The Chewbacca mask worn by Lewis Capaldi at TRNSMT Festival earlier this month has sold for over £7,000 at an online auction.
The singer-songwriter arrived on stage at the Glasgow festival wearing the mask, referencing a comment Noel Gallagher recently made likening him to the Star Wars character.
An employee of DF Concerts (who run TRNSMT) put the mask on eBay to raise money for Frightened Rabbit’s Tiny Changes charity, in memory of their late frontman Scott Hutchison.
“I work for DF concerts and events and donated my mask to Lewis Capaldi for his performance,” they explained in the item’s description. “He signed it as well shortly after coming off Stage. So I thought the best thing to do with it would be sell it on eBay with the profits going to the charity “Tiny Changes” which was set up in memory of Scott Hutchison (Frightened Rabbit.) Tiny Changes helps Raise awareness about children and young people’s mental health issues.”
After a flurry of bids, the auction ended yesterday having reached a total of £7,401 after over 70 bids.
When the auction was announced, Frightened Rabbit wrote on Twitter: “The bold @LewisCapaldi has signed the Chewbacca mask he wore for @TRNSMTfest and it is being auctioned off with proceeds going to @tinychanges.
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“Who agrees @NoelGallgher should chip in with a bid?”
The bold @LewisCapaldi has signed the Chewbacca mask he wore for @TRNSMTfest and it is being auctioned off with proceeds going to @tinychanges. Who agrees @NoelGallagher should chip in with a bid? Get sharing folks! https://t.co/Wn6OqaZoqz
— Frightened Rabbit (@FRabbits) July 15, 2019
Tiny Changes was launched in May 2019 by late Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison’s family, including his brother and the band’s drummer Grant. In a statement, they said: “We want to continue the legacy that Scott built. To channel the energy he generated in people all over the world into positive action on mental health among young people and to make tiny changes to Earth.”
They added that the main aims of the charity are to “to raise awareness about children and young people’s mental health issues, advance understanding of the root causes of mental ill health and support innovation in the design and delivery of mental health services to children and young people, support and promote initiatives that provide help to children and young people impacted by mental health problems, their families and carers, and provide a voice to children and young people who have been affected by mental health issues to influence mental health policy and practice.”
Hutchison took his own life in May 2018 after a battle with depression. He was 37 years old.
Earlier this month, a covers album of Frightened Rabbit’s ‘The Midnight Organ Fight’ was released, featuring contributions from Biffy Clyro, Julien Baker, Daughter, The Twilight Sad, and more. In a four-star review, NME said: “‘Tiny Changes’ is a cast-iron confirmation of the impact Scott and his band had on the music world at large, and of the tiny changes they made to so many.”
Click here for more information and to donate to the Tiny Changes charity.
For help and advice on mental health:
- ‘Am I depressed?‘ – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next
- Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians
- Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues
- YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
- CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably for young men
- Time To Change – Let’s end mental health discrimination
- The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day