 Powderfinger were active in supporting causes or opposing actions taken in charitable , philanthropic , disaster , and political circumstances . In 1996 , when Crowded House decided to break up , they organised a farewell concert as a charity event for the Sydney Children 's Hospital , on 24 November . They approached Powderfinger and fellow Australian acts Custard and You Am I to also appear on the steps of the Sydney Opera House . The charity event , which was recorded and later released as a live album titled Farewell to the World , was claimed to have the largest Australian live concert audience , with estimates of between 100 @,@ 000 and 250 @,@ 000 people . In the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami , Powderfinger performed at the WaveAid fund @-@ raising concert in Sydney in January 2005 . The disaster killed more than 225 @,@ 000 people from 11 countries in the area . The total profit from the funds raised from ticket sales and donations was A $ 2 @,@ 300 @,@ 000 . 
