Recently in Charities and Benefits Category

By Ken Sweeney, Independent.ie Entertainment Editor

BONO was a surprise addition to the Electric Picnic festival when it kicked off in brilliant sunshine yesterday.

Arriving by helicopter at 6.15pm, the U2 frontman wasn't performing but turned up to catch a set by his long-time friend Gavin Friday on the first day of the music and arts event.

For decades Friday has jetted around the globe as U2's 'special adviser', giving them notes about their live shows.

But last night the roles were reversed as Bono sized up the former Virgin Prune's performance on the main stage just after 7pm.

Bono speaking on behalf of
The Ireland Fund on May 6, 2010

Bank pledge continued support to Irish scheme

By Buzz Brady, IrishCentral Staff Writer

(Originally posted on December 13, 2011)

Irish rock legends U2 have pledged to support Ireland's talented youth with their continued investment into the Music Generation Scheme.

The Irish band have pledged to invest $2.2 million (€1.7 million) to help young people in Cork City, Laois and Wicklow get both vocal and tuition access in their locality.

U2 guitarist the Edge said: "Access to music for children and young people is something that is very close to our hearts. We believe that every child should have the choice to get involved in music, irrespective of their background.

NEW YORK (AP) - Bono is afraid of Alicia Keys.

While Keys talked about being pregnant and empathetic when filming her documentary about AIDS in Africa, the U2 singer chimed in and said: "She's scary, isn't she? She's scary."

Bono went on to say that Keys has "lioness energy" and that her role as a new mother won't allow her to "let other mothers suffer."

He made the comments at the premiere of Keep a Child Alive with Alicia Keys, a documentary which followed a visit to South Africa during last year's World Cup with a pregnant Keys and five Americans. It airs on the cable television Showtime channel on Dec. 1, which is World AIDS Day.

Genevieve Carbery, The Irish Times

A LINE-UP of big names in the music business have re-recorded U2's hugely successful Achtung Baby album in a new special recording to raise funds for Africa.

Patti Smith, Snow Patrol and Depeche Mode are among the artists on the recording.

(Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered was released for download yesterday to raise money for Concern Worldwide's work in crisis-hit east Africa. The 12-track album features covers by three Irish artists: Mysterious Ways by Snow Patrol, One by Damien Rice and The Fly by Gavin Friday.

By Finbarr Flynn, Bloomberg.com

U2, the rock band that headlined Glastonbury's music festival this year, is investing its own money to fund music schooling for Irish children as the state cuts spending on education.

The band, which started out in Dublin, is funding musical equipment and the hiring of teachers to tutor thousands of children across the country, supporting a series of projects.

While lead singer Bono is well known for his activist work in raising awareness of issues in Africa, the property market crash in Ireland has left the one-time Celtic Tiger with problems of its own. In a country renowned for its musical heritage and for producing contemporary acts such as Westlife and the Corrs, only about 1 percent of secondary pupils receive music tuition.

Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake, Madonna and Wyclef Jean are among those who bring real artistic achievement to the earthquake relief fundraiser.

By Ann Powers, Los Angeles Times Pop Music Critic

Programs like Friday's "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief" do not exist to further musical careers, introduce new material or birth fruitful collaborations. Tragedies like last week's seismic disaster necessitate such urgent media efforts, and fundraising is their primary objective. Important information may also be transmitted; perhaps someone's consciousness will be raised. The pleasure, surprise or release that art can offer is merely added value.

That said, several of the major names who came on board for Haiti went beyond the expected heartstring tugs. Many delivered on precisely that front: The evening was full of big ballads and classic laments, from the opening "Prelude To a Kiss" by Alicia Keys to Jennifer Hudson's "Let It Be" and Stevie Wonder's "Bridge Over Troubled Water."

Others did something different. They made song choices or delivered performances that subtly enhanced our understanding of incomprehensible events.

U2, Jay-Z and producer Swizz Beatz have recorded a song together to raise money for victims of the Haiti earthquake.

BBC News

U2's guitarist The Edge told Irish radio station 2FM the band "wrote a song, finished and recorded" last week after being contacted about the idea.

The Edge, Bono and Jay-Z, along with Rihanna, are due to appear in London for "a group performance" as part of Friday's Hope For Haiti telethon.

George Clooney's two-hour benefit show will be aired on MTV in the UK.

The Edge told 2FM DJ Dave Fanning over the weekend: "Bono got a call from a producer, Swizz. He and Jay-Z wanted to do something for Haiti.

Stars including Bono, Justin Timberlake and Alicia Keys will perform in the Hope For Haiti TV fundraising event, organiser George Clooney has announced.

BBC News

The actor said more than 40 celebrities were expected to attend the Hope For Haiti event on 22 January.

The aim of the telethon, he added, was "to show the people of Haiti that the whole world is paying attention".

Clooney and Haitian-born singer Wyclef Jean will host the benefit, to be shown on more than a dozen US TV networks.

Other performers will include Sting and Christina Aguilera.

Clooney attended the Golden Globe awards on Sunday, where he was nominated for best actor for his film Up In The Air.

Hot Press

Grafton Street came to a standstill late this afternoon when a group of superstar buskers gathered to give a unique performance.

Bono, Glen Hansard, Damien Rice and Mundy made up the remarkable group, who joined other volunteers who were busking to raise money for the Simon Community. Hot Press caught them performing three songs, before the set finished, prompting a huge and sustained round of applause from astounded passers-by.

"That was incredible," one stunned onlooker told Hot Press. "I was out innocently doing my shopping when I saw a crowd gathered. I couldn't believe my eyes when I had a closer look - you might expect to see someone like Mundy doing something like this for charity, but there were three huge stars there, giving it loads. It really added to the Christmas eve atmosphere. The only problem is I had one more present to get but the shop is closed now!"

Circus entrepreneur and "first clown in space" Guy Laliberte has hosted a global artistic performance from the International Space Station (ISS).

BBC

Mr Laliberte introduced artists and speakers from 14 countries in a two-hour show aimed at drawing attention to global water shortages.

Al Gore, Bono and Salma Hayek were among those involved.

Mr Laliberte, founder of the Cirque du Soleil theatre company, is near the end of a 10-day tourist visit to the ISS.

The show, called Moving Stars and Earth for Water, was described by its organisers as a Poetic Social Mission.

It began at midnight GMT, with a welcome from Mr Laliberte onboard the ISS.