Look To The Stars News: Kings Of Leon

Celebrity-Led Fundraising Campaign Supports Charities In Their Hour Of Need

Fri, 22 May 2009 15:00:00 -0000

How would you like to meet some of your favourite celebs, in the flesh? Are you a fan of Daniel O’Donnell or Tim Henman, maybe Raymond Blanc or Rock Legend Suzi Quatro?

Or, maybe celebrities are not your thing, so how about the ultimate behind the scenes day with the Red Arrows or backstage on GMTV? Perhaps even own one of Paul O’Grady’s iconic Lily Savage dresses or a stunning print signed by Ali and Joe Frazier!

All these and a lot more form part of a very timely and innovative celebrity led fundraising campaign which launches on Thursday evening May 21st to provide hard hit charities with much needed revenue at a time when their donation levels are plummeting.

The BIG Bid campaign was created and built by the specialist charity support organisation, Ingenious Fundraising, in partnership with eBay for Charity and supported by the Charities Aid Foundation. It has been two years in the planning and can be found at www.ebay.co.uk/thebigbid. The campaign really is going live at a crucial time for the nation’s voluntary sector.

Campaign director, Paul Sayer, says ‘People seem to be fed up with doom and gloom stories at the moment so we hope they will indulge in a little retail therapy to lift their spirits. By treating themselves to something special they will also get a feel-good factor from knowing they are helping some very deserving causes into the bargain’.

‘We have found some exceptional items such as the ultimate VIP day for the Wimbledon Men’s Final with Tim Henman signing a special memento or how about a flight over London in a vintage airliner with a celebrity guest on board. These are experiences that just don’t come along every day, so should attract some real interest’.

About 25 charities will benefit from the campaign which runs for 10 days until Sunday May 31st including one of the nation’s most popular causes, Help for Heroes, along with Action for Children, CLIC Sargent, the Teenage Cancer Trust and many more.

Going under the hammer are items such as:

The Ultimate VIP Day with The Red Arrows. Really get behind the scenes at their Scampton home base.
Paul O’Grady’s Lilly Savage teddy bear dress
Meet Countdown’s own Rachel Riley
Meet Daniel O’Donnell in person in concert
The Ultimate VIP Day at Haydock Racecourse for The Sprint Cup as guests of Betfred – rub shoulders with a host of celebrities.
Meet Raymond Blanc and a host of celebrity chefs at amazing Gala Gourmet Dinner in Guildhall, London.
Ali v Frazier stunning signed print
Meet Rock Legend Suzi Quatro in concert
Men’s Finals Day VIP package with personally signed memorabilia by Tim Henman at Wimbledon 2009.
Pelé hand signed retro Brazil shirt with photo COA
Fully signed England Football Squad shirt donated by the FA
The X-Factor judges amazing art work Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh crafted in toast – yes toast!
Retro 1966 England Shirt signed by 20 of the World Cup winning squad and photo evidence
Meet the GMTV team – go backstage during a morning broadcast
Glastonbury signed shirts inc Kings Of Leon, The Fratellis and The Verve
Jeff banks own Olympic Bid Team Watch
Jools Holland signed memorabilia
Fly over London in an historic aircraft
Signed Brian Lara mini cricket bat
Stunning signed memorabilia from Lulu, Kylie Minogue, Pierce Brosnan, Michael Schumacher and many other stars of stage, screen, music and sport
Signed sheet music from Queen and Robbie Williams.

Kylie Minogue Leads The Stars In Australian Charity Concerts

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Over 120,000 people attended the Sound Relief fundraising concerts in Sydney and Melbourne on Saturday, March 14, to raise money for victims of devastating fires and floods in Australia.

The concerts have raised over AUS$5 million to go towards the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Fund Appeal and Queensland flood relief efforts, with some of the world’s greatest entertainers turning on performances of a lifetime for a good cause.

Coldplay, Jack Johnson, Taylor Swift, Kings Of Leon, Neil Finn and Crowded House, and Kasey Chambers were just some of the artists that entertained the crowds, which included celebrities such as Toni Collette, David Wenham and Shane Warne. Kylie Minogue appeared at the Melbourne concert with a special rendition of I Still Call Australia Home, and the Sydney concert was closed by Olivia Newton-John and Barry Gibb, who performed Islands In The Stream and a wide range of Bee Gees hits. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin also joined Aussie legend John Farnham on stage for a duet on You’re The Voice.

