FC Bayern Munich Teams Up with Linkin Park to Raise Money for Disaster Relief

FC Bayern Munich teams up with Linkin Park for Music for Relief

By James Pleasant

The FC Bayern Munich soccer team is fusing music, sports and a great cause by teaming up with Linkin Park in a disaster relief effort for the non-profit that the rap-rock band founded, Music for Relief. The Germany-based footballers are offering fans who donate to Music For Relief the chance to win some seriously enticing prizes.

The top prize earns one winner VIP tickets to a home game at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. The winner and a guest will be flown into Munich round-trip, and treated to a three-night hotel stay as well as food and drinks, so what’s not to like?

The second prize winner will receive a signed comic from the team’s defender, Jerome Boateng. Other donators will be eligible to receive shirts, hoodies and other FC Bayern Munich gear.

To enter, fans simply donate at least $5 to Music for Relief at Prizeo.com. Each $5 donation get fans closer to the top prizes. The sweepstakes closes February 1.

Music For Relief is a non-profit founded by Linkin Park in 2005 dedicated to giving aid and relief to those affected by natural/environmental disasters. The band started it as a response to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, which devastated Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and surrounding islands. Since then, Music For Relief has raised more than $8 million for natural disaster survivors.

To learn more about Music For Relief, click here. To sign up for FC Bayern Munich’s prizes, click here.

College Playoff Free Concerts Kick Off with The Band Perry, Ciara & Campus DJ’s Spinning for a Cause

Ciara will perform at Playoff Playlist Live

By Laura Ferreiro

Leading up to the College Football Playoffs on January 11 between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Clemson Tigers, fans will be treated to some stellar tunes from top artists and the Campus DJ National Championships at the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! free concert series.

The three-day event, which is billed a “virtual playlist for every segment of the population that makes up the college football fan base,” will feature performances by The Band Perry, Walk the Moon, John Mellencamp, Ciara and X Ambassadors. What’s more, top college DJs will spin for their chance to be named the national champion of the Campus DJ competition.

Once again, Music for Good has joined forces with Campus DJ and Chegg to present Spinning for a Cause, in which Chegg will give a generous cash donation to the non-profit of the winning DJ’s choice. Stay tuned for more details about the winner and his or her favorite charity!

The free concerts will begin at 4:15 or 5pm MT January 8-10 in Block 23 of downtown Phoenix between First, Second, Jefferson and Washington Streets and will also feature spirited performances by team mascots and cheerleaders.

The schedule is as follows:

Friday, January 8 – The Band Perry, David Nail and Campus DJ
Saturday, January 9 – Ciara, WALK THE MOON, X Ambassadors and Campus DJ National Championship
Sunday, January 10 – John Mellencamp, American Authors, Moon Taxi and Campus DJ
*Gates open each day at Noon MT; Performances start at 5 p.m. MT and at 4:15pm on Saturday

Join Bono for a Bike Ride, Get Compliments from George Clooney & Fight AIDS

By James Pleasant

Have you ever dreamed of biking alongside Bono or smoking legal weed with Snoop Dogg? If so, you’re in luck because RED – an organization dedicated to fighting AIDS – is offering many of these celebrity meetups as prizes to people who donate at least $10 this holiday season.

Over the next month, donors can bid on over a dozen of these once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and help fight AIDS while doing it!

Prizes include a holiday photo shoot with NBA legend Shaq, a glamourous makeover from Kim Kardashian, getting complimented by George Clooney, accompanying Meryl Streep on the red carpet, joining Snoop Dogg for a “Merry Jane Wellness” retreat in Colorado, meeting the cast of Game of Thrones on set in Ireland, riding bikes with RED founder Bono in Central Park, and many more.

“Life knocks us down, we get back up,” Bono says in a video promoting the campaign, referencing the nasty spill he took on a bike last year that left the U2 frontman seriously injured. “Forget about jumping out of planes, scaling Mount Everest. Join me for a bike ride and really live on the edge.”

RED launched the campaign on World AIDS Day (December 1), and proceeds will go to the Global Fund to fight AIDS.

Each dollar donated gives you 10 chances to win the celebrity experience of your choosing. For example, if you donate $10 – the minimum to enter – you get 100 entries in the prize pool. The more money you donate, the more likely you are to win the prizes.

Air travel and accommodation are also provided, so you won’t have to worry about paying those expenses if you win. There’s also an option to bring a friend along for the experience.

