Stars turn out for Australia wildfires concerts

An array of Australian and international stars including Kylie Minogue and Coldplay turned out Saturday at two concerts to raise funds for victims of wildfires that killed more than 200 people.

Tens of thousands of people braved wet and stormy weather in the nation's two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, for "Sound Relief" concerts which brought new bands onstage alongside Australian legends and established names.

Pop princess Minogue got the crowds raucously singing along to "I Still Call Australia Home" at Melbourne Cricket Ground, in a performance beamed live across to the concert at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Messages from Britain's Princes William and Harry were read out and a minute's silence was held for the 210 people who died in the nation's worst ever wildfires last month, before Minogue took to the stage to wild cheers.

"I'm so thankful I can make it home tonight and share this with all of you," an emotional Minogue said.

"I don't have a band, I don't have dancers, in fact there ain't one feather on me tonight.

"But I thought this could actually be my biggest gig ever if you are all prepared... to sing with me. It's pretty much like our unofficial anthem."

In Sydney, British supergroup Coldplay kicked off the concert with their hit "Yellow", with star cricketer Shane Warne and actress Toni Collette among the crowd.

Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees and singer Olivia Newton-John were to close the show, saying they felt moved to come back to Australia from their bases abroad for the cause.

"I think our spirits are always here," Gibb said.

"This is where my home is always," said Newton-John.

Back in Melbourne, US group Kings of Leon were also due to perform before a sell-out crowd of 80,000 before Australian protest rockers Midnight Oil -- specially reunited for the occasion -- close the concert.

Midnight Oil's frontman is Australia's Environment Minister Peter Garrett, who told a news conference he had no problems swapping his formal role for the chance to rock and roll again.

"We didn't have to convince the prime minister (Kevin Rudd) or anyone else about us playing," he said.

"Naturally, I consulted with my colleagues because I've got responsibilities but I think everybody recognises that it was just a really extraordinary situation and occasion that had come about."

Garrett, 55, and Midnight Oil rose to fame with worldwide hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including "Beds are Burning" and "Blue Sky Mine", before splitting in 2002.

The minister said the Victorian bushfires had been an "extraordinary and at times traumatic experience" for the state's people.

"The music industry coming together to put its hands in its pockets and get itself out on the stage and perform in an arena like the (MCG) is a very, very special day for us," he said.

The two concerts are expected to raise about five million Australian dollars (3.25 million US) to help victims.

More than 2,000 homes were destroyed as fires fanned by record high temperatures and strong winds swept through drought-stricken southern Victoria state last month.

Ironically, rain fell in the state capital Melbourne as the concert got under way, but it failed to deter fans, while in Sydney a thunderstorm brought proceedings to a halt for half an hour.

Sensitivities about the fires gave some of the stars pause for thought, though, with Kings of Leon declining to play one of their biggest songs, "Sex on Fire".