“I was ready and I think the cause is so great – it’s essential,” said Barry Gibb, who flew in from the US the day before the concert. “I think we all need to be incensed about what happened and I think we need to care and I think we need to make the statement, so [that’s why] we’re here.”

Prince William and Prince Harry also made their first ever Australian address – via video – telling the crowds that they could “only imagine” what victims were going through and asked people not to forget the “amazing efforts” of the emergency services.

“It was a day for the ages, an event like no other that will live in the hearts of many Australians for generations to come,” said concert organizers, who went on to say that it was the biggest paying audience at any Australian concert or charity event ever. Millions more heard the concert on television and radio.

Among other bands to perform on the night were reunions of Hunters And Collectors, Icehouse, Split Enz, and Midnight Oil.

Kylie Minogue To MC Australian Bush Fire Relief Concert

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Pop star Kylie Minogue is to MC one of the Sound Relief concerts to benefit victims of Australia’s bush fires.

The concerts – to be held in Sydney and Melbourne on March 14 – will raise money for families of the 210+ people who lost their lives in last month’s fires, as well as the thousands left homeless. The Melbourne concert has already sold out – making it the largest paid concert event ever held in Australia, with 78,000 expected to attend – and extra tickets have been added to the Sydney concert.

Minogue will fly to Melbourne from India – where she is currently filming a Bollywood movie – but is not expected to perform musically at the event.

“The lineup is without doubt a once in a lifetime one, but it’s truly impressive how much the Australian public has gotten behind this. It speaks volumes of the passion of our great country – helping a mate in trouble,” said Sound Relief co-organizer and music promoter Michael Gudinski. “To me, Kylie is Melbourne. Her attendance is the cherry on the top of an already phenomenal lineup. She’s our girl.”

All profits from the Melbourne concert will be donated to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal, while half of the proceeds from the Sydney concert will go to the Premier’s Disaster Relief Fund Appeal in QLD to aid the victims of the Queensland floods.

Acts expected to perform at the shows include Coldplay, Jack Johnson, Kings Of Leon, Neil Finn, Kasey Chambers and many others.

Tickets to the Sydney show are $75 and are available from Ticketek.

Bid On Celeb-Signed Guitars For Charity

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Today is your last day to bid on autographed Fender Stratocaster guitars from Universal Music Group artists 3 Doors Down, Bon Jovi, Maroon 5 and Nickelback to benefit the TJ Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research.

The T. J Martell Foundation, founded in 1975 by Columbia/Sony music industry executive Tony Martell in memory of his son – a victim of leukemia – has since raised more than $230 million over 33-years to combat the world’s three most deadliest diseases – leukemia, cancer, and AIDS.

Also up for auction are CDs signed by Rihanna, Kings Of Leon, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, Sarah McLachlan, Avril Lavigne and many more.

To make a bid, visit the special eBay page – but you have to hurry, you only have a few hours left.

Coldplay To Headline Bushfire Benefit Concert

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A huge selection of bands have agreed to take part in Sound Relief, two concerts benefiting victims of Australia’s bushfires early next month.

Coldplay, Kings Of Leon and Jack Johnson are just some of the names signed up to appear in the concerts, to be held in Melbourne and Sydney on March 14. Organizers are hoping the twin concerts – labeled by some as ``the single largest music concert event in Australia’s history" – will raise up to $5 million dollars. 100-per-cent of the money raised from the Melbourne show will go to the Red Cross bushfire appeal, while the Sydney proceeds will be split between the bushfire appeal and for victims of the Queensland floods.

Also set to appear are Kasey Chambers, Paul Kelly, Liam Finn, Split Enz and a reformed Midnight Oil and Icehouse. Aussie legends Hunters and Collectors are also reforming for the concerts, with lead singer Mark Seymour telling the Herald Sun: “The sheer magnitude of this tragedy has really hit home for all of us – how important it is to show that we care about the lives of fellow Australians, especially given that they suffered a tragedy that simply came about because they lived in a certain postcode. What’s happened to them could have happened to any of us.”

Country singer Kasey Chambers shared similar feelings about the tragedy that has claimed over 200 lives and left thousands homeless.

“You try and find the thing you can do,” she said. “I can’t put out fires, I can’t rebuild houses for people but I can use my position as a musician to raise some money and hopefully inspire people to find their thing that they can do. It’s a pretty proud day to be Australian to see all of us come together.”

