The show’s music director, Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello, confirmed the staggering total raised through ticket sales and global pay-per-view livestreams. Posting to Instagram, Morello wrote: “more than $190 million will be donated to houses and hospitals for children. We raised a ton of money for a great cause and so many great musicians and bands and fans all over the world paid tribute to the all time greats”.

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A report at the BBC interviewed the charities receiving the proceeds from the farewell concert. One of the concert’s key beneficiaries is Cure Parkinson’s, a cause deeply personal to Osbourne, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2020. The charity’s director of marketing and fundraising said the team was “over the moon” with the donation. He added that Cure Parkinsons “are increasingly wanting to make sure people with Parkinson’s all over the country… have some access to trials, and that includes Birmingham and the West Midlands, so any donations or funds raised from this will help us do that”.

Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity – a longstanding cause supported by Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne – will also benefit. Sheeba Ali, a fundraising manager at the hospital, said the donation will go towards improving the hospital environment for patients and families: “That can be anything in terms of improving the environment, there’s a lot of development happening at the children’s hospital at the moment… to make it a less scary space for kids”.

The final beneficiary, Acorns Children’s Hospice, provides specialist care to around 900 children and families across Birmingham. CEO Trevor Johnson said the donation will be transformative and will “enable us to be there for more children and families” after the demand for the charity’s services had doubled in the past two years. The hospice attempts to create a home-like environment for the children with activities and daytrips.

The concert itself was a monumental send-off. Ozzy Osbourne took the stage for a final solo appearance, performing atop a giant winged throne, while Black Sabbath delivered a powerful stream-lined set focused on tracks from their first two albums such as ‘War Pigs’ and ‘Iron Man’. The night ended with a performance of ‘Paranoid’, which Osbourne declared to be “the last song ever.” The evening also featured tribute sets from Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Korn, Slayer, Alice in Chains, and many more. MXDWN’s original coverage of the highlights of the farewell show can be read here.

Members of the pioneering British punk rock band Sex Pistols, Paul Cook, Glen Matlock, and Steve Jones will perform alongside tackling grunge singer Frank Carter who has been a part of groups such as Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes. In an Instagram post dated the 3rd of June, Carter thanked the band for their ‘invitation’ to play the show with them. According to Blabber Mouth, Carter noted that the project “has been a joy from start to finish. When the Sex Pistols call, you answer. I’m very excited to be a part of it.”

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For Sex Pistol Drummer Cook, this is a cause extremely close to his heart as Bush hall is his local venue and he grew up around the area. Situated in West London, Bush Hall has hosted acts the likes of Amy Winehouse, The Killers, Adele, Alicia Keys, Florence & The Machine, Ed Sheeran, Bombay Bicycle Club and James Acaster. I also welcomed Kings Of Leon for their first UK show in 2006 and has been open since 1904. Bush Hall was originally part of a trio of dance halls but it has had many lives including acting as a soup kitchen throughout WW2, a rehearsal space for some of the greats like Cliff Richard and The Who as well as a snooker and social club in the 80s and 90s. It was finally returned to its ‘former music glory’ in 2001. The venue is fully independent and offers an intimate environment for shows as its capacity is 430+ guests standing and 285+ guests seated. You can read more about Bush Hall on their website via the link here.

The venue team at Bush Hall are working with artists, agents and promoters to raise funds not just for Bush Hall itself but for the entire grassroots industry in its broader scheme as well as with the Music Venue Trust to foster a more sustainable way for venues to continue to survive into the future. According to an article from NME the venue were ‘four months away from “making a hideous decision” about whether to cease hosting live music events’ in March of this year and then needed to raise £42,000 via crowdfunding to sustain itself. The grassroots venues industry is experiencing a catastrophic downsizing with the ‘total the number of GMVs declining from 960 to 835 in 2023′ as reported in the 2024 Grassroots music venues House of Commons report which you can read here. Fund raising gigs like this one are vital for the continual existence of venues like Bush Hall that keep the music industry fresh and packed with new talent.

Tickets for the show go on sale tomorrow, Wednesday the 5th of June at 9am BSt and you can grab them from the Live Nation website here.

The British-American three-piece Gabriels will be performing a late night show at Ronnie Scott’s in Soho, and have also teased that a ‘very special guest‘ will be accompanying them. The group were thrilled to be nominated for BBC Radio 1’s Sound of 2023, and are more recently excited by their nomination for Best International Group of The Year at The BRITs for the second year in a row:

It’s official. We are Nominees for International Group of the Year at the @brits, for the second year in a row. We are so grateful. Congratulations to all the nominees and a THOUSAND THANK YOUs to everyone who made this possible. See you on the red carpet – March 2nd.  #BRITs pic.twitter.com/T29gpxyOGt

— Gabriels (@___gabriels) January 24, 2024

Celestial singer-songwriter AURORA will also be taking to the stage following the release of her latest single ‘The Conflict Of The Mind.’ Born in Norway, the omnipresent vocalist has built a huge UK following, and will be performing in collaboration with the charity on February 26 at Lafayette in London.

