$382K donation: New twist in Pearl Jam rocker’s charity, EB Research Partnership

A charity co-founded by rock star Eddie Vedder involved in an Australian legal dispute was asking top dollar for an intimate concert.

A charity co-founded by Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder was asking up to $382,000 to sponsor a fundraising concert for a rare skin disease.

Vedder’s charity set the sky-high price for an intimate concert with him and rapper Post Malone in Shelbyville, Tennessee, over the weekend.

The event comes as Vedder’s charity has been in a legal dispute over the intellectual property rights to use the name of a 12-year-old Melbourne girl to raise money for the same chronic illness.

Vedder’s charity had claimed it owns the rights to the “Tough Tilly” day fundraiser, organised by a breakaway Australian charity.

The event was named after Tilly Wilkes, who has the life-threatening rare skin disease, Epidermolysis bullosa (EB), which causes painful blistering and scarring.

Vedder’s charity EB Research Partnership had demanded that Australian charity Cure EB stop using the name “Tough Tilly” day and reserved the right to claim the $95,000 raised at the event on the Murray River on January 6.

Tilly Wilkes, 12, who suffers a rare skin condition, with parents Kelly and Corey. Picture: Rob Leeson

But while claiming money raised in Australia, EB Research Foundation was charging top dollar for donations in the United States.

“What started as a tribute is now a tradition … On Saturday, February 17, 2024, we will host Reportin’ for Duty again,” the EB Research Partnership website said.

“This year it will be an intimate concert featuring Post Malone joined by EBRP Co-Founder, Eddie Vedder, Jelly Roll, The War And Treaty, Ruby Amanfu, Jake Wesley Rogers, and Dan Spencer.”

Post Malone has 25 million followers on Instagram and played an outdoor concert with Kid Laroi in November in Sydney.

The Platinum Sponsorship package for the Tennessee gig, which included 16 tickets and 50 after-party tickets, was priced at $250,000.

The concert was held in the Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, Tennessee, which claims to have the world’s longest bar at 157m. The bar in the 250-seat Humble Baron venue wraps around an indoor stage.

Base tickets cost almost $4000, with some families who have children with EB complaining online about the price.

A screenshot of the EB Research Partnership page with the line up for the Reportin' for Duty concert, featuring Post Malone and Eddie Vedder.

EB Research Partnership page asked for $US250,000 ($A382,000) to sponsor a charity concert.

“That’s an amazing line up, too bad EB families could never afford to attend,” Katie Macmarsky Fox said on the EB Research Facebook page.

Jennifer Albrecht wrote: “I was hoping I could take my son (who) lives with EB but tickets are obviously priced as a fundraiser – maybe a pay per view for those that can’t.”

EB Research Partnership has defended its right to claim the name Tough Tilly Day, saying the Australian charity Cure EB was creating confusion among donors.

Cure EB was a breakaway charity from EB Research Partnership after its Australian directors split after a dispute last year.

Eddie Vedder and Post Malone play the Pearl Jam hit Better Man at a charity concert for EB Research Partnership at the Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, Tennessee on February 17, 2024. Picture: Supplied

EB Research Partnership said in a statement that it had raised “more than $60 million to fund more than 140 projects across the world” since 2011.

“EBRP’s innovative venture philanthropy model has been highlighted for their leadership by Yale, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Forbes. EBRP has the highest possible independent charity ratings for fiscal responsibility and transparency including Charity Navigator 4-Stars and Candid’s Platinum Transparency Seal,” the charity said.

“In addition to raising funds for research, EBRP also supports EB families to participate in fundraising events. For example, it recently provided tickets and/or accommodation to its recent event, Venture into Cures in Seattle, to any EB family that requested tickets.”