• 06-01-2005, 07:34 AM
    ForeverAutumn
    What do you think of Live 8?
    Personally, I think that Geldof loves the publicity and is giving in to Bono, who I think is an ass, getting involved in and trying to influence the politics of countries that he has nothing to do with. Stick to the music boys and leave the politics to the crooks and criminals.

    Although...the London line-up does look pretty fantastic (with the exception of Mariah Carey).

    Organizers of Live Aid announce five new concerts with major stars
    Tue May 31, 3:46 PM ET

    LONDON (AP) - Twenty years after the Live Aid concerts to raise money for African relief, musical superstars are joining in a five-city spectacular to raise pressure for a political solution for African poverty.

    "We don't want people's money. We want them," Bob Geldof, the driving force behind the Band Aid and Live Aid campaigns, said Tuesday as he announced plans for Live 8 concerts on July 2, just days before leaders of the world's richest countries, the G8, meet in Britain.

    Musicians including Madonna, Paul McCartney, U2, Bon Jovi, Brian Wilson, Crosby Stills & Nash, Coldplay, Sarah McLachlan, Sting and Joss Stone will grace stages in London, Rome, Philadelphia, Berlin, Paris and Rome.

    The 1985 Live Aid concerts, held in London and Philadelphia on the same day, sold out both venues, drew a television audience of millions around the globe and raised $40 million US for poverty relief in Africa.

    Since then, Geldof said, Africa had only become poorer.

    "Twenty years on it strikes me as being morally repulsive and intellectually absurd that people die of want in a world of surplus," Geldof said.

    "This is to finally, as much as we can, put a stop to that."

    Geldof said he had resisted any recreation of Live Aid, but relented to pressure from U2's Bono and others.

    "It seemed to me that we could gather again, but this time not for charity but for political justice."

    The aim of the concerts was to create attention and "political heat" ahead of the G8 meeting in an effort to persuade the leaders to agree to cancel Africa's unpayable debts, double aid for the continent and make trade fair, Geldof said.

    Africa is expected to be high on the agenda of the meeting of the group of eight wealthy nations - which includes Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Russia, Canada, Italy and Japan - under the presidency of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Blair has said he wants rich nations to write off the debts owed by the world's poorest countries and to double international aid, initiatives the White House has ruled out.

    "We obviously welcome any campaign which raises awareness of the need for action in Africa," a spokesman at Blair's office said Tuesday. "The prime minister is obviously working very hard to secure a comprehensive outcome for Africa at the G8 summit."

    The concerts will be free of charge with musicians donating their services. Other costs will be met by corporate sponsors.

    Venues for the July 2 events include London's Hyde Park, a location near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the Circus Maximus in Rome and Benjamin Franklin Parkway at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of in Philadelphia. Geldof said negotiations for the Paris venue continued.

    Geldof enjoyed modest success fronting the Irish punk band the Boomtown Rats, who had a British No. 1 hit in 1979 with I Don't Like Mondays, but found fame through the Live Aid appeal.

    He said organizers had "scrambled like crazy to put this together."

    Elton John, who will perform at the London concert, sat alongside Geldof at the news conference and said he was happy to be part of an event that was drawing the "creme de la creme."

    "When the Live Aid concert happened 20 years ago I was pretty much a self-obsessed drug addict and, although I was really pleased to be part of a great day, I really wasn't adult enough or mature enough to realize the full consequences of what we were doing.

    "Now I'm fully aware of what's going on and seeing the injustices going on," John said.

    Geldof said after the concerts, people would be encouraged to get to Edinburgh, Scotland where he expects a million people to gather for a mass protest as the leaders meet in nearby Gleneagles.

    He encouraged school students to skip school and workers to take time off to be a part of the mass gathering in Edinburgh.

    "What's better, two days of work? Two days of geometry? Or participating in something you will remember all your life."

    Geldof said he had invited Pope Benedict XVI to join the Edinburgh gathering.

    "I think he should show up. I think it should be his first gig," Geldof said.

    Those performing in London for Live 8 include Mariah Carey, Coldplay, Dido, Keane, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Madonna, Muse, the Scissor Sisters, Paul McCartney, Joss Stone, Stereophonics, Sting, Snoop, Robbie Williams, U2 and REM. Fans will enter a lottery by cell phone text message to obtain a ticket.

    Organizers have said more acts will be added, possibly including the British all girl group the Spice Girls, who would need to reform for a performance.

    "I spoke to them this morning, it looks very good, that's all we can say," Geldof said.

    In Philadelphia, acts performing will include McLachlan, Will Smith, the Dave Matthews Band, Bon Jovi, Stevie Wonder, Puff Daddy and Jay-Z.

    Among artists scheduled for Berlin are A-Ha, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Lauryn Hill and Brian Wilson.

    The concert in Rome will feature musicians including Faith Hill and Duran Duran. In Paris, Jamiroquai, Craig David, Youssou N'Dour and Yannick Noah will be among those taking part.

