stone’s Cynthia Robinson and Jerry Martini, Elvis Perkins, Eric Pulido of Midlake, Ruby Amanfu and more surprise guests. (Note: Johnny Depp has been known to show up at these gigs!)

All the performances for Dylan Fest will be backed by the Cabin Down Below Band, manned by Alex Levy, Austin Scaggs and Matt Romano.

“We have had a ridiculously amazing time this year, playing with many of our heroes and spreading the gospels of Bob, Petty, and the Stones all over the world,” says Scaggs, co-founder of the Best Fest and Rolling Stone scribe. “We’re so thrilled to end 2013 with a big bang, with Dylan’s music in New York and San Francisco. And we look forward to partnering with Jameson and Sweet Relief in 2014 and beyond.”

Check out our reviews of previous Petty Fest and Stones Fest LA.

To purchase tickets for Dylan Fest NYC, click here, and for Dylan Fest San Francisco, click here.

 

Linkin Park and World Wildlife Fund campaign for cookstoves in Nepal to preserve endangered species

Linkin Park

Music for Relief, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Grammy Award-winning band Linkin Park have joined forces to raise funds to equip a Nepalese village with safe, green bio-gas technology. Why is this important? Because hundreds of poor families in the Terai region of Nepal currently rely on thousands of pounds of wood to do their cooking, which results in thousands of trees being cut down and the destruction of local wildlife’s natural habitat. This outdated method of cooking also causes women and children to become sick or to die prematurely from smoke inhalation from the wood-burning stoves. By switching to bio-gas, it would go a long way to prevent this and offer a sustainable energy solution.

California rockers Linkin Park founded the non-profit org Music for Relief to aid survivors of natural disasters and raise funds for the prevention of future disasters. Supporters who raise $565 (the cost of one bio-gas system and toilet) for the Cookstoves for Kumrose campaign will be eligible to win the chance to see Linkin Park perform live in an intimate venue in Las Vegas.

Nepalese woman using a sustainable bio-gas stove

The “clean cookstove” campaign riffs off the success of previous campaigns with Power the World, an organization that supports the UN Secretary-General to bring sustainable energy solutions to 1 million people throughout the world.

“It’s exciting to find a solution that helps on multiple levels,” said Dave ‘Phoenix’ Farrell of Linkin Park. “ The clean, bio-gas cookstoves WWF is implementing will improve families’ health, keep women and children safer and protect the environment. We hope our supporters will join us in providing technology for those living in the Kumrose village in Nepal.”

The beautiful Terai Arc Landscape of Nepal is home to a diverse range of ecosystems that support endangered animals including the rare Bengal tiger and 7 million Nepali people. Its inhabitants are among the poorest in the world, with half of the population living below the poverty line. Due to these impoverished conditions and the cost of electricity, the population relies on using wood for cooking—resulting in clear cutting of tress with devastating consequences for both people and wildlife.

Bio-gas offers a clean and cost-effective solution to this problem. It works by processing human and animal waste to produce methane that burns with a light blue flame for cooking – thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation in the region.

“We hope people are inspired to join this campaign to uplift an entire village by providing cleaner air, better healthcare, increased incomes for locals, while at the same time regenerating forest habitat for tigers, rhinos, and the many other species that live there,” added Shubash Lohani, Deputy Director of WWF’s Eastern Himalayas Program.

To learn more, sign the pledge for sustainable energy for all, or donate $10 for a clean cookstove by visiting powertheworld.org.

Click here to learn more about WWF’s work in Nepal and the Eastern Himalayas.

Neil Young and Red Hot Chili Peppers to perform at Silverlake Conservatory Benefit Concert

By Sarah Weiss

When budget cuts are made, arts education is often among the first of the casualties. In order to protect the careers of budding musicians in Los Angeles, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea founded the Silverlake Conservatory of Music in 2001.

The Conservatory is a non-profit organization that vitalizes music education for both young people and adults. Flea’s Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmate Anthony Kiedis will join Flea to host a benefit for the Conservatory featuring performances by Neil Young and the Red Hot Chili Peppers on October 30. Proceeds from the concert will go toward funding permanent faculty and expanding their scholarship program.

“Going into our 13th year of the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, flourishing with 700 students as a non-profit community music school, I could not be more grateful for all the people who have helped us out along the way,” said Flea. “Having one of my favorite musicians, Neil Young, perform to help out the school is the greatest blessing! This is gonna be the funnest fundraiser ever! All of us working together, making L.A. a better city, and educating the kids.”

The event will also feature a silent auction where attendees can purchase an array of art collectables from Tim Armstrong, Cecily Brown, Justin Bua, Jerry de Wilde, Shepard Fairey, and many more. Additional items will be donated for auction from popular retailers such as Jimmy Choo, Josie Maran and Diane Von Fustenberg.