Your mega guide to bushfire relief gigs across Australia
Australia is flush with performances featuring local and international stars helping generate much-needed funds for bushfire relief. Here’s where you can catch a show.
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COLD CHISEL – BLOOD MOON
Bankwest Stadium, Sydney, Friday, 4.30pm
Here’s your last chance to buy a ticket to see one of the finest Australian rock’n’roll bands of all time with their good mates Hoodoo Gurus, Birds of Tokyo and Busby Marou. All this week, $50 from every ticket purchased to the show is being donated to NSW Rural Fire Service, with 3000 tickets also going to volunteer fireys. There will be limited edition T-shirts at the gig to help raise further funds for the RFS.
FIREAID 2020
Bong Bong Picnic Racecourse, Bowral, Friday, gates open at 2pm, ticketek.com.au
Performer John Waters has assembled an all-star cast for this mini-festival fundraiser hosted by Julia Zemiro with performances from Daryl Braithwaite, John Paul Young, Megan Washington, Jack Jones, Margaret Urlich, Leo Sayer, Stewart D’Arrietta with the songs of Leonard Cohen. Queen of the kids Justine Clarke will also entertain the mini-ravers.
BAND TOGETHER
The Zoo, Brisbane, January 25, from 6.30pm, sold out
Regurgitator, Sixfthick and more rocking out in the name of love. The ‘Gurg have been committed to the cause since the beginning of the year, having already played a fundraiser as part of their Sydney Festival appearances.
RAISE EM UP
The Tivoli, Brisbane, January 25, from 5pm, Ticketmaster
This is guaranteed to be a beautiful evening of communal singalongs with Megan Washington, Matt Corby, The Kite String Tangle, Ngaiire, Rohin Jones (The Middle East), The RIOT, Asha Jefferies, Loki Liddle, DJ Black Amex and more offering musical inspiration for your charity coin.
ROCK AGAINST THE FIRES
Spotted Mallard, Melbourne, Friday, 4pm, sold out
Dallas Crane, Batz, Draught Dodgers, Rocket Science, Baby 8, Electric Guitars, Powerline Sneakers, Bambi Kills, Skybelly, Seedy Jeezus and more kicking out the jams with plenty of auction goodness for added fundraising goodness.
FIRE FUND
North Wollongong Hotel, NSW, Friday, from 4pm, sold out
Hockey Dad, Tumbleweed, Dune Rats and more are rocking out the jams for the RFS, Red Cross and more worthy recipients.
FIRES FUNDRAISER
Spotted Mallard, January 25, from 2pm, sold out
Mick Thomas, The Orbweavers, Angie Hart, Charles Jenkins & the Zhivagos, Sarah Carroll, Skyscraper Stan, The Dusty Millers, MC Jane Clifton and more getting their gig on for bushfire relief.
BUSHFIRE FUNDRAISER
Stay Gold, Brunswick, Melbourne, Saturday, 6pm, eventbrite
Triple J faves Alex Lahey, Japanese Wallpaper, Gretta Ray, Alice Ivy and Stella Farnan, along with DJ sets from Alex Dyson and Eilish Gilligan, jamming to raise serious coin.
MARY’S LOVES THE BUSH
Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney, January 27, from 1.30pm, moshtix
All ticket and bar profits will go to the relief fund in NSW with entertainment from a couple of dozen acts including Clews, Donny Benet, the Hard Ons and I Know Leopard. Indie crew unite.
TONES AND I AND FRIENDS
170 Russell, Melbourne, January 28, sold out
The Dance Monkey superstar has enlisted her very good mates Adrian Eagle and the Pierce Brothers for a most excellent gig.
FIRE BENEFIT AT THE TOTE
The Tote, Melbourne, January 31 and February 1, oztix
Jen Cloher, Romy Vager, Sui Zhen, Lai, Jess Ribiero and more are putting on two nights of tunes at the venerable Melbourne venue.
FIRE FIGHT AUSTRALIA
ANZ Stadium, Sydney February 16, sold out
Queen and Adam Lambert generously donated their staging so an impressive line-up of local and international acts could come together for this epic fundraiser. Performing at the star-studded gig will be Queen + Adam Lambert, Alice Cooper, k.d. lang, 5 Seconds of Summer, Amy Shark, Baker Boy, Conrad Sewell, Daryl Braithwaite, Delta Goodrem, Grinspoon, Guy Sebastian, Hilltop Hoods, ICEHOUSE, Illy, Jessica Mauboy, John Farnham, Lee Kernaghan, Olivia Newton-John, Peking Duk, Pete Murray, Tina Arena and William Barton. Gates open at noon, with the first performances from 1pm.
LANEWAY AFTERPARTIES
The Laneway festival is throwing afterparties in each city to assist the bushfire relief effort, with tickets now on sale via lanewayfestival.com
Brisbane: The Woolly Mammoth, February 1 with The Chats, Omar Apollo, Half Queen and more.
Sydney: Oxford Art Factory, February 2, with Charli XCX, Oliver Tree, Ocean Alley, Half Queen, Sauti Systems and Friends, Laneway DJs.
Adelaide: Lion’s Art Factory, February 7 with The Chats, West Thebarton and more.
Melbourne: The Night Cat, February 8 with Charli XCX, Oliver Tree, Laneway DJs and more.
Fremantle: FREO Social, February 9 with Spacey Jane, Kucka, POND and more.
DOWN TO EARTH – A FIRE AND CLIMATE RELIEF CONCERT.
Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, February 26, sold out
This awesome concert featuring Angus and Julia Stone, Briggs, Gang Of Youths, Jack River, Ruby Fields, Tash Sultana and Thelma Plum sold out in minutes. The hope is to raise over $$1 for fire and climate relief, with proceeds being split between Red Cross, WIRES, First Nations organisation Firesticks (indigenous land and fire management education) and the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (the ex fire commissioners advocating for climate action in Australia).
ROCK RELIEF
Brookvale Oval, Sydney, February 15, from 2pm, $55, www.beachesrockrelief.com.au
This is another something for everyone gig with families encouraged to attend featuring Christine Anu, Dog Trumpet, Furnace and the Fundamentals, GRAACE, Hoodoo Gurus, Hot Dub Time Machine, Shannon Noll, The Choirboys, The Superjesus, Xavier Dunn.
A CARRY FOR COINS
Max Watts, Melbourne, February 26, oztix.com.au
The concert features award-winning artists Sampa The Great and Kaitt with their great friends and stellar live performers Ecca Vandal, Kira Puru, Jesswar, Miss Blanks, DJ Babymama, Soju Gang, C. Frim and more to be announced. A Carry 4 Coins will donate 100% of profits to a number of organisations and communities including Firesticks Alliance, Fire Relief Fund for Fire Nations Communities and Mogo Aboriginal Land Council.
AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE MSO
Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, February 5, free
MSO has partnered with ABC Classic and the Australian Red Cross to support the Bushfire Disaster Relief through this performance. ABC Classic will broadcast the concert live on radio across Australia from 7.30pm with volunteers collecting donations at the venue and listeners encouraged to donate online.
FANNY LUMSDEN TOOMA BUSHFIRE RECOVERY FUNDRAISER
Tooma Hall, Tooma, March 14, tickets here
Fanny Lumsden will use her official album launch for new record Fallow to raise much needed funds for community of Tooma who were smack bang in the middle of what is known as the ‘Megafire’. The album was recorded in a stone hut in the valley and is a celebration of the incredible surroundings caught in the horrendous bushfires.
NEW NOW
107 Projects, Redfern, Sydney, February 22, all ages from $10, musicnsw.com
New Now is a regular all-ages showcase, giving under 18 music fans – and teen bands – a chance to strut their stuff in front of an appreciative audience. The first show of the year is headlined by Bec Sandridge and imbi with Dying Adolescence and Georgia Marley also performing to raise funds for bushfire relief.
MOTOR ACE
Live at the Bundy Hall, Sale, Victoria, January 26, tickets here
The much-loved Australian rockers got the band back together and ha such a great time, they decided to keep the reunion going. And they are heading right into fire-affected area to help out those who have been devastated by the East Gippsland fires. “All ticket sales will be passed on in cash form, straight to those in the area that need it most. There’ll be auctions, the hat is getting passed around and we are having a BBQ to bring some slight relief to the area”.
ONE LAND
Northcote Social Club, Melbourne, February 5, northcote social club
Beats and rhymes and smooth tunes from Birdz, MANTRA, Dialectrix, P-UniQue, NIASHA, DJ J-RED, Henry Skillz and hosted by N’fa Jones.
TAME IMPALA
Tickets to their 2020 homecoming tour of arenas go on sale on Tuesday with Kevin Parker announcing $300,000 from show sales will be donated to bushfire relief. They kick off at Brisbane’s Entertainment Centre on April 18, Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on April 20, Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on April 23, Adelaide’s Entertainment Centre Arena on April 25 and back home to Perth’s RAC Arena on April 28.
CUDLEE CREEK BUSHFIRE BENEFIT CONCERT
National Motor Museum Grounds, Birdwood, February 9, midday, “generous donation at the gate”.
Country music legend Beccy Cole heads an eclectic line-up for this fundraiser and pop-up recovery centre for the victims of the devastating South Australian fires. Local providores will also be selling their wares to help raise funds.
FIRE AID – FROM WA, WITH LOVE
Fremantle Arts Centre, January 31, February 1, 6pm, sold out
John Butler, The Waifs, San Cisco and Stella Donnelly are doing it for the animals, the fireys and the victims of the bushfire emergency and this time it’s personal. The Waifs’ Josh Cunningham and David Macdonald had to evacuate their homes on the far south coast of NSW during the crisis.
WITH LOVE FROM WA
Rosemount Hotel, February 16, from 2pm, oztix
Drapht, Katy Steele, Great Gable, Dulcie, The Money War, Demon Days and more sending their music love to the east coast with this fundraiser.
SARAH BLASKO
The award-winning, beguiling and always entertaining performer has announced she will perform a series of Parlour gigs to aid the bushfire relief efforts in the homes of fans in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. You can apply to host via the Parlour app.
IVEY’S ALL AGES FIRE RELIEF FUNDRAISER
Miami Marketta, January 31, 5pm, tickets via Oztix
Indie pop outfit Ivey have assembled an impressive collection of fresh talent including
Tia Gostelow, Daste, DVNA and Citrus Daze for this Gold Coast all-ages benefit gig so the kids can contribute to the relief effort too.
COMEDY STEPS UP FOR BUSHFIRE RELIEF
Sydney Opera House forecourt, March 16, livenation.com.au
If ever there was a time when Australia needed a good laugh …. Arj Barker, Carl Barron, Urzila Carlson, Joel Creasey, Kitty Flanagan, Becky Lucas, Tim Minchin, Julia Morris, Harry Shearer and more to be announced will be delivering the chuckles in the name of recovery.
Originally published as Your mega guide to bushfire relief gigs across Australia