Tibetan Freedom Concert
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| Tibetan Freedom Concert | |
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| Location(s) | San Francisco (1996), New York City (1997), Washington D.C. (1998), Amsterdam, Chicago/Wisconsin, Sydney, Tokyo (1999), Tokyo (2001) |
| Years active | 1996 - 1999; 2001 |
| Date(s) | May, June, July, August, September |
| Genre(s) | Alternative rock, Rap, Punk rock |
| Website | |
Contents |
[edit] Tibetan Freedom Concert Inception
With the release of the Beastie Boys album Ill Communication in 1994, the Milarepa Fund was born. The Milarepa Fund's founders were Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys and Erin Potts. The organization was named after Milarepa, the revered eleventh-century Tibetan saint who used music to enlighten people. Originally designed to disburse royalties from Ill Communication to benefit Tibetan monks who were sampled on two songs, it took off when Milarepa Fund organizers joined the Beastie Boys as they headlined the 1994 Lollapalooza Tour. During the tour, the idea of staging a Live Aid-style concert for Tibet was born.
Organized in June 1996, the first concert (in San Francisco) featured acts such as Smashing Pumpkins, Cibo Matto, Rage Against the Machine and De La Soul. It drew 100,000 people and raised over $800,000 for Tibetan and social justice causes. The concerts continued until 2001, generating unprecedented public awareness about the Tibetan plight, particularly amongst young people. This helped spur the growth of Students for a Free Tibet worldwide.
[edit] Tibetan Freedom Concerts at a Glance
Taken from the official Tibetan Fredom Concert Website
[edit] San Francisco
Polo Fields, Golden Gate Park June 15th & 16th 1996 $800 000 raised 100 000 Attendees
The Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Chaksam-pa, Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, Pavement, Cibo Matto, Biz Markie, Richie Havens, John Lee Hooker, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine, Sonic Youth, Beck, Björk, De La Soul, Fugees, Buddy Guy, The Skatalites, Yoko Ono/Ima
Speakers: Chimi Thonden - Tibetan Activist, Palden Gyatso - Former Political Prisoner, Shen Tong - Chinese Democracy Activist, Robert A.F. Thurman, Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies, Columbia University
[edit] New York City
Downing Stadium, Randall's Island June 7th & 8th 1997 $250 000 raised Over 50 000 Attendees
Foo Fighters, U2, Sonic Youth, Biz Markie, Alanis Morissette, Patti Smith, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Radiohead, Yungchen Lhamo, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, A Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, Rancid, Bjork, Pavement, Blur, Michael Stipe & Mike Mills, Taj Mahal and Phantom Blues Band, De La Soul, Dadon, Chaksam-pa, Nawang Khechog, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Eddie Vedder & Mike McCready, KRS-ONE, Noel Gallagher, Sonic Youth, Porno for Pyros, and Lee Perry featuring Mad Professor & the Robotiks Band
Speakers: Palden Gyatso - Former Political Prisoner, Dechen Wangdu - Tibetan Activist, Chuck D - Public Enemy, Xiao Qiang - Human Rights in China, Nane Alehandrez - Barrios Unidos
[edit] Washington D.C.
RFK Stadium June 13th & 14th 1998 $1.2 Million raised Over 120 000 Attendees
Beastie Boys, Radiohead, Sean Lennon, Mutabaruka, Money Mark, A Tribe Called Quest, Dave Matthews Band, Sonic Youth, Nawang Khechog, Wyclef Jean, Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters, Buffalo Daughter, R.E.M., KRS-ONE, The Wallflowers, Blues Traveler, Live, Pearl Jam, Luscious Jackson, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chaksam-pa, Pulp. Many bands, including Kraftwerk and Beck, were cancelled after lightning strikes at the beginning of Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters' set on the first day of music.
Speakers: Xiao Qiang - Human Rights in China, Lhadon Tethong - Students for a Free Tibet, Palden Gyatso - Former Political Prisoner, Wei Jingsheng - Chinese Democracy Activist and Former Political Prisoner
[edit] Free Tibet '99
Amsterdam, Chicago/Wisconsin, Sydney, Tokyo
June 13th 1999 Over 55,000 Attendees $50 000 raised
- Alpine Valley Music Theatre, Wisconsin
Run DMC, The Cult, Beastie Boys, Blondie, Tracy Chapman, The Roots, Live, Eddie Vedder, Otis Rush, Cibo Matto, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Rage Against the Machine, Wu-Tang-Clan, Chaksam-pa
Speakers: Xiao Qiang of Human Rights in China, Lhadon Tethong of Students for a Free Tibet, Nawang Pema- Tibetan Nun
Rai Parkhal, Amsterdam
Garbage, Blur, Urban Dance Squad, Alanis Morissette, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Luscious Jackson, NRA, Gangchenpa, Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, Thom Yorke
Speakers: Erin Potts - The Milarepa Fund, Ama Adhe - Former Political Prisoner.
- Tokyo Bay NK Hall, Tokyo
Hi-Standard, Buffalo Daughter, Brahman, Audio Active, Kan Takagi, Scha Dara Parr, Kiyoshirou Imawano, Nawang Khechog
Speakers: Alma David - Students for a Free Tibet, Gurme Wangda - Liaison Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- Sydney Show Grounds, Sydney
Regurgitator, Spiderbait, The Mavis's, The Avalanches, Neil Finn, The Living End, Celibate Rifles, Not From There, Gerling, Jebediah, You Am I, Garpa, Blackalicious, Eskimo Joe, Trans Am
Speakers: Lobsang Lungtok - Former Political Prisoner, Jo Shaw - Students for a Free Tibet, Australia, Dorji Dolma - Australia Tibet Council
[edit] Tokyo
May 13th 2001 Tokyo Bay NK Hall Over 6000 Attendees
Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, Brahman, UA, Chaksam-pa, Boom Boom Satellites, Buffalo Daughter
Speakers: Palden Gyatso - Former Political Prisoner, Zatul Rinpoche - Liaison Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Adam Yauch - Beastie Boys, Tomoko Tahara - The Milarepa Fund
[edit] Washington D.C. Incident
During the Washington, D.C. Concert (June 1998) at around 3:00 PM, as Herbie Hancock took the stage, a storm system formed over the open-air RFK Stadium. As concert workers were trying move fans inside the stadium's inner tunnels a fan, Lysa Selfon, was struck by lightning. She was treated by EMTs on-scene and then taken to the burn unit of a local hospital. 11 others were injured (4 critically), but Selfon suffered the worst injuries. Selfon recovered following the incident and was visited by a number of performers while in the hospital. R.E.M., Radiohead and Red Hot Chili Peppers (originally scheduled for the first day's concert) soon returned to perform at the concert the following day. [1]
