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Tibetan Freedom Concert Set For London
Additional artists confirmed thus far are Pulp, Morcheeba, and Joe Strummer. The full lineup is expected to be announced shortly.
This year’s Tibetan Freedom Concert also marks the Beastie Boys’ first performance since 1999’s Tibetan concert in East Troy, Wis.
Their 2000 Rhyme & Reason stadium tour with Rage Against the Machine was canceled after Beastie Mike D seriously injured his shoulder in a biking accident.
Of the decision to move the concert from the States to Europe, Adam Yauch told MTV News, “We’ve done it four times in the U.S., and we just thought it would be good to do it in some other countries to help spark the Tibetan movement a little more in those places.”
Mike D added, “I think it’s really crucial in terms of having it in London, which can really be a focal point of the whole European continent. The situation with the Chinese occupation in Tibet is clearly going to take a lot more than pressure from the people active in just the United States. It’s gonna take a worldwide awareness to effect change.”
Launched in 1996 in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the Tibetan Freedom Concert unites artists from all musical genres to raise support for the Milarepa Fund, an organization that supports the Tibetan people’s struggle to regain their freedom.
Over the years, diverse artists including U2, The Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Pavement, Cibo Matto, Biz Markie, John Lee Hooker, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine, Sonic Youth, Beck, Bjork, Tracy Chapman, The Roots, De La Soul, Fugees, Buddy Guy, Alanis Morissette, Radiohead, Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler, Live, and Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals have shown their support by performing at these huge benefit shows. Tokyo hosted a scaled-back version of the Tibetan Freedom Concert in May but the last full-blown event took place in 1999 when simultaneous concerts were held in Amsterdam, East Troy (near Chicago), Tokyo and Sydney.