    A look at the Live 8 concert lineups announced Tuesday by organizers:

    LONDON:

    Mariah Carey

    Coldplay

    Dido

    Keane

    Elton John

    Annie Lennox

    Paul McCartney

    Muse

    Razorlight

    REM

    Scissor Sisters

    Snow Patrol

    Stereophonics

    Sting

    Joss Stone

    Robbie Williams

    U2

    Velvet Revolver

    Bob Geldof

    The Killers

    Madonna

    The Cure

    BERLIN:

    a-ha

    Bap

    Crosby, Stills & Nash

    Lauryn Hill

    Die Toten Hosen

    Peter Maffay

    Brian Wilson

    PHILADELPHIA:

    Will Smith (host)

    Bon Jovi

    Maroon 5

    Dave Matthews Band

    Sarah McLachlan

    Rob Thomas

    Keith Urban

    Jay Z

    Stevie Wonder

    50 Cent

    Kaiser Chiefs

    P. Diddy

    PARIS:

    Andrea Bocelli

    Craig David

    Calo Gero

    Jamiroquai

    Kyo

    Yannick Noah

    Youssou N'Dour

    Placebo

    Axelle Red

    Johnny Halliday

    Manu Chao

    Renaud

    ROME:

    Irene Grandi

    Faith Hill

    Jovanotti

    Tim McGraw

    Nek

    Laura Pausini

    Duran Duran

    Vasco Rossi

    Zucchero
  • 06-01-2005, 07:47 AM
    nobody
    None of the lineups really thrill me. Free is nice, but the crowds would probably be too much for me to wanna deal with.

    As far as the politics go, I'm mixed. I mean, I guess doing something is better than nothing, and there is obviously a problem to be addressed. So, points for effort and all that. Problem is, these kind of every ten years efforts don't really have much effect. We need a serious, constant effort to even come close to attacking the problems in Africa, and lets face it, the developed world just basically don't give a ****. Until that changes, all the benefit concerts in the world aren't gonna help.

    If stuff like this can eventually change people's minds and turn the tide, great. I'm just not holding my breath for the powers that be to suddenly get all altruistic because Bono and the guy from the Boomtown Rats make some noise. Still, at least they're trying.
  • 06-01-2005, 08:01 AM
    Stone
    The Paris lineup looks like the most interesting to me, but overall I have virtually no interest in this. At the end of the day, I think it's more of an ego trip for Geldof than anything.
  • 06-01-2005, 09:40 AM
    Ex Lion Tamer
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn

    PARIS:


    Yannick Noah

    Wow! Nothing like putting a has-been tennis player on the bill, to give your event some credibility. I'm booking my flight!
  • 06-01-2005, 10:31 AM
    Troy
    Faith Hill and Tim McGraw in Rome?

    Is that Rome Georgia or what?

    What a strange billing.
  • 06-01-2005, 10:32 AM
    BarryL
    What I'd Like To See...
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn
    Stick to the music boys and leave the politics to the crooks and criminals.


    What I'd like to see is Bono or Geldof or Elton have the guts to stand up and demand the overthrow of the dictators who run these two-bit African nations, and then demand that constitutions be put in place to defend and protect individual rights. But these zillionaire socialists aren't for freedom and individual rights. Instead morons like Bono go running to Prime Ministers like Canada's Paul Martin to take the earnings of citizen taxpayers and hand them over so they can all look like bigshots after looting the people who created the wealth in the first place.

    The money raised would be better spent on guns used to overthrow dictators who perpetuate poverty and misery of the victims of African poverty.

    All those in favour of supporting dictators, put up your hands. No one? They why don't these bozo's speak out against the real issue instead of pretending they're actually doing something good.

    And do you think the money will every get to these people beyond a few Bona and Geldoff photo ops? The Tsunami victims can't even get the zillions donated because the UN keeps getting in the way.

    Yeah, I'm cynical when it comes to the great pretenders who can only do good at the expense of others.

    Rant, Rant.
  • 06-01-2005, 10:33 AM
    Troy
    LOL, Barry.

    I guess Im like Elton John at the first Live Aid, it's just a freekin rock concert.
  • 06-01-2005, 11:18 AM
    BarryL
    Oh.
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Troy
    LOL, Barry.

    I guess Im like Elton John at the first Live Aid, it's just a freekin rock concert.

    But it bugs me that they all want to take credit for being such fantastic superheros. I just wish one of them would have the balls to stand up for what's right.
  • 06-01-2005, 11:43 AM
    tentoze
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Troy
    Faith Hill and Tim McGraw in Rome?

    Is that Rome Georgia or what?

    What a strange billing.

    Hey, Rome GA is a nice town- but I wouldn't go there to see those two.
  • 06-01-2005, 11:46 AM
    tentoze
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Troy
    I guess Im like Elton John...

