Twenty years after Live Aid, Bob Geldof's Live 8 comes this weekend, July 2, in an effort to "make poverty history." Live 8 will feature concerts in Philadelphia, London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Cornwall, Toronto, South Africa, Tokyo and Moscow (just added today) to raise awareness about poverty in Africa and encourage the leaders of the G8 nations to eliminate third world debt, increase aid to Africa and adopt fair trade practices.
"20 years on, it strikes me as morally repulsive that people die of want in a world of surplus," Geldof said.
The timing of the events is just days before G8 leaders meet July 6-8 at Gleneagles in Scotland. Geldof said the G8 meeting provided a "unique opportunity for Britain to do something unparalleled in the world. There is more than a chance that the boys and girls with guitars finally get to tilt the world on its axis in favor of the poor."
You can sign the Live 8 petition here.
Here is the most recent, highly impressive, announced lineup of artists participating around the world:
Philadelphia - Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Destiny's Child, Jars of Clay, Jay-Z, Kaiser Chiefs, Josh Groban, Keith Urban, Linkin Park, Maroon 5, Rob Thomas, Sarah McLachlan, Stevie Wonder, Toby Keith, Will Smith
London - Annie Lennox, Coldplay, Dido, Elton John, Joss Stone, Keane, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Ms. Dynamite, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Razorlight, REM, Robbie Williams, Scissor Sisters, Snoop Dogg, Snow Patrol, Stereophonics, Sting, Travis, U2, UB40, Velvet Revolver, The Who, Youssou N'Dour
Paris - Andrea Bocelli, Axelle Red, Calogero, Cerrone, Craig David, The Cure, Diam's Dido, Disiz Lapeste, Faudel, Florent Pagny, James Brown, Jamiroquai, Johnny Hallyday, Kool Shen, Kyo, Louise Bertignac, Manu Chao, Muse, Nile Rodgers, Pascal Obispo, Placebo, Raphael, Renaud, Youssou N'Dour, Yannick Noah, Shakira, Sheryl Crowe, Tina Arena, Zucchero
Berlin - A-ha, Audioslave, Bap, Brian Wilson, Chris De Burgh, Die Toten, Hosen, Green Day, Herbert Gronemeyer, Joana Zimmer, Juan Diego Florez, Juli, Katherine Jenkins, Renee Olstead, Sasha, Silbermond, Sohne Mannheims, Wir Sind Helden, Reamonn, Roxy Music
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Aaman
It's London or Paris for me
2 - Aaman
Tokyo and Moscow seem to have been short-changed - and let's not even talk about having Bryan Adams, Celine Dion together
3 - JR
Shakira, if she does some belly-dancing; otherwise Pink Floyd.
4 - Eric Olsen
and Paris, still interesting, took a step down with Sheryl Crow pulling out. Toronto looks better with Neil Young closing (same link)
5 - Joe Battista
The Philadelphia show is overrun with the top 40 playlist crowd. Kaiser Chiefs is the only band I'd like to see at that show. They totally rock!
6 - Tristan
I'm very perplexed where Johhny Klegg is in all of this~~~
Since this is all about his own Homeland of Africa~~
and Klegg is supposed to be such a supporter and proponent of African Unity, etc ., ...... ???
Where IS he ans why is he not being involved in what is looking like one of the biggest Pro-African Events EVER ..???
Doesn't make any sense to me ....
7 - Victor Plenty
Clegg doesn't need to prove anything to anyone.
8 - Tristan
it's nothing at all about "proving anything" to anyone~~
doesn't he support the very principles and causes he espouses ..??
or is it just whwn it's convenient and popular for him to do so~~
or perhaps there is some major Jealousy between him and Geldof and Bono ......
9 - Victor Plenty
Clegg risked his own life for the causes he believes in, in ways much more direct than Bono or Geldof ever have.
If Johnny Clegg chose to stay away from this event, that gives me more cause to doubt the legitimacy of this event than to doubt Clegg's commitment to Africa's future.
Besides, that's a very big "if". How do you know his absence is by choice? Could be the organizers never invited him and didn't want him.
Bottom line, you have do not have enough information to talk about his absence from this as if it proves anything at all negative about him. The fact that you have already done so says more negative about you than it does about him.
10 - Tristan
Well look who's "doubting the legitimacy" of Live 8 --??
the same pompous ass who accuses others of jumping to conclusions..??
I guess it's ok for him to jump to conclusions~~
but nobody else is allowed to question, I see.....
(and I never made a single "conclusion" --I simply askes a QUESTION~~~
maybe Mr. Pompous Ass has some hidden Agenda he needs to defend and promote by assuming others are making conclusions when they are not--simply asking questions...!!! Hmmmmmm..could be an ISSUE, eh Mr. Pompous ass ..???
11 - Victor Plenty
Ah, now the ad hominem comes out. I questioned your logic, and now you question my character.
All you prove is the weakness of your arguments. And thereby, the weakness of your mind.
Try again if you think of any facts to back up your baseless accusations.
