The bushfire crisis has caused immense tragedy, with lives lost, homes destroyed and over a billion animals killed. This fire season is on track to be the worst on record. It’s safe to say no matter where you are in Australia, you’re feeling the effects of the bushfires in one way or another.
In the face of a seemingly hopeless situation, Australia’s alternative and heavy community has rallied together as an immense and formidable unit in an effort to do anything and everything that can be done to help the situation. Of course, the international community has also contributed including, but not limited to, Metallica’s $750,000 donation.
Whether it was live shows, auctioning off limited edition test pressings or providing fans an avenue to donate cash or clothing, our community has gone to incredible lengths to help.
To show our thanks, and how proud we are to be part of this community, we thought we’d compile a list of some of these efforts and couple it with a resounding and endless: Thank You, everyone.
On the live show front
The Amity Affliction are set to headline a bill of Northlane, Tonight Alive, Ocean Grove and Windwaker for the best cause we can think of on the 20th of January, a show which sold out within a literal minute.
On Sale Monday at 9am from the https://t.co/3pLesHEFTP pic.twitter.com/5ST65hDy4s
— The Amity Affliction (@amityaffliction) January 10, 2020
On the live show front the scene has provided several opportunities for fans to dig deep, including donations at Unify Gathering past, Trophy Eyes also performed a show specifically to raise fund for those effected by the fires, raising more than $20,000 and Invasion Fest over the weekend made fundraising a key element of the event, with head honcho Ash Hull providing updates.
Thank you to everyone who came out and helped us raise a massive total of $20,108 at our NSW Fires Benefit Show.
— Trophy Eyes (@trophyeyesmusic) December 19, 2019
❤️❤️❤️
You can support the @NSWRFS here: https://t.co/A2Ot44Wmen pic.twitter.com/j3mNhNnoI5
Threads and more
Australia’s very own merch mecca 24Hundred announced that 100% of their profits would go to bushfire relief earlier in the month, but if you missed it, you can always submit a guilt-free pre-order of the new Amity Affliction record here, of which a portion of all purchases will be donated to bush fire services. If you don’t need an Amity shirt with Casper the Teenage Ghost on it as much as we do, Ice Nine Kills raised over $50,000 with a beneficial shirt, and blink-182 dropped an Aussie-themed merch line to benefit the fires.
Peruse through the 24Hundred twitter feed and you’ll find several other opportunities to purchase merch and donate to the bushfire relief at the same time, with bands including In Hearts Wake providing funds from their sales to WIRES.
Though not currently touring or recording I Killed The Prom Queen feel so strongly about contributing to the bushfire relief that they’re unearthing old merch designs – hand picked by fans, no less, for a limited run with all proceeds going to charity.
Stay tuned for merch designs via @24hundrednet. All profits will be donated to various charities helping human and animal victims of the fires in Aus right now. Comment which designs you would like to see reprinted and let’s help our fellow Aussies recover from this disaster 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/fgNPt6bw4t
— IKILLEDTHEPROMQUEEN (@iktpqofficial) January 8, 2020
Records and rarities
Greyscale Records are auctioning off test presses from their current roster, and it’s a golden opportunity to win a collector’s item while doing some good for your community. Win/win. The auction has now wrapped up, but keep an eye out for any other goodies you can nab for a worthy cause.
We have so far raised over $1000 on the test presses! Keep those bids coming! https://t.co/L72Zh2DavQ pic.twitter.com/pJBso91odC
— Greyscale Records (@greyscalerec) January 3, 2020
UNFD are another example of a label digging deep into their back catalogue to help raise funds for bushfire victims. Last week, they announced that Storm The Sky would be auctioning off not one, but two limited edition test pressings. And, at the time of publish, you’ve still got 48 hours left to place a bid.
Our friends in @stormthesky have put up two test presses for auction in aid of bushfire relief. Place a bid now!
— UNFD (@unfdcentral) January 16, 2020
Permanence -> https://t.co/tdBMcohhC7
Sin Will Find You -> https://t.co/c2uxw4OSSV pic.twitter.com/lUecwtMq9x
Wall Of Sound and The Faction, our comrades in the media trenches have collaborated campaign to provide some much needed extra funds to WIRES, by auctioning off a signed poster from Unify Gathering 2020, featuring just about every autographs from just about all the bands who performed.
Donation opportunities
Hip hop/emo hybrid Blackbear recently embarked on a whirlwind trip down under, during which he encouraged fans to bring clothing donations to his Sydney and Melbourne shows. If you can’t donate financially, consider dropping some clothes off at St Vincent De Paul. Authorities have made a plea to discontinue donations direct to communities, who are “overwhelmed” with boxes filling up community halls, so make sure you go through an official channel.
If you were at Stray From the Path’s Aussie tour this month, you would have noticed that there were donation tins to support The Rescue Collective. Be sure to keep an eye out for donation tins that you can drop some spare change into at any gig you attend over the coming weeks.
Parkway Drive also created another avenue for donations, via their fundraiser campaign, announced by Winston, the proceeds of which will be split evenly across WIRES and the Red Cross.
In light of the devastating bushfires we’re currently experiencing in Australia we’ve set up a Go Fund Me and donated $50,000. We are calling on all fans around the world, even 50c will help. All proceeds will go to @RedCrossAU and @WIRES_NSW. Stay safe.
— Parkway Drive (@parkwayofficial) January 9, 2020
– https://t.co/GM869JiOad pic.twitter.com/tJMQLHzvLF
We’ve listed some organisations you can support below, but if you work for a major company, check first if you might be able to get them to match your donation.
