Organized in 1996, the first concert was held in June in San Francisco and featured acts such as Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Björk, the Smashing Pumpkins, Cibo Matto, Rage Against the Machine, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Buddy Guy and John Lee Hooker.
[2] The Smashing Pumpkins, Chaksam-pa, Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, Pavement, Cibo Matto, Biz Markie, Richie Havens, John Lee Hooker, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine, Sonic Youth, Beck, Foo Fighters,[3] Björk, De La Soul, Fugees, Buddy Guy, The Skatalites, and Yoko Ono/Ima.
Thurman – Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies, Columbia University Erin Potts[15] and The Milarepa Fund commissioned artist Jim Evans (T.A.Z.)
[17] Noel Gallagher, Foo Fighters, U2, Sonic Youth, Biz Markie, Alanis Morissette, Patti Smith, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Radiohead, Yungchen Lhamo, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, A Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, Rancid, Björk, Pavement, Blur, Michael Stipe & Mike Mills, Taj Mahal and Phantom Blues Band, De La Soul, Dadon, Chaksam-pa, Nawang Khechog, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Eddie Vedder & Mike McCready, KRS-One, Porno for Pyros, and Lee Perry featuring Mad Professor & the Robotiks Band Speakers: Palden Gyatso – Former Political Prisoner, Dechen Wangdu – Tibetan Activist, Chuck D – Public Enemy, Xiao Qiang – Human Rights in China, Nane Alehandrez – Barrios Unidos Tibetan Freedom Concert, a compilation album covering events of that concert, was released on November 4, 1997.
Beastie Boys, Radiohead, Sean Lennon, Mutabaruka, Money Mark, A Tribe Called Quest, Dave Matthews Band, Sonic Youth, Nawang Khechog, Wyclef Jean, Canibus, Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters, Buffalo Daughter, R.E.M., KRS-One, The Wallflowers, Blues Traveler, Live, Pearl Jam, Luscious Jackson, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chaksam-pa, Pulp, Bran Van 3000.
Speakers: Xiao Qiang – Human Rights in China, Lhadon Tethong – Students for a Free Tibet, Palden Gyatso – Former Political Prisoner, Wei Jingsheng – Chinese Democracy Activist and Former Political Prisoner Amsterdam, East Troy/Wisconsin, Sydney, Tokyo Run DMC, The Cult, Beastie Boys, Blondie, Tracy Chapman, The Roots, Live, Eddie Vedder, Otis Rush, Cibo Matto, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Rage Against the Machine, Chaksam-pa Speakers: Xiao Qiang of Human Rights in China, Lhadon Tethong of Students for a Free Tibet, Nawang Pema- Tibetan Nun Rai Parkhal, Amsterdam Garbage, Blur, Urban Dance Squad, Alanis Morissette, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Luscious Jackson, NRA, Gang Chenpa, Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros, Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood Speakers: Erin Potts – The Milarepa Fund, Ama Adhe – Former Political Prisoner.
Buffalo Daughter, Audio Active, Kan Takagi, Scha Dara Parr, Kiyoshirou Imawano, Nawang Khechog Speakers: Alma David – Students for a Free Tibet, Jurme Wangda – Liaison Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama Regurgitator, Spiderbait, The Mavis's, The Avalanches, Neil Finn, The Living End, Celibate Rifles, Not From There, Gerling, Jebediah, You Am I, Garpa, Blackalicious, Eskimo Joe, Trans Am Speakers: Lobsang Lungtok – Former Political Prisoner, Jo Shaw – Students for a Free Tibet, Australia, Dorji Dolma – Australia Tibet Council Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, UA, Chaksam-pa, Boom Boom Satellites, Buffalo Daughter Speakers: Palden Gyatso – Former Political Prisoner, Zatul Rinpoche – Liaison Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Adam Yauch – Beastie Boys, Tomoko Tahara – The Milarepa Fund Beastie Boys, LMF, Tizzy Bac, Nawang Khechog, Bobby Chen Speakers: Tsegyam Ngaba – Taipei Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Adam Yauch – Beastie Boys, Hsiao Bi-khim – Taiwan Tibet Exchange Foundation, Freddy Lim – Chthonic 2012-05-26, on Vienna's Heldenplatz.