    It takes a very brave man to admit this in public.
  • 06-01-2005, 11:58 AM
    MindGoneHaywire
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Troy
    LOL, Barry.

    I guess Im like Elton John at the first Live Aid, it's just a freekin rock concert.

    Yeah, but Barry's not wrong about the part involving the real need having to do with overthrowing the dictators. I'm not sure I'd agree with the part about them not caring about freedom or individual rights. It's not like they're trying to deny anyone the freedom to not participate in their gesture. I think--I hope--that these guys have learned something about why the money never seems to get to the people who need it. Can't help but think that this is not the case, but only since I haven't heard much about them standing up with a plan that will succeed where the last one & all the other ones failed. Maybe they didn't see George Harrison on the Dick Cavett show in 1971 complaining about how ineffective UNICEF was at distributing the money raised by the Concert for Bangladesh. Raising the money is the easy part & the part that strokes the egos of the performers & anyone who donates. Seeing to it that it goes where it's needed is the hard work that nobody seems to care about.
  • 06-01-2005, 12:09 PM
    ForeverAutumn
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Troy
    LOL, Barry.

    I guess Im like Elton John at the first Live Aid, it's just a freekin rock concert.

    I'm with Barry on this one. If it's just a freakin rock concert then organize a freakin rock concert. But don't do it under the pretense of helping others unless you're really helping others. This isn't even being billed as a charity event. It's not a fund-raiser. It's just a free show. For what? To protest prior to the G-8 summit? To increase awareness?

    So we're aware....now what?!

    Now...we go out and buy the DVD. I wonder who'll get the profits from that????
  • 06-01-2005, 12:35 PM
    BarryL
    Our Prime Minister...
    About a month ago the Prime Minister Canada decided he would send $150 in aid to Somalia or one of those African slaughterhouses. Guess what? The President of the country didn't want the money. Why? Because are perfectly happy with running the slaughterhouse the way it is now. Money only means strings attached and eyes peaking in.

    Yeah, it's only a rock concert. I guess what bugs me is I wish it could be more. I've seen enough to know that handing over the money to mass murderers will do nothing to help, but a bunch of arrogant rock stars will feel better about themselves and have more pictures for their scrapbooks.

    I guess Bono is vying either for a Nobel Peace Prize or perhaps a knightship from Her Majesty.

    And I've visited with Troy, and he's right about his comparison with Elton.
  • 06-01-2005, 12:37 PM
    Mr MidFi
    As for the concerts, the London lineup looks like a clear winner for my tastes. But big festival shows aren't really for me anyway.

    I think folks like Bono & Geldof have their hearts in the right place. It's not like they just decided yesterday to become socially conscious or to do something good. How effective their efforts have been is certainly open to debate, but I think there's a little too much cynicism about their motives. They're getting more grief than they deserve, IMHO.

    As for actually contributing something to help people in disastrously bad places, I recommend visiting www.mercycorps.com or www.americares.com. Both are top-notch organizations that get things done.
  • 06-01-2005, 12:58 PM
    Troy
    Hoooooweeeee! You guys and the EJ gravy train I gave ya. Always going for the easy gag. Wow, how many quadruple entendre's in THOSE sentences?

    I'm one of the biggest cynics on this site, I kinda figured my cynicism on the matter would be more obvious.

    Yeah, it can't be about saving the world after all the history of events like this have shown just how ineffectual they really are in fixing the problems for all the reasons outlined above. It's about furthering the cult of celebrity.

    So maybe my Elton John comparo was hasty. He was too stoned and stupid to get it in 1982 and I was too cynical in '82, imagine how cynical about it I am now?

    It needs to all go away.

    And I just can't imagine how Tim McGraw is gonna go down in Italy . . .
  • 06-01-2005, 06:08 PM
    Ex Lion Tamer
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BarryL
    What I'd like to see is Bono or Geldof or Elton have the guts to stand up and demand the overthrow of the dictators who run these two-bit African nations, and then demand that constitutions be put in place to defend and protect individual rights. But these zillionaire socialists aren't for freedom and individual rights. Instead morons like Bono go running to Prime Ministers like Canada's Paul Martin to take the earnings of citizen taxpayers and hand them over so they can all look like bigshots after looting the people who created the wealth in the first place.

    The money raised would be better spent on guns used to overthrow dictators who perpetuate poverty and misery of the victims of African poverty.

    All those in favour of supporting dictators, put up your hands. No one? They why don't these bozo's speak out against the real issue instead of pretending they're actually doing something good.

    And do you think the money will every get to these people beyond a few Bona and Geldoff photo ops? The Tsunami victims can't even get the zillions donated because the UN keeps getting in the way.

    Yeah, I'm cynical when it comes to the great pretenders who can only do good at the expense of others.

    Rant, Rant.

    Can I get an Amen!?!
  • 06-01-2005, 06:17 PM
    DarrenH
    I don't like to mix music with politics (or commercials) but these benefit concerts do leave me wondering who is really benefiting from them.