AUSTRALIA FIGHTS BACK: THE AUSSIE MUSICIANS WHO TOOK A STAND AGAINST THE CATASTROPHIC BUSHFIRES

Michael Di Iorio explores the ways that Australian musicians have banded together to fight against the Australian Bushfire Crisis, using a handful of examples of artists who truly went above and beyond for the cause.

**The Brag's final cover featuring artists supporting bushfire relief**
Illustration: Erin Sutherland

Disastrous bushfires have been ravaging the Australian landscape since early November 2019, and although they have now been contained by our incredible firefighters and volunteers, the toll on peoples lives and homes has been devastating. Patches of forest and grassland were set ablaze, destroying the homes of so many of our unique wildlife, and in some tragic cases, taking the lives of the animals themselves.

Amidst the destruction, panic and anger, musicians around Australia and even across the pond have been utilising their voices to aid those affected by the fi res. As part of this, the final ever edition of The Brag Magazine, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge and thank the multitude of artists who have used their platform to raise funds for those in dire need. Ultimately, there was such an incredible number of artists who offered their time and money, that it would be almost impossible to thank them all - so to anyone who we have missed in this piece, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all that you have done for this country in a time of crisis.

So without further ado, here are some of the incredible artists who volunteered their time, energy, creative minds or money to assist the country during the Australian Bushfire Crisis.

With a sophomore EP coming out on March 6 titled Midsummer Colour, Aussie pop artist GG has been making a name for herself with her incredible brand of unique and addictive songwriting and sound. On January 3, GG released a song called ‘Coal Mine,’ a protest song which had all proceeds going to the Bushfire Disaster Appeal. Alongside the song, she posted a note defining her stance on the issue. Here is but a snippet: “My protest song. I wasn’t going to release this song as a single. The last couple of days, however, have brought up the same emotions in me as when I wrote it. Maybe you might connect with it too. I wrote this song at a time when I felt sad and angry and overwhelmed about the decisions Australia’s political leaders were making. Australia’s stagnation and conservatism on issues like climate change and refugees made me feel physically ill. I was in Berlin at the time, and through the European lens our politics felt selfish and unfathomable. I felt misrepresented and ashamed. Right now, I’m in Sydney. Our country is on fi re. I feel sad and helpless. I feel misrepresented and ashamed about the federal government’s lack of leadership.”

The lyrics of the track were bold, brazen, and just what we needed in times of anger and crisis. Here is a snippet of some of the lyrics for the incredible track ‘Coal Mine’:

“All those children Bitter and wintered I can’t keep my hatred in It’s better at the coal mine Come across your wet fi eld With mud on your dress hem Lining up in single fi le Convicted at the coal mine”

Grace Cummings and The Teskey Brothers

Fresh off the heels of one of the most incredible albums from 2019, Refuge Cove, Grace Cummings has consistently captivated our attention with not only her mesmerising voice, but also her generous contributions to the Australian Bushfire Crisis. Cummings joined The Teskey Brothers and Cash Savage and the Last Drinks at the Thornbury Theatre in Melbourne, for a Bushfire Relief show in which 100% of the profits were evenly split between The Australian Red Cross, Fire Relief Fund for First Nations Communities and Wildlife Victoria. (The Teskey Brothers even set up a GoFundMe for extra donations, just in case any fans of theirs couldn’t make the night of the performance.)

Together the three acts joined the likes of John Butler, Megan Washington and The Amity Affliction, who all raised money through putting on shows. Beyond her gig however, Grace Cummings also put a signed edition of her album Refuge Cove on sale for $255 dollars, where all the profits went straight to the Bushfire Relief.

The Wiggles

Reuniting for a set of 18+ Bushfire Relief shows, the iconic childrens entertainment group, The Wiggles, used the power of nostalgia to bring people together and raise money for an important cause.

Fatt joined together on the stage, with all proceeds going directly towards the Australian Red Cross and the wildlife organisation WIRES. It was the first time that the band has played together since 2012, when Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and Emma Watkins took over from Greg, Jeff and Murray.

Unfortunately during the first fundraiser event, Greg Page the Yellow Wiggle suffered a heart attack which then lead to a cardiac arrest. Thankfully he is in a much better condition now, but his persistence to get onto the stage for the victims of the Australian Bushfires was remembered as an incredibly selfless act from one of Australian music’s most generous and kindhearted figures.