Bidding will continue until January 21, when the winners will be revealed. Every dollar donated will be matched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—a private foundation dedicated to fighting extreme poverty, enhancing healthcare, and improving education.

To donate to RED, learn more about the prizes, and enter to win, click here.

Jennifer Lopez, Blake Shelton, Nick Jonas & More Want You to Rock the Vote

Jennifer Lopez and Blake Shelton join campaign encouraging young people to vote

By Laura Ferreiro

Although millennials played a key role in deciding the 2012 presidential election and re-electing President Obama, a recent survey showed that nearly 80 percent of 18- to 24-year olds are not politically engaged or active. What’s more, a majority believe that their vote will not “make a difference,” according to the Harvard Public Opinion Project.

To remind young people that their votes really do matter and to encourage them to vote and take an active role in shaping the direction of their country, Rock the Vote has teamed up with iHeartRadio and several notable musicians for a year-long-campaign leading up to the 2016 U.S. presidential elections.

Jennifer Lopez, Blake Shelton, Nick Jonas, Tori Kelly, Prince Royce and P Diddy are among the artists who appear in a PSA urging young people to get out and vote.

“Next year, 84 million millennials will have the power to shape the direction of the country,” said Jonas.

Lopez reminds us not to take this for granted, as there are several countries where people don’t have the right to vote. “There are still countries around the world where people can’t choose their leaders,” she said. “As an American, when you turn 18, you have the right to vote.”

The campaign, “Voting is the Party,” encourages young people to “Register to vote and join the party now.”

Keeping Up With the Kardashians star Kendall Jenner also got into the act, dressing up as a suffragette in a PSA that gives an oral history of the women’s suffrage movement.

Check out the PSA below, and register to vote here.

DJs Raise Awareness of Climate Change with Worldwide Communal Music Event

The Crystal Method

By Laura Ferreiro

Electronic music artists from across the globe have teamed up for #ListenParis2015, a communal music event taking place during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris to raise awareness of climate change issues.

More than a dozen top DJs and electronic artists including The Crystal Method, Above and Beyond, Oliver Heldens, UMEK, DJ Three, Danny Avila, Michael Mayer and many more will contribute playlists and mixes for a 24-hour live stream of music with the goal of uniting the world through the common experience of listening to the same music at the same time.

The stream will be available via Beatport starting at 5pm Paris time on Saturday, December 5, and will continue live streaming for 24 hours. The playlists will also be available on Beatport after the event.

World leaders including President Obama have been in Paris for the UN Climate Change Conference this month. They aim to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate from all the nations of the world, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit dangerous increases in temperatures that are threatening human beings and wildlife across the planet.

“Resolution of the climate change issue requires cooperation, inspiration, and communication among citizens and leaders from diverse cultures and backgrounds worldwide,” said Beatport President Greg Consiglio. “What better way to contribute than through the universal language of electronic music?”

Bleachers, Sara Bareilles, Elle King & Lena Dunham for Talent Show Benefiting Homeless LGBTQ Youth

Jack Antonoff and Lena Dunham at an Ally Coalition concert. Photo: Rebecca Sapp/WireImage.com

By James Pleasant

Talented musicians and comedians will join forces for a night of good music and laughs on December 1 for The Ally Coalition’s second annual talent show to support homeless LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer) youth.

The talent show, taking place in NYC’s New World Stages, will feature performances from Bleachers, Sara Bareilles, Lena Dunham, Elle King and more.

The Ally Coalition, a nonprofit started by Bleachers frontman Jack Antonoff and his sister Rachel Antonoff – who will also serve as the event’s host – is dedicated to fighting discrimination against the LGBTQ community through education, awareness and advocacy.

Antonofff points out that this is a human rights issue that affects everyone, not just the LGBTQ community. “This is everyone’s issue,” he told Pride Source. “We are not all free unless we are all free. Just because I was born into the elite class of straight Americans who have maximum rights does not mean that I won’t fight as if it were me being denied human rights.”

All proceeds for the show will go to New Alternatives, a nonprofit in New York that assists LGBT homeless youth.

A whopping 40 percent of homeless teens identify as LGBT, largely because many young people have intolerant families and are kicked out of their parents’ homes after coming out. The Ally Coalition works with other organizations to help promote tolerance and understanding so that these numbers decrease, and provides much-needed support for these youth. What’s more, there are currently 31 states where one can be fired for being transgender, and 29 states where one can be fired for being gay, so a lot of work still needs to be done.

