The first Tibetan Freedom Concert held in Australia attracted a significant crowd of music and Tibet enthusiasts, with over 8,000 people coming along to show their support. For a first time Tibet concert on this scale in Australia the amount of people was truly inspiring.

Organised in conjunction with the Milarepa Fund based in the USA, the Sydney concert was one of four Tibetan Freedom Concerts held simultaneously around the globe, the others being in Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Chicago. For the fourth year in a row the Milarepa Fund have sponsored the concerts in an effort to generate commitment to Tibet and awareness of Tibetan issues through youth activism, music, and performance.

Held at the Sydney showgrounds, Homebush Bay, it was hard to miss the energy and spirit of Tibet. Entering in through the main gates you were greeted by giant billowing Tibetan flags lining the pathways, 5000 feet of coloured prayer flags fluttered in the breeze across the entire venue, and giant Tibetan flags adorned the stages. Two huge tents had been constructed to complement the music space; one a ‘Tibetan cultural tent’ and the other ‘a political action and information tent’. Both were prominently decorated with Tibetan flags, banners, and traditional Thangkas to generate a very real Tibetan-ness about the day.

The impressive band line up at the concert included Regurgitator, Spiderbait, Neil Finn, You Am I, Jebediah, and the Celibate Rifles. International acts, Blackalicious, Trans Am and Bis joined the Australian bands in their words of support for Tibet and condemnation of Chinese Government actions towards the Tibetan people.

But it wasn’t just musicians who impressed the enthusiastic crowd. Tibetan speakers Lobsang Lungtok and Dorji Dolma both spoke to capacity audiences in the main pavilion. Their stories of individual struggles for Tibet’s freedom and their personal freedom both amazed and moved the crowd. But nothing moved the 7000 strong audience more than a huge Free Tibet chant lead by Dorji Dolma which had the crowd screaming and chanting and jumping in unison. The enthusiastic and loud ovation both speakers received at the end of their speeches said it all.

There was equally massive interest shown in the Tibetan performers. Nyima Tashi and Dawa Dolma, former TIPA Performers, played as part of the band line-up in the main pavilion while the large crowd at the cultural tent were held in rapture by powerful performances from Tenzin Choegyal’s dramyen, flute and amazing nomadic songs. Flautist Tenzin Tsewang engaged the crowd with moving performances of both flute and song.

Four Tibetan Geshes and a Tibetan monk were invited to the concert and opened the event with a special blessing and prayers on the main stage. The Geshes then performed a puja in the Tibetan cultural tent to an enthralled young audience many of whom took the time for some quiet reflection outside of the resounding pulse of music in the main pavilion.