Posted on 06/01/2005 6:10:48 AM PDT by pissant
SIR Bob Geldof yesterday unveiled the biggest musical event of the decade as he announced a stunning all-star line-up for Live Aid II.
The centrepiece of the bash — to be called Live8 — will be a huge free festival in London’s Hyde Park on July 2.
It will star Madonna, Sir Paul McCartney, Elton John, U2, Coldplay, Robbie Williams, Dido, Joss Stone, and Sting — among others.
The 150,000 tickets for the Hyde Park gig will be made available through a special text lottery to be held on Monday.
There will be four other simultaneous live shows in Paris, Philadelphia, Rome and Berlin. Hundreds of thousands of music lovers will attend the five concerts, with billions more watching on TV worldwide.
Live8 aims to raise awareness of poverty in Africa ahead of the G8 summit in Scotland on July 6, when leaders of the world’s eight richest countries will meet.
Sir Bob hopes Live8 will pressurise them into cancelling the debts that cripple Third World states.
The London gig has some of the biggest names in rock and pop. Sir Paul McCartney is to open the show, backed by U2, with a rendition of The Beatles’ classic Sgt Pepper.
It was chosen because the opening lyric “It was 20 years ago today...” echoes the fact that it is the 20th anniversary of the original Live Aid.
Sir Bob yesterday confirmed he has spoken to the Spice Girls about them reforming for the gig — and said the signs were looking good.
It had been wrongly claimed that Live8 promoter Harvey Goldsmith had banned them because they “weren’t rock and roll enough”.
But Goldsmith told yesterday’s press conference at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel: “The Spice Girls are not banned — we would love to have them on the show.”
Sir Bob added: “I spoke to them this morning and it’s looking very good.”
Soul legend Stevie Wonder is likely to be the highlight of the Philadelphia concert.
And Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson will star at the Brandenburg Gate concert in Berlin.
Duran Duran will play in Rome while Jamiroquai are to be one of the big names at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Sir Elton John, also at yesterday’s press conference, said: “All the musicians are the creme de la creme.”
Live8 co-organiser Midge Ure said: “There needs to be a change. Someone needs to rattle the cages.”
Sir Bob is calling for a million people to descend on Edinburgh for a mass march to coincide with the summit.
He plans to go there after the Live8 bash.
LOL. Me too!
Darkwing Duck?!?!?!?!?!?!
Re-unite the Spice Girls? Doesn't inspire quite the same excitement as the prospect of re-uniting The Beatles used to.
They might as well re-unite The Partridge Family.
Even if they add
MORE COWBELL!?!
Put the Stones, ZZ Top, and Los Lobos on stage (with accompanying cowbells) and I'd do it!
How about the Monkees! Now that would be news!
I remember the first Live Aid it was awesome. I will be watching for sure.
Sir Boob should get his overpaid entertainment industry compadres to chip in and pay off the debt.
OY! You are the U2 fan, if I recall correctly?
agreed!
Yes, I'm a child of the 80's. I love U2. I hope to see them somewhere in the U.S. this year if we can fit it in between my husband's deployments.
You swim against the grain on FR on this subject. But I admire your fortitude! ;o)
You won't watch it because you don't know who any of those people are, old timer ;)
There are some good bands but i won't see it just because i'll forget to haha
just announced - 50 cent is gonna be at the phila one! ill be there with my crackpipe in hand. nothing will help africa more than watching a self-proclaimed gangster thug.
I swim against the grain on allot of things or a wouldn't be a militant black conservative woman married to a white military man. ;-)
FYI toots, I heard of all the bands mentioned in the article except 1. So poo on yer head!
I'm holding out for Snoop Doggy Dog
That's why we luv ya here. Not because of the white husband, because you are a militant conservative! (musical tastes aside). ;o)
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