Look To The Stars News: Lenny Kravitz

New York City To Host Peace Day Concert

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0000

New York City has been named the latest venue of a Peace Day Concert, and will rock the Nokia Theatre 12 days before London’s extravaganza.

Grammy-award winning singers Annie Lennox and Bryan Adams will perform acoustic sets alongside international sensation Natasha Bedingfield during the September 9 concert. The evening will also feature video messages of peace from celebrities and artists including Jude Law and Lenny Kravitz, speeches from international luminaries, and clips from the acclaimed documentary, The Day After Peace, will add to a remarkable night of entertainment.

World Peace Day has been held on September 21 annually since 2001, when the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted September 21 as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence. The initiative came from an idea by Jeremy Gilley, who founded his non-profit organization – Peace One Day – in 1999.

“What I love about Jeremy Gilley and the Peace One Day campaign, is that the whole thing was started by just one individual who is trying to make difference, despite the odds,” said Annie Lennox, who also took part in last year’s concert in London. “We all have so much potential, but we don’t tend to realize it, so we take it for granted. The work of Peace One Day encourages and inspires people to think about we can all do, both at individual and “collective” levels. There are better and alternative means to conflict resolution than “killing and maiming the enemy”. Political leaders and power brokers have too much invested in the industry of war, rather than implementing peaceful solutions. What is life without peace? Peace is for the highest good, and as a global community it is one of the things we need to value above everything.”

Proceeds from the concert, which will also be televised, will assist the organization’s ongoing mission to raise awareness of Peace Day. As a direct result of Peace One Day’s campaigning in 2007, 1.4 million Afghanistan children were vaccinated against polio, and 100 million people in 200 countries were engaged in Peace Day activities.

Tickets to both the NYC and London Peace Day Concerts are available through www.ticketmaster.com.

Celebrities On Show For AIDS Relief

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:52:49 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

“A Dollar Saves A Life” is the catchphrase of a new advertising campaign featuring Alicia Keys, Jessica Alba, and Somalia-born model Iman, launched to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.

The stars will join actress Lisa Bonet, Indian model Padma Lakshmi, and Zöe Kravitz – daughter of Lenny Kravitz – in a series of advertisements in magazines across America, as part of Keys’ Keep A Child Alive Foundation’s new “Good Cents Initiative”.

The advertisements will see the stars dressed in stylish black clothes, striking simple yet elegant poses surrounded by accessories and props to promote the new campaign. Keys has been photographed clutching a large pink piggybank, and Alba smiles under an umbrella as coins rain down from above.

“Every penny counts,” read the advertisements. “We see every penny as something worth saving. Please join us in helping children in Africa and India get the vital AIDS drugs they need.”

The Good Cents Initiative was launched in September, 2007, when Keys took part in a roundtable discussion on youth activism with Bono, Shakira, Chris Rock, and Bill Clinton. The event was hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative.

Another star to be involved in an HIV/AIDS related project is singer Johnny Clegg, who has reworked his classic song “Great Heart” with an all-star cast of South African musicians as a fundraiser for the Starfish Greathearts Foundation.

Clegg appears alongside 17 other acts on the recording, including Arno Carstens, Chris Chameleon, Sipho “Hotstixs” Mabuse, and Kahn Morbee from indie-pop group The Parlotones.

The song, released as a radio-only single, is also included on a new benefit album – “Spirit of the Great Heart” – which will raise money for children affected by South Africa’s HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Children's Charity Celebrates Tenth Anniversary

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:27:55 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A major children’s charity celebrated 10 years of service last weekend by holding a black-tie gala attended by a host of celebrities.

The gala and fashion show, held on January 13 in Los Angeles, was in honor of The Art of Elysium, a charity that uses drama, music, and art to help children who suffer from serious medical conditions. Sponsored by Vogue and Cartier, the event attracted a crowd of stars who took advantage of the opportunity to support the organization, with Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart, Lenny Kravitz, Ellen DeGeneres, Courteney Cox, Zach Braff, Ashley Olsen, and Casey Affleck all being spotted at the event.