Ally Coalition’s talent show will take place on Giving Tuesday, the day that kicks off the end-of-the-year charitable giving season and uses social media to connect individuals and organizations to celebrate giving back to the community. Giving Tuesday is observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and serves as the antithesis to the materialism of Black Friday during the holiday season.

Grab tickets to the Ally Coalition Talent Show here.

Duran Duran & Eagles of Death Metal Show Solidarity for Paris Attack Victims through ‘Save a Prayer’ Campaign

Duran Duran

By Anna DiBlosi

Duran Duran and fans of Eagles of Death Metal have united in solidarity in the recent aftermath of the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks on Paris. Eagles of Death Metal were playing at Paris’ Le Bataclan Theater when gunmen opened fire on the audience, leaving many civilians dead, including Eagles of Death Metal merchandise manager Nick Alexander, and several more injured.

Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon announced a campaign on Nov. 15 via Twitter to get Eagles of Death Metal’s cover of his band’s classic tune, “Save a Prayer,” to number 1 on the charts worldwide. This campaign was launched on Facebook by fans and Duran Duran has decided to donate all of the proceeds from the song’s sales to charity. The creators stated on the page: “For the record, no we aren’t associated with the band or their record company, we’re just fans of them that feel happy to be alive as some of our fellow EODM fans are tragically not now.”

The Facebook page has more than 16,000 likes to date and keeps up-to-date information on the worldwide music charts. Spotify has also teamed up with this campaign. Every 100 likes “Save a Prayer” receives on Spotify equals one vote on the official UK chart. “Save a Prayer” has hit number one on the worldwide rock chart and number one overall in Portugal, thus far.

You can join the campaign via the Facebook page to help it climb the charts. Check out Duran Duran and Eagles of Death Metal performing “Save a Prayer” below.

Jack Johnson, Pharrell, Sheryl Crow, Sting and More Featured in ‘Earth in Concert’ Exhibit

By Laura Ferreiro

A groundbreaking new exhibit at the California Science Center features several prominent musicians including Sting, Pharrell Williams, Jack Johnson, Sheryl Crow, Ziggy Marley and Willie Nelson, exploring how they use their public platform as artists to raise awareness of vital global environmental issues.

“Earth in Concert: Protecting the Planet Through Music” also features a multimedia exploration of tropical coral reefs, animal calls and habitats and examines the state of biodiversity in our oceans, grasslands and forests.

A new composition by Jack Johnson about reducing plastic pollution in the ocean is also a part of the exhibit, and museum-goers can contribute verses to the song to do their part to inspire people to action.

Ziggy Marley at the Earth in Concert celebration. Photo: Zach Weinberg/Tuff Gong Worldwide

The exhibit, which is put on in partnership with the Grammy Museum and the Global Wildlife Conservation, kicked off with a star-studded concert featuring Ziggy Marley, Dwight Yokam and Judith Hill at Los Angeles’ Club Nokia on November 11. All proceeds from the concert benefitted Global Wildlife Conservation and the Grammy Museum.

Johnson, who’s an avid surfer, has been an active environmental advocate for several years, often focusing his efforts on the world’s oceans and greening initiatives. He recently joined non-profit 5 Gyres to raise awareness of plastic pollution in the oceans and the deadly impact it has on marine life and ecosystems.

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Crow goes to great lengths to reduce the environmental impact of her tours, and often addresses issues of global warming and alternative energy sources in her music. Reggae artist Marley has long been an advocate of treating the Earth with care, singing several pro-Earth anthems on his most recent album, Fly Rasta.

Country music veteran Nelson co-founded the long-running benefit concert Farm Aid to help American family farms, farmers and healthy, farm-fresh food in schools, and owns bio-diesel brand Willie Nelson Biodiesel, which is made from vegetable oil rather than fossil fuels. Meanwhile Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, co-founded the Rainforest Fund, which protects forests and the indigenous people who live in them from exploitation and destruction.

Singer/producer Williams serves as creative director of Bionic Yarn, which uses recycled plastic to create yarn, and has partnered with clothing brand G-Star Raw to make stylish denim using plastic recycled from the ocean.

The Earth in Concert exhibit will run for the next few weeks at the California Science Center and is free and open to the public.

