York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, with the opening act Placebo. Proceeds from the concert went to the Save the Children fund. 30 January – Noel Gallagher courts controversy in an interview in which he claimed that taking drugs was "like having a cup of tea in the morning". 12 February – David Bowie receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, USA. 18 February – Brian Harvey is sacked from East 17 after his controversial comments on a radio interview in which he appeared to be condoning the use of the drug ecstasy. 11 March – Paul McCartney receives his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. 30 March – The Spice Girls launch Britain's new television channel, Channel 5. 10 April – Nigel Kennedy, now calling himself simply Kennedy, returns to the stage at the Royal Festival Hall after a five-year absence from the concert stage resulting from neck surgery. 3 May 5ive's musical career begins after auditions are held in London, UK to find potential band members, with over 3,000 hopefuls showing up to audition. The Spice Girls attend the Cannes Film Festival to announce their plans to hit the big screen with Spiceworld: The Movie. A photo call on top of the Hotel Martinez entrance brings the area to a standstill. At the 42nd Eurovision Song Contest, held in Dublin's Point Theatre, the UK win with "Love Shine a Light", sung by Katrina and the Waves. 11 May – The Spice Girls perform their first British live gig for the Prince's Trust 21st anniversary concert at the Manchester Opera House They break royal protocol by kissing The Prince of Wales on the cheeks and even pinching his bottom. 15 May The Spice Girls' album Spice reaches number one on the US charts, making them the first British act to top the charts with a debut album. While his single "Return of the Mack" climbs up the US Charts, Mark Morrison is sentenced to 3 months in prison, for threatening a police officer with a stun gun. 28 June – The Haçienda club in Manchester closes, it is later demolished and turned into flats, whilst still retaining the "Hacienda" name. September – Ten-year-old Nicola Benedetti begins her studies at the Yehudi Menuhin School for young musicians