The Art of Elysium was founded by Jennifer Howell in 1997, with the goal of helping 350 critically ill children in the Los Angeles area every week. By encouraging actors, artists, and musicians to donate their time to the children, the charity grew exponentially, and in 2007 over 20,000 children across North America benefited from the organization’s art-related workshops.

“The Art of Elysium exists because of the passion that artists hold in their hearts,” said Howell. “By serving children in need, the artist is allowed to express this passion in ways that could never be revealed on stage, in a gallery, or behind a camera. As Saint Francis said, ‘It is in giving that we receive’.”

Patricia Arquette, another guest at the gala, summed up the general feeling of the evening when she said: “I’m so glad the Golden Globes were cancelled, because it draws more attention to this.”

More information on how to support The Art Of Elysium can be found at www.theartofelysium.org.

Live Earth Rocks the Planet

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:16:25 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

They came, they rocked, they conquered. 07/07/07 saw the Live Earth concerts take place on 7 continents, and the event will go down in history and in people’s hearts as one of the greatest spectacles ever staged.

The nine concerts held around the globe attracted hundreds of thousands of music lovers, and another 9 million internet streams – a world record internet audience. Many more are expected to watch replays over the next few weeks.
Concert-goers partied for a total of 22 hours at the events organized by Al Gore to raise awareness of climate change and environmental issues.

“You are Live Earth,” Gore told the crowd in New Jersey, on a stage made from recycled tires. “Today 2 billion of us have come together in over 130 countries… Times like these demand action.”

Despite the rain and low temperatures, 30,000 fans in Hamburg enjoyed stunning and energetic performances by Yusuf – formerly known as Cat Stevens – Shakira, Snoop Dogg, Enrique Iglesias, and former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. German comedian Elton joked about the inclement conditions with the comment “We’re here to fight against global warming in such c—p weather.”

It was also a cold affair in Antarctica, where a previously unknown band Nunatak – made up of polar researchers – played for 17 fellow scientists, allowing Gore to keep his promise to hold concerts in all seven continents.

45,000 people turned out in warmer circumstances in Sydney, where they were treated to performances by Jack Johnson, Toni Collette’s band The Finish, and a newly reformed Crowded House. Sydney was the first of the concerts to open, and was followed by Japan, where thousands rocked to performances by Linkin Park, Rihanna, and a host of local acts.

Johannesburg, experiencing its first snow in ten years, swayed to the rhythms of some of their best known local acts, as well as an intense performance by Joss Stone.

It was a smaller and quieter affair in Washington, where a subdued crowd was entertained by a few lesser known blues and hip hop acts.

The most popular concerts were held in London and New York. The newly refurbished Wembley Stadium was rocking under the weight of 70,000 concert-goers, all enthralled by stellar performances from the Beastie Boys, Kasabian, Metallica, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 1980’s comedy rock act Spinal Tap reformed for the event to perform their new single, “Warmer Than Hell”, and there was also a touching performance by singer/songwriter Terra Naomi. Naomi wrote the track “Say It’s Possible” after seeing An Inconvenient Truth, and was asked personally by Al Gore to perform it at Live Earth.

The finale of the Wembley show was a set by Madonna, which included “Hey You”, the song she wrote especially for Live Earth. She also thanked Gore “for giving the world the wake-up call it so badly needs, and for starting the avalanche of awareness that we are running out of time.”

Over 50,000 people crammed Giants Stadium in New Jersey to join Al Gore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, and Kevin Bacon for a night to remember. Cool rhythms from Alicia Keys and the Dave Matthews Band gave way to rockier beats later in the evening from Kelly Clarkson, Melissa Etheridge, and Jon Bon Jovi. The show ended with Sting and The Police performing a duet of their hit, “Message In A Bottle”, with rapper Kanye West
.
The free show in Rio De Janeiro, almost cancelled over security concerns, drew a crowd of 600,000 to listen to sun-drenched performances by Lenny Kravitz and Macy Gray, and the show in Shanghai was also a success.

