Hundreds at Charity Tribute Concert for Charlatans Drummer Jon Brookes

Thousands of pounds have been generated for charity at the event which saw bands and singers perform at Darlaston All Active.

Mr Brookes, who was from Burntwood in Staffordshire, died last August after battling a brain tumour. The gig was organised by Adam Paget, a lifelong friend of Jon, and Karen Phipps, to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity – Jon Brookes Fund.

Bands including Isolated Atoms, Junk Monkey, Little Liam, The Rimes, Idle and Spectrum took to the stage as well as Streetly singer Connie Talbot. More than £3,000 is expected to be raised by the event on Saturday after 500 tickets were snapped up.

Among those in the audience was Jon’s brother Tim Brookes who lives in Wednesbury. Tim said his brother would have been ‘very humbled’ by the event.

Connie, aged 13, said she had rehearsed a set of songs especially for the event which included tunes by Oasis such as Don’t Look Back in Anger and Wonderwall as well as Run by Snow Patrol and the Stone Roses’ Waterfall.

“It was good. They were different songs to what I’m used to. I learned them especially for the event,” she said.

Cannock musician Mark Hollier, who is a singer with band Marquis Drive, said: “It’s great that so many people came together to raise money for such a great cause and in honour of Jon.

“The atmosphere has been great and everyone has really got into the spirit of the event. The Charlatans were one of the biggest band of the 90sand they mean a lot to people. I feel privileged to have been a part of the event.”

Jon once managed Marquis Drive and the band has decided to donate the proceeds from its new single, Heard on this Day, to the Jon Brookes Fund.