Girl Power News Bites: Speedy Ortiz Donates Tour Proceeds to Girls Rock Camp; Santigold, Laurie Anderson, Kathleen Hanna to Play Benefit

Speedy Ortiz

By James Pleasant

Musicians around the United States are empowering young women to kick butt in music and eradicate gender norms and stereotypes in a typically male-dominated industry.

As part of the effort, indie-rock band Speedy Ortiz will donate an impressive 100 percent of the proceeds from their winter all-ages tour to the Girls Rock Camp Foundation— a nonprofit dedicated to providing funding for Girls Rock Camp.

Girls Rock Camps are dedicated to helping young girls develop life skills, creative expression, and collaboration through music.

As a further incentive for fans to support girls rocking out, Speedy Ortiz is also offering exclusive prizes to people who donate to the organization.: A $5 donation will give fans a free custom Speedy Ortiz poster designed by artist Michael DeForge; A $10 donation will give fans custom Speedy Ortiz nail art stickers, and a $30 donation gives fans a Speedy Ortiz print, as well as all of the aforementioned prizes.

“Girls Rock helps level the music business’ playing field by coaching girls to form bands, develop skills in engineering and technical production, and build their self-esteem along the way,” said Sadie Dupuis, Speedy Ortiz’s lead singer and guitarist. “We love the work GRCF does, and are proud to support them on this tour.”

Girls Rock Camp Foundation has supported more than 44 independently run Girls Rock Camps since its inception in 2014. Musicians such as Tegan and Sara, Beth Ditto and Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna currently serve on the nonprofit’s advisory board.

Santigold

What’s more, renowned artists Santigold, Laurie Anderson and Kathleen Hanna will headline a concert on December 4 at the Roulette in Brooklyn to benefit the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls— a nonprofit organization empowering women through music education that’s unaffiliated to the aforementioned Girls Rock Camp Foundation. All proceeds from this event will go toward giving girls and trans-youth – primarily from low-income backgrounds – the opportunity to learn and express themselves through music.

Check out the Speedy Ortiz’ video for the single, “The Graduates,” off of their most recent album, Foil Deer, and find their tour dates here.

If you want to donate to Girls Rock Camp Foundation, please click here; and to give money, music gear or food to Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls, click here.

Rock Stars Donate Well-Worn Leather for Unique Watches Benefiting MusiCares

Ringo Starr donates leather to Nixon's Rock LTD collection

By James Pleasant

Have you ever dreamt of wearing your favorite rock star’s beaten and battered leather jacket or the boots that have walked across countless stages? Now you can come pretty close, because Nixon – a boutique wristwatch and accessories brand – is releasing its Rock LTD Collection featuring watches with leather straps made out of boots, jackets and other clothes worn by legendary rock musicians including Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Tom Waits, Ozzy Osbourne and The Who frontman Pete Townshend.

Proceeds from sales of the watches will go to the MusiCares MAP Fund – a charity created by The Recording Academy dedicated to assisting musicians who are suffering from addiction.

“I know firsthand about the ravages of addiction,” Black Sabbath frontman Osbourne told AdWeek. “I also know that the MusiCares MAP Fund is a vital safety net for people in the music industry.”

Rolling Stones guitarist Richards donated an old leather jacket to the initiative, and Waits gave a pair of old leather boots. Former Beatles drummer Starr donated a piece of leather from his drum bag, and Eddie Van Halen donated a guitar strap. Townshend wanted to further personalize his timepiece, and added The Who’s logo to the watch.

“It’s nice to reach out to an artist and not ask him to perform,” said MusiCares’ Wynnie Wynn. “Instead, all they have to do is reach into the closet to produce an item that can raise significant funds.”

Each watch will cost between $1,000 and $4,000, and will be sold worldwide starting in mid-November at retailers such as Fred Segal, Barneys and Selfridges. The watches will not be available online, so fans will have to purchase these rare items in person.

Celebrities such as Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, Tony Hawk, Metallica’s James Hetfield, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis have donated to previous Nixon LTD collections, which also benefited MusiCares MAP Fund.

Nixon does not receive any monetary profit from the Rock LTD line, with all of the proceeds being donated to the charity.

MusiCares offers addiction recovery and support centers in Los Angeles, Nashville, Austin, New Orleans, New York, Seattle and Colorado. To learn more about MusiCare’s MAP Fund, click here.