The Chinese crowd were made aware of the International Energy Agency warning that China could become the top emitter of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, by later this year.

The Live Earth concerts were a great day’s entertainment for those who witnessed them, and only time will tell if they achieved their goals.

“Thank you for coming to Live Earth,” said Al Gore as the concerts ended. “Harness the energy in your hearts and help us solve the climate crisis.”

New CD To Raise Aid For Darfur

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 07:28:22 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign To Save Darfur is a new CD that seeks to raise aid for the humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur. It features the music of John Lennon recorded by some of the world’s best known musicians.

U2, Green Day, Christina Aguilera, and Avril Lavigne are some of the 50 musical artists and groups that are included in the Amnesty International project.

The album was released around the world on 12 June by Warner Bros Records, and was put together by Amnesty International’s “Make Some Noise” initiative.

“Make Some Noise” is a global venture that hopes to inspire a new generation to stand up for human rights. It mixes music, celebration and action to protect people wherever freedom is denied. Yoko Ono has been a longtime supporter of the initiative, and donated the rights to the entire John Lennon songbook to the project.

“Music speaks the language of freedom, revolution and solidarity. Without that freedom – without music that is angry, joyful and necessary – we are nothing” she said of the album’s release.

The CD calls attention to the war-torn countries of Darfur and Chad. All proceeds from the album and music downloads will go towards alleviating the risk of starvation and disease in these areas.

Other artists featured on the CD include Aerosmith, Lenny Kravitz, Jack Johnson, and Ben Harper. REM is also featured, and drummer Bill Berry came out of retirement to record the track “#9 Dream”. It is the first time the original four band members, including singer Michael Stipe, have been in the studio together since 1997.

Kravitz and Good Charlotte "Serve" Those in Need

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 19:49:14 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Major recording artists such as Lenny Kravitz and Good Charlotte have come together to help create an all-star charity CD benefitting World Hunger Year (WHY).

Called “Serve”, the collection of tracks by Grammy Award-winning and acclaimed artists includes a booklet with text and photos celebrating philanthropy in rock ‘n’ roll. The 12 songs are variously new and classic, electric and acoustic, and two are live recordings. Many of the tracks are rare or previously unreleased pieces.

The CD is available at Hard Rock Cafe’s Rock Shops and the Hard Rock Cafe website. The tracklist is as follows:

Bruce Springsteen – “Secret Garden” (String Version)
Aerosmith – “Jaded” (Acoustic Mix)
Dido – “Life for Rent”
The Strokes – "Alone, Together” (Home Recording)
Ray Lamontagne – “Shelter”
Coheed And Cambria – “A Favor House Atlantic” (Live Acoustic Version)
Velvet Revolver – “Slither”
Modest Mouse – “Ocean Breathes Salty”
Darryl McDaniels (featuring Sarah McLachlan) – “Just Like Me”
Good Charlotte – “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous” (Live Acoustic Version)
Lenny Kravitz – “Let Love Rule”
The Hold Steady – “Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night”

WHY fights against hunger and poverty in America, and net proceeds from “Serve” will be donated to an artist-directed division of WHY, Artists Against Hunger & Poverty.

Instrumental Giving

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 13:15:19 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Elton John is putting his famous red piano up for auction, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

The piano has been with John through many tours, and he will play it for the last time on March 5 at the Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Dinner. After that it will be put up for auction on eBay with an opening bidding price of $85,000.

While on tour in Brazil, Bono encouraged concert-goers to work together towards ending poverty, and has donated one of his guitars in support of the Brazilian government’s Zero Hunger program.

Lenny Kravitz donated a guitar to the Zero Hunger program last year, raising about $132,000 at an auction.

Look To The Stars News: Lenny Kravitz

New York City To Host Peace Day Concert

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