The Melbourne Shows

In the midst of the crisis, there was absolutely no shortage of gigs going on to support the Bushfire Relief, raising money for Country Fire Service (CFS), Rural Fire Service (RFS), and the Red Cross over multiple weeks. A string of Melbourne shows however stood out as being incredibly benefi cial to the cause, and these shows were fronted by Julia Jacklin, Tones and I, Gang of Youths, Ruby Fields and Gooch Palms just to name a few.

Firstly, there was the Music That Matters Bushfire Benefit at The Gasometer, which had breakthrough Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin as the headliner. Despite selling out completely, the show still made donations available for those who missed out on purchasing tickets. Joining Julia was GL, Good Morning, Romy Vager (RVG), Loose Tooth, Jade Imagine, Elizabeth and Bitch Diesel just to name a few, and 100 per cent of funds raised were donated to the RFS, CFA, WIRES and The Fire Relief Fund For First Nations Communities.

Then there was Down to Earth – A Fire and Climate Relief Concert at Sidney Myer Music Bowl. This benefit gig didn’t just raise money to combat the bushfires, but also successfully set aside money for organisations to look at long-term solutions for the effects of climate change, including Emergency Leaders for Climate Action, Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, and Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation. Contributing artists included Gang of Youths, Tash Sultana, Angus and Julia Stone, Jack River, Thelma Plum, Briggs and Ruby Fields.

Last but certainly not least there was the Tones And I Bushfire Benefit Concert at 170 Russell, which saw Tones And I taking full advantage of her massive success by encouraging her fans both young and old to put money towards the Bushfire Relief. With support from Adrian Eagle, Tones And I sent all proceeds from both ticket and merch sales to the Australian Red Cross, RFS and CFA.

Amyl & The Sniffers

To do their bit for the Bushfire Relief, Flightless Records listed up a whole heap of goodies on eBay to raise money for those affected by the fi res. One ad however caught everyone’s attention, with it reading: “Absolute legends Amyl and the Sniffers have donated chunks of their ARIA winning mullets to raise money for victims of the bushfi res! Chuck em on your wall, get some fresh extensions or clone your own punk band! It’s all for a good cause!”

Starting at $26.50, the auction for the mullet clippings proved the pieces of hair to be a hot commodity, and the price continued to increase past $200. As well as selling off their luscious locs, the band also sold a ‘Starfire Pink’ copy of their selftitled LP. You have no choice but to just smile at how creative the band is with their bushfi re donation strategies. Also, 100 per cent of the proceeds from the auctions were donated to Wildlife Victoria, Fire Relief Fund for First Nations Communities, Community Enterprise Foundation Bushfire Disaster Appeal, Seed and WIRES.

Fire Fight Australia and the NSW Shows

You can’t talk about Bushfire Relief shows without mentioning the incredible Fire Fight Australia show, which raised millions in the name of Bushfire Relief. Queen, Daryl Braithwaite, Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian, Icehouse, Jessica Mauboy, John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John, Peking Duk, Tina Arena and so many more legendary Australian names gathered for one evening of stellar performances all in the name of fighting the good fight.

The show completely sold out the ANZ Stadium, with tickets becoming sold out within 24 hours of going on sale. 75,000 people were in attendance on that evening, all gathered under the same sky to put their money towards a cause far greater than all of us combined. The show featured a poignant speech from Celeste Barber, who on her very own raised $52 Million for the Australian fi refi ghters, volunteers, families and wildlife that were affected by the blaze. By the end of the night, Fire Fight Australia had raised a total of nearly $10 Million for Bushfire Relief.

Apart from the absolute gravity of Fire Fight Australia, there was a slew of NSW shows that also cannot be ignored for the impact they have had on the lives of so many. “Make It Rain” hosted a funding night purely for the firies, and saw Wolfmother give an incredible performance of their classic hits,

“Sydney Festival Bushfire Appeal” gathered the likes of Art vs Science and Regurgitator together for a night at the Metro, “Sweet Relief” brought on DJ sets from the talents of Winston Surfshirt and Cosmo’s

Midnight and “An Acoustic Bushfire Relief Concert,” hosted by The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy, brought the masses together for an intimate night for a beautiful cause. Matty was of course supported by Australian talents Ruel, Mansionair, E^ST and KUČKA. ■