Look To The Stars News: Travis

Bid On Signed Harry Potter Book For Charity

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Fans of Harry Potter are able to bid on a rare first edition of The Deathly Hallows – the seventh book in the series – signed by author JK Rowling.

The auction is being run Celeb2nds.com, a website that specializes in celebrity charity auctions, and will raise money for Children with AIDS (CWAC) – a charity that responds to the specific practical, emotional and educational requirements of children and their families infected and affected by HIV.

Established in 1992 to help the youngest of those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS maintain a good quality of life, CWAC is a UK-based charity that aims to work towards a future without poverty or prejudice for these children and their families.

Celeb2nds.com was set up in 2006 by Steve Howell to specifically raise much needed funds for charities using authentic celebrity memorabilia.

“Celeb2nds.com is an exciting new concept that allows users to get their hands on money can’t buy items from their celebrity idols, whilst raising money for some very worthy charities,” he said.

Currently on the site are items from John Travolta, Status Quo, Travis, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Branson and many more.

The Harry Potter auction runs until March 7 and can be accessed here.

Concerts To Fight Cancer

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Versus Cancer, a fairly young charity dedicated to raising money to fight cancer, has announced their fourth concert, coming to Glasgow next month on 28 November.

By putting together concerts with both living legends and new talent, these unique combination performances are raising much needed money for cancer research and support. The Versus Cancer website states, “It’s about everyone coming together, artists and fans alike, to stand shoulder to shoulder and make a real difference, and make a bit of musical history in the process.”

With no small ambition of creating musical and medical history, the charity has done quite well in its three years of existence. The most recent of their one off concerts raised £250,000, and they are planning to surpass the £1 million by the end of the 2008/9 season.

Created by Andy Rourke and Nova Rehman – whose late sister is the inspiration of Versus Cancer – the charity distributes funds into three areas: funding innovative projects for treating cancer, supporting awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of checking for signs of cancer early to increase survival chances, and support groups to ensure that the best care and facilities are available.

So far, Travis, The Fratellis, Ian McCulloch (Echo and the Bunnymen), Alphabeat, Sergeant and Attic Lights have committed to next month’s Versus Cancer concert. Tickets for the event can be found at www.secctickets.com, or the SECC Box office on 0141 287 7777.

Celebrities Offer Support To Darfur

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:29:43 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Sudanese region of Darfur is benefiting from several new initiatives this month, all designed to raise awareness and money for the war-torn area. And the biggest effort comes from an independent record label that has waded into the music industry to put its money where its mouth is.

Waxploitation, established in 1997 by Jeff Antebi, is a label for innovative artists that has broken with the tradition of managing “producer/engineers” and instead manages artists as record producers – a huge difference in the industry, and one that has led to a huge shift in industry interests.

But not only are they challenging the way record companies operate, Waxploitation is leading the way with programs to fight poverty and hunger, especially in war-affected Sudan. The label has just released a compilation CD, featuring a host of artists who have donated songs to the effort, which has debuted at number 32 on the iTunes chart and almost sold out its first physical CD printing.

“Causes 1:Darfur” includes songs by The Cure, Travis, Death Cab For Cutie, and Spoon, with all proceeds going to three non-profit organizations: Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, and Oxfam America.

“This level of attention is not something we were expecting, given how grassroots our marketing efforts have been,” said Jeff Antebi. “But it shows the strength of the fans and artists who participated and the enormous desire to help Darfur. It’s quite telling that on iTunes people have chosen to buy the album, instead of cherry-picking individual songs. That says people are aware of how important the donation is.”

“Causes 1:Darfur” follows the label’s first charity release, “Genocide In Sudan”, and is available from www.waxploitation.com and iTunes for only 90 days to highlight the urgency of the situation.

The label has also hit the news this week by launching its fourth Darfur Benefit Auction, a massive online event that aims to raise money for the 2 million people forced to flee their homes in the wake of conflict in the region.

