Powderfinger reunites for charity gig
15 May 2020 at 10:00 am
It has been nearly 10 years since the band’s last show
Iconic Australian rock group Powderfinger are getting back together for a live-streamed concert on YouTube to raise money for charity.
The Brisbane band – known for hits such as My Happiness and These Days – last performed in 2010, but are coming back for one last show to support Beyond Blue and music industry charity Support Act.
In a statement, the band said they have been meeting regularly – via Zoom – over the past few months to organise some anniversary releases for their 2000 album Odyssey Number Five.
“The idea came up of playing together again in this unusual format which we all thought would be fun,” they said.
“The past few months has been a very strange time for us all and difficult days for many.
“We really just want to bring a smile to some people’s faces and along the way raise some funds to help our music industry mates and people who are currently experiencing mental health issues.”
The event on 23 May will involve the five band members performing a medley of greatest hits from their individual home studios for a YouTube concert titled One Night Lonely.
It is unclear whether the performance will be a one-off or if the band will reunite for good.
Ruuben van den Heuvel, head of music content partnerships at YouTube, said they were thrilled to support the band.
“We’re pumped to be able to help bring the highly anticipated ‘One Night Lonely’ reunion of Powderfinger into Aussies’ homes and support some amazing charities at the same time,” he said.
Powderfinger aren’t the only Australian musicians raising money for charity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the last few weeks, dozens of Australian artists have performed sets for the ISOL-AID festival – which is also raising money for music industry workers through Support Act.
Losses for the Australian music community during the pandemic – including performers, production, crew, and hospitality workers – sit in excess of $150 million.
