How often do you give back? I don’t very often. I mean, I donate blood every now and then and give my spare change to roadside collectors, but I wish I could do more sometimes. It’s a little bit tricky with work to find the time to give back to society. If I had more time, I would volunteer more. If I had more money, I would donate more. But the truth is, I lead a fairly modest lifestyle and contribute what I can to the best of my ability.

However, the other day I came across a non-profit organisation that manages to blend my love for music with my desire to help out. They call themselves Major Raiser (like Major Laser but with less DJs and more members) and they host live music and creative arts events for charities. They combine live music with informative discussions on issues affecting today’s youth, raising money and awareness through events and ticket sales, which I think is a brilliant idea. Imagine going to a great gig, dancing the night away and waking up the following morning knowing that your money had gone towards a worthy cause? To me, that’s a win/win situation.

For those of you based in or around Sydney, Major Raiser’s next event will be Verge Festival 2011 at Sydney University. This event will explore youth mental illness in a positive light and will feature a soundtrack provided by bands including Rapids, Only the Sea Slugs, Polar Knights, Boats of Berlin, Louis London and Major Raiser DJs.

So keep an eye out for Major Raiser. They are only a young bunch but they have, as Neil Young once sang, hearts of gold.

Verge Festival 2011 event info