The auction, which can be viewed on www.ebay.com/causesauction, features a huge range of unique and collectible items, many of them personally signed by celebrities such as Kanye West, Coldplay, Macy Gray, and Gnarls Barkley. Norah Jones, Avril Lavigne, and Nickleback have all signed guitars for the auction, and other items have been donated by Sony, Xbox, Nintendo, Nokia, and Adidas.

Also joining the fight for Darfur this month is Golden Globe winning actress, Mia Farrow. The 62-year-old has launched Fund4Darfur in association with the Aegis Trust, the UK’s leading genocide prevention organization.

“I have visited Darfur seven times since 2004,” said Farrow on the Fund’s new website. “In these visits, I have seen the suffering that the people of Darfur endure. I believe strongly we should work together to give dignity and hope to survivors and enable Aegis to continue its work against genocide.”

Singer Annie Lennox has also lent her support to the initiative, and has donated a track from her new album to be used to promote the Fund.

Fund4Darfur will directly support survivors of Darfur’s ethnic cleansing, and one third of the money raised will be used to fund campaigning for the protection of Darfur’s threatened African population. Donations can be made at www.fund4darfur.org.

Coldplay and Beastie Boys Give, Listen, Help.

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 18:59:47 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

The Beastie Boys and Coldplay are among the musicians who are supporting the joint efforts of Urban Outfitters and Filter Magazine in raising money for charity.

The fourth installment of the “Give. Listen. Help.” compilation is raising funds for The Art of Elysium, with $12.88 of every $14 CD purchase going to help hospitalized children through art. Past beneficiaries include Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the American Red Cross's hurricane relief efforts.

The two CD set is as follows:

DISC ONE:

Beastie Boys – The Mix-Up (b-side)
Coldplay – Pour Me (live at the Hollywood Bowl)
Band of Horses – The End’s Not Near
Rilo Kiley – Big Break
Hot Hot Heat – Money & Reputation
The Stooges – Claustrophobia
Kaiser Chiefs – Out Of My Depth
Travis – Up the Junction
The Go! Team – Bull in the Heather
The Decemberists – Shankill Butchers
Menomena – Gay A
Cold War Kids – A Change Is Gonna Come (Live)
The A-Sides – Diamonds (Live @ WOXY.com)
Annie Stela – White June
Mew – White Lips Kissed (Live in Japan)
Two Sheds – Psycho Killer
Patti Smith – Perfect Day

DISC TWO:

Silversun Pickups – Lazy Eye (Brian LeBarton Remix)
Blonde Redhead – Signs Along the Path (Maps Remix)
Interpol – The Heinrich Maneuver (The Scientist Dub Mix)
Air – Mer du Japon (Remix by the Teenagers)
Peter Bjorn & John – Young Folks (Punks Jump Up remix)
The Wolfmen – Jackie Says (Alan Moulder mix)
The Pipettes – We Are The Pipettes (Live from The Cherrytree House)
Carina Round – January Heart (Buffalo Bill Remix)
Low – Hatchet (Optimimi Version)
Mando Diao – Good Morning Herr Horst (RAC remix)
Magnet – Hold On (Metronomy mix)
The View – Face For The Radio (Live at Caird Hall)
The Maccabees – XRay (filthy dukes remix)
Ladytron – Soft Power (Vicarious Bliss Gutter mix)
Datarock – Fa Fa Fa (Riton New School Remix)
Fields – Song for the Fields (Eliot James Remix)

The Art of Elysium encourages working actors, artists and musicians to dedicate their time and talent to children battling serious medical conditions.

“Give. Listen. Help.” is available at Urban Outfitter locations around the world.

Look To The Stars News: Travis

Bid On Signed Harry Potter Book For Charity

Related past articles

Concerts To Fight Cancer

Related past articles

Celebrities Offer Support To Darfur

Related past articles

Coldplay and Beastie Boys Give, Listen, Help.

Related past articles