Tickets are expected to cost $75 and will be available from Ticketek from March 4.

James Taylor To Headline Musicians On Call Benefit

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Musicians on Call has announced Grammy award winner James Taylor as the headliner for their 5th Annual Benefit Concert & Auction which will take place at the world-famous Hard Rock Cafe New York in Times Square on February 24, 2009. The exclusive V.I.P. event will include a red carpet, with special appearances by artists and celebrities committed to the cause.

As music and philanthropy are at the core of the brand, Hard Rock International has partnered with Musicians on Call for the benefit event, helping the charity to continue its mission of room-to-room hospital performances by both local musicians and national celebrities.

In partnership with Hard Rock International, Musician on Call’s 5th Annual Benefit Concert & Auction will kick off Hard Rock’s month-long March On Stage charitable celebration. March On Stage is a global live music series featuring both iconic and emerging artists as a philanthropic initiative to support music healing organizations. Committed to its “Love All, Serve All” creed, Hard Rock will donate proceeds from its March on Stage events in North America to Musicians On Call.

“Musicians On Call’s campaign to bring music straight to the bedsides of patients in hospitals would not be able to continue to expand without the donations made at our annual event.” says Leslie Faerstein, Executive Director Musicians On Call. “It’s an exciting night made even more special by a performance by James Taylor. The impact of this one night has a profound effect throughout the rest of the year improving the health and spirits of thousands of patients one song and one bed at a time.”

For the past four years, the Musicians On Call Benefit Concert & Auction has produced the most exciting and rewarding experiences for music fans bringing the best in music to the stage of their events and exciting items to their auctions. Following are just a few items that will be available for bidding at www.musiciansoncall.org beginning on February 10th: a one-hour personal painting lesson from the renowned entertainer and revered painter Tony Bennett at his private studio in New York City; a visit to the set of Nickelodeon’s hit series iCarly; and autographed guitars from Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, Depeche Mode, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Loggins, Black Crows, Kings Of Leon, Kanye West, David Cook, & Brooks & Dunn.

The annual Musicians On Call Benefit Concerts have raised over a million dollars for the organization in the past four years; helping them to continue their mission of bringing music to patients in healthcare facilities. While aiding Musicians On Call, lucky music fans have walked away with a myriad of signed guitars and other treasures including a signed 1952 reissued Telecaster from Bruce Springsteen, a played harmonica from the Johnny Cash Estate, time in the studio with Maroon 5, artwork from John Lennon, and a signed basketball from Justin Timberlake.

Tickets for this unparalleled benefit with a special performance by James Taylor are available at www.musiciansoncall.org.

Win Kings Of Leon Tickets By Making Charity Donation

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Rockers Kings Of Leon are to play a special charity gig later this month – but the only way you can get to it is by donating to charity!

Dare 2 Dream is a benefit concert for the Lisa Klitzky Foundation, an organization that supports adolescent cancer survivors facing long-term physical and psychological challenges in their post-treatment years. Proceeds from the concert – which takes place at the House of Blues Chicago on January 24 – will also go to the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.

Sadly, the concert is sold out. However, you can still win tickets by making a $5 donation to the Lisa Klitzky Foundation before January 9.

The band is reported to be thrilled to perform in Chicago to bring critical awareness and funding to pediatric cancer research. Lead singer Caleb Followill said, “The band is excited to play the House of Blues for such a worthy cause. We are all happy to support Dare 2 Dream’s mission to save the lives of countless children.”

According to a press release announcing the concert, pediatric cancer researchers need your support.

“Cancer kills 560,000 Americans every year. That’s 1,500 people each day, and one person every minute. Everyone has been touched by the damaging repercussions of cancer, but the tragedy is truly devastating when cancer claims the life of a child. Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among U.S. children between infancy and 15 years of age. Diagnosed regularly, pediatric cancer strikes randomly and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region – but at present, the prevention of pediatric cancer is impossible as its causes are mostly unknown. Due to the lack of essential media attention, awareness of much needed funding for pediatric cancer is virtually absent from the public eye. To make matters worse, the government’s cancer research budget has been cut every consecutive year since 2003. Given the rampant nature of this disease, we must stay vigilant and committed to healing as many people as possible and finding a cure without delay.”

More info on how to donate to the Foundation and win tickets can be found here.

Look To The Stars News: Kings Of Leon

Celebrity-Led Fundraising Campaign Supports Charities In Their Hour Of Need

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