Unveiling the two musicians as the final additions, War Child said: “These incredible acts are joining us to raise money for children affected by conflict and help give them what they deserve: hope for a better future.”

Taking place between February 19 and March 4 ahead of The BRIT Awards 2024 with Mastercard, BRITs Week will offer exclusive live performances from a diverse range of acts from different genres, including Cian Ducrot, You Me At Six, Keane, Ash, Baby Queen, Aitch, Pendulum, Sleaford Mods, CMAT, Venbee and The Last Dinner Party.

Performances may be more poignant than usual, particularly for fans of You Me At Six who have revealed this will be their last year together as a band. Emotions may also be running high for The Last Dinner Party who are still reeling from their BRIT Rising Star win.

Clare Sanders Wright, Senior Music Manager at War Child said in a statement: “I am so excited to announce the lineup for BRITs Week 2024 and thankful to all of the brilliant artists donating their time to raise vital funds in aid of War Child. The past year is one that we will never, ever forget. Children have paid with their homes and their lives for wars they didn’t start. And then, there are the children who don’t make the headlines – children who might be completely forgotten.”

“But there is hope. War Child help children put the pieces back together. The money raised from BRITs Week 2024 will help War Child keep children safe. Whether it’s mental health first aid, food, or shelter, War Child work in the hardest-to-reach places to ensure that children and their families have hope for a brighter future. We are so grateful to the artists and our partners for supporting BRITs Week 24. Thank you.” she added.

Support acts for this year’s bill have also been announced with Keane supported by Oscar Lang, The Last Dinner Party supported by Rachel Chinouriri, Ash supported by Big Image, Aitch supported by AWxJ1, You Me At Six supported by The XCERTS, CMAT supported by Lorraine Bowen and Baby Queen supported by Lynks. UK radio stations up and down the country will also be promoting and celebrating the week, showcasing the wide range of talent on display.

Ben Cooper, Chief Content & Music Officer for Bauer Media Audio UK commented: “It’s a privilege to be partnering with War Child and for Bauer Audio brands to be hosting this year’s incredible line up of BRITs Week gigs. The ability to showcase such a diverse range of artists highlights the strengths of all of our stations with incredible acts for every single listener to tune in to – whether that’s on KISS or Kerrang! Radio, Absolute Radio or Hits Radio. Bringing these live events to our audience will allow us to shine a light on the vital work of helping children that are the victims of conflicts across the globe.”

Tickets are on sale now and available here. You can also enter a prize draw to win tickets to see an artist of your choice. Fans can make a £7 donation for one entry, a £15 donation for three entries, or a £30 donation for fifteen entries to War Child. To maximise the chance of winning, fans can enter as many times as they like. The prize drawn is open now and available to enter here. The closing date to enter is February 19. Full details and terms and conditions are outlined on the official Brits Week website.

The BRIT Awards 2024 will take place at the O2 Arena in London on March 2.

BRITs Week 24 for War Child:

February

19/02/2024 – Cian Ducrot – Union Chapel, London
19/02 – You Me At Six – Concorde 2, Brighton
20/02 – Keane – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
21/02 – Ash – The 100 Club, London
21/02 – Baby Queen – Lafayette, London
21/02 – Aitch – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
23/02 – Pendulum – HERE at Outernet, London
26/02 – AURORA – Lafayette, London
27/02 – Gabriels – Ronnie Scott’s, London
28/02 – Sleaford Mods – Scala, London

March

01/03 – CMAT – Bush Hall, London
01/03 – Venbee – Omeara, London
04/03 – The Last Dinner Party – The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge

The Irish, West London-based artist, (real name Jessica Smyth), took to socials this week to unveil the benefit gig, stating: “The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is one of the most horrific I’ve seen in my lifetime. There have been so many lives destroyed and dreams taken from innocent people. I wanted to hold an event to raise money to support the people that have been affected and to spread awareness to what’s happening in real time.”

The Cork native gave thanks to her friends and artists participating in the night of music; a stellar lineup of acoustic performances and DJ sets from the likes of Kojaque, Maverick Sabre, Lava La Rue, Mac Wetha, Jelani Blackman, and Yunè Pinku. She went on to also thank the venue for hosting and Choose Love for their extended humanitarian efforts around the world.

In 2016, Choose Love, formerly known as Help Refugees, became the largest grassroots organisation and distributor of aid in Europe, and has gone on to support refugees and displaced people across the globe for nearly a decade.

Emma Stevenson, Deputy CEO of Choose Love, commented: “We’re so grateful to Biig Piig choosing love and helping us get essential aid to the 2+million people trapped inside Gaza. It’s unbearable to witness the devastation and suffering of so many people. But by Choosing Love there is always something we can do when we come together. Biig Piig and everyone who attends the event on February 4th will be making a huge difference.”