12 - Tristan
sounds like some very serious defensiveness to me there Mr Pompous Ass..
13 - Victor Plenty
I've nothing to be defensive about. I haven't resorted to calling you the same childish name three times in the space of two posts. I haven't followed you to several other topics you've posted on recently, in a transparently insecure effort to insult you there, too.
You are the one on the defensive, Tristan.
Apparently even you recognize the weakness of your own position here.
14 - Victor Plenty
Just to be crystal clear here, I would not have responded at all if the original questions about Johnny Clegg had been asked in a neutral tone. If it had been merely a curious request for information about Mr. Clegg's current activities, I would have kept silent, because I don't know what he is doing right at this moment.
Sadly, there was nothing neutral about them. There was a clear implication behind the questions. Supposedly, if Mr. Clegg doesn't support this great big highly publicized event, he must not sincerely care about Africa's future.
That is a totally unjust and unsupported accusation. Johnny Clegg risked death at the hands of his own government under the apartheid regime, working toward a better future for all Africans of every color. He continued working to bridge the gaps between different cultures after the fall of apartheid.
Tristan was wrong to make this accusation without bringing forward any facts to back it up, and will continue to be in the wrong until either backing it up with verifiable facts, or retracting it completely.
15 - Tristan
so says the Great Pompous Ass ~~~
and since he has the sole Authority to decide who means WHAT ~~
far be it from me to burst his little ego bubble of insecurity and need for CONTROL.......
since he seems to NEED it sooooo MUCH..!
16 - rohin
I love how they could manage to get any more popular native acts in the Rome, Berlin, Paris, and Tokyo shows.
You've easily got Mylene Farmer for Paris -- a huge superstar in France and you've got Ayumi Hamasaki and Utada Hikaru or any number of other pop stars in Japan...
This has just a nasty funk of musical imperialism in it -- get the biggest acts from the US and UK to headline most of the cities' shows?
Kind of sad, too, 'cause I was almost beginning to believe it.
17 - Victor Plenty
Tristan, if you meant to say something else, other than what your words clearly implied and then openly stated in comments 6 and then 8 above, you might want to learn how to write more clearly so your words will say what you really mean in the future.
Meanwhile, you still haven't bothered to back up your accusations with any facts.
However, I'll make no effort to contest your first place showing in the childish name-calling arena.
18 - Lono
ok folks, here it is. I found a tentative schedule for tomorrow. Since we don't all have 10 hours to sit in front of the TV, here is a rough blue print of what Clear Channel is broadcasting tomorrow. All times are Eastern:
12:00-6:00pm ET â€" Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia Broadcast Rundown
12:04 â€" Paul McCartney & U2 Live from London
12:14 - Black Eyed Peas
12:33 - Bon Jovi
12:54 â€" Madonna Live from London
1:00 - Destiny’s Child
1:16 - Kanye West
1:30 -Will Smith
1:50 - Coldplay Live from London
1:56 - Toby Keith
2:13 - Dave Matthews Band (right)
2:40 - Alicia Keys
2:52 - Def Leppard
3:10 - Linkin Park and Jay-Z
3:50 - Tim McGraw Live from Rome
3:56 - Sarah McLachlan
4:11 - Maroon 5
4:28 - Green Day Live from Berlin
4:34 - Keith Urban
4:48 - Jars of Clay
4:56 - Pink Floyd Live from London
5:00 - Rob Thomas
5:21 - Stevie Wonder
19 - Tan The Man
Nice.
20 - Tristan
Mr. Pompous ass ~~~
poor baby~~just can't seem to get over himself, can he ....
Awwwwwww......
such a sad case of over-inflation of ego....
21 - Victor Plenty
There must be a mistake. Pink Floyd gets only 4 minutes, followed by Rob Thomas for 21 minutes?
Destiny's Child will have 16 minutes. Toby Keith gets 17, and so does Maroon 5. Will Smith is on for 20. Bon Jovi gets 21. But Pink Floyd only gets 4 minutes?
That just can't be right. There must be some misunderstanding. There must be some kind of mistake.
22 - Joe Battista
Maybe Clegg is busy ramping up for his Aspen Labor Day gig opening up for Loggins & Messina.
And as for the concerts, these shows don't really have the length one expects in a "festival"-style show. I guess they did that with TV broadcasting in mind (because of time differences in each locale). They want to show as much of the event as they can "live."
23 - El Bicho
The MTV/VH1 broadcast is horrible. They cut from The Black Eyed Peas and The Marleys singing "Get Up, Stand Up" to show commercials. What a waste.
24 - Tan The Man
Seriously. VH1 sucks.
25 - Lono
They aren't running anything live, that was clear after Green Day dropped about 10 f bombs on their amazing performance from Germany. I can't stand these VJs, in their effort to sound 'street' they dumb down the language and sound like uneducated retards.
Audioslave was cool too. The Bon Jovi performance sounded a bit 'phoned in'... but how many times can you play the same song without just killing yourself?