David Byrne Plans Benefit for Philippines Typhoon Victims
Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne will raise money for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines with a benefit concert featuring the cast of Here Lies Love, the concept album and stage musical he wrote with Fatboy Slim. The concert will take place on November 25th at Terminal 5 in New York, with proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders. Here Lies Love chronicles the life of Imelda Marcos, the former first lady of the Philippines. It was produced as a rock musical earlier this year at the Public Theater in New York City.
“The show is about the resiliency of the Philippine people – it couldn’t be more timely,” Byrne said in a statement. “Upon hearing about this tragedy, the cast contacted me about doing a show to raise money for relief efforts. Most of our cast is Filipino, and all of us feel the same way. It’s personal for all of us.”
In a message posted online from Byrne’s e-newsletter, he said, “We’ll be doing a concert version of the show – this won’t be the same immersive, interactive experience as the theatrical version. But we’ll do EVERY song, in order, with the original cast and costumes – plus I’ll be helping out and singing as well. The show is wall-to-wall songs. If you didn’t see or hear the production, now is your chance to hear it and at the same time to do something for the survivors in the Philippines. Wear comfortable shoes!”
When Rolling Stone spoke to Byrne about the Here Lies Love single “Please Don’t,” he said he found a lot of inspiration in Marcos’s story. “Some of Imelda’s quotes say so much,” he said. “They were gifts.” The song comes in the third act of the musical, which was inspired in part by Marcos’s love of disco.
Tickets for the benefit are on sale now.
Source: Rolling Stone