The singer confirmed that 100% of all profits raised from ticket sales and merchandise will go towards the non-governmental organisation and will directly support emergency response work in Gaza amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

Since the conflict reached its boiling point in October 2023, other artists across the industry have banded together to express their concern, most recently with Dua Lipa calling for a ceasefire and urging for world leaders to take a stand.

Tickets for the sold out show are still available here at £25, with an opportunity to join a waiting list. Doors are expected to open at 6:30pm, with the event starting at 7pm, plus appearances from special surprise guests.

The charity show will raise money for the UK-based charity, The Cancer Awareness Trust, which offers life-extending treatments and support for cancer patients.

Andy Taylor, the band’s former guitarist, has been battling prostate cancer since 2018, revealing his diagnosis last year. The band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, however due to Andy’s ongoing health struggles, he was sadly unable to attend.

Andy wrote a letter for bandmate Simon Le Bon to read during the band’s induction, saying, “Just over four years ago, I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer. Many families have experienced the slow burn of this disease, and of course, we are no different. So I speak from the perspective of a family man but with profound humility to the band, the greatest fans a group could have, and this exceptional accolade.”

Duran Duran announced their plans for the charity concert via social media, titling the show, “A Special Benefit Concert for Andy Taylor and the Fight Against Prostate Cancer.”

Duran Duran will play a benefit concert for The Cancer Awareness Trust following news that friend and former bandmate Andy Taylor had been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in 2018.

It will take place Aug. 19 at The Guild Theatre in Menlo Park, California. pic.twitter.com/ofZegY8nJt

— Duran Duran (@duranduran) July 13, 2023

In a press statement, frontman Simon Le Bon said, “We are heading to Northern California to play many of the songs that we wrote together with our dear friend, Andy Taylor, to help him and others in their fight against prostate cancer. It is the right thing to do.”

Proceeds from the concert will also go towards a special treatment that will help cancer patients such as Andy Taylor extend their lives.

Duran Duran’s drummer, Roger Taylor, said, “We would like to thank our fans and the organisers of this benefit who have given us the chance to help our longtime friend and colleague Andy Taylor. We have always described ourselves as a ‘band of brothers’ and that has never been more true than in this very moment.”

Sir Chris Evans, founder of The Cancer Awareness Trust, also commented that he was honoured to work with the band. He said, “Andy will receive the latest precision medical treatment, emanating from some recently successful clinical trials, along with the ongoing support that the Cancer Awareness Trust is providing. The incredible support of Duran Duran will mean many more people will benefit just like Andy has.”

The show is set to take place on 19th August 2023 at the Guild Theatre in Menlo Park, California. Presale tickets for the Duran Duran VIP Fan Community go on sale at noon PT on 17th July 2023, with general sale following at noon PT on 19th July 2023. Tickets are available to purchase here.

The band also shared a contest in which they will offer a lucky fan and a plus one the opportunity to win VIP tickets, with all entries supporting The Cancer Awareness Trust.  

You and a friend could win a spot on Duran Duran’s VIP guest list for an intimate performance in Northern California — front-row seats, an exclusive backstage tour, signed merch and more!

Enter to win at https://t.co/OV9RDIlJ7w

Entries support The Cancer Awareness Trust. pic.twitter.com/PxgnOwqqc5

— Duran Duran (@duranduran) July 13, 2023

Duran Duran announced their plans to record new tracks with Andy Taylor for their upcoming album earlier this year. Read more here.

We’re honoured to be able to play these shows over two nights for three outstanding organisations. They’re out there delivering vital services time after time for the most vulnerable people in society, both in the UK and abroad. Tickets on sale Wed 9am BST https://t.co/6xLVVMtql4 pic.twitter.com/zeoOhtoMF1

— muse (@muse) March 28, 2022

Another consistency for the band, at least in the last few years anyway, has been putting on these more intimate shows for charity. War Child are a charity that the band have worked with before, they even feature on War Child’s last compilation album with a weird cover The Animals’ “House Of The Rising Sun” listen below, but the first night (set to take place Monday 9^th May) will also have its proceeds split with Médecins Sans Frontières. Both charities will be using the money to assist relief efforts in Ukraine. The 2^nd night (the day after on Tuesday 10^th May) will celebrate the 30^th anniversary of British street magazine ‘The Big Issue’, the night will also feature support from Razorlight.

Fan pre-sale starts tomorrow and 9AM (Tuesday 29^th), but is only accessible with a code from the Muse mailing list. General sale will take place here, the next day again at 9AM (Wednesday 30^th). So far, we don’t know of any particular quirks to make this a once in a lifetime concert – no requests or weird sets laid in advance or anything like that – but that being said, an intimate Muse gig has been something to marvel at since the very beginning of their career. So throw in a few live debuts, and hopefully some spaceships or something as a part of the set-up, and you’ve got yourself a pretty solid concert.

See here for full details on Muse’s gigs on the festival circuit, plus any further information you might need on the Eventim Apollo gigs, see here.