Live 8 Details Announced by Bob Geldof

[Cactus 3:16]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4594865.stm

Bob Geldof has unveiled plans for a repeat of 1985's Live Aid concert, called Live 8, to highlight the ongoing problem of global poverty and debt.

The free event will be held in London's Hyde Park on 2 July with concerts in Philadelphia, Paris, Rome and Berlin.

Madonna and Sir Paul McCartney are among stars playing in London while Stevie Wonder is on the US line-up.

A text message lottery is being held on 6 June to determine who will gain tickets to the UK concert.

Listeners to breakfast shows on BBC and commercial radio stations will be asked to send a text message at 0800 BST containing the answer to a multiple choice question. The winners will get two tickets to the show.

It will also be shown on big screens in seven cities across the UK, and shown live on BBC TV and radio.

Will Smith, Bon Jovi, Stevie Wonder and Maroon 5 are among the performers who will play the US city's Cradle of America venue.

Veteran band Duran Duran will play in Rome, while A-ha will perform in Berlin.

Sir Elton John said he was "extremely honoured" to be taking part in the event, which he added will feature "la creme de la creme of musicians".

Geldof said there was a strong possibility that the Spice Girls would reform for the concert.

"I spoke to them this morning. It looks very good. That's all we can say," he told the BBC.

The aim will be to raise awareness of Make Poverty History, a campaign to get the richest nations to cancel debt and increase aid to developing countries, and to promote fair trade.

The G8 summit takes place from 6 to 8 July at Gleneagles in Scotland.

Geldof said the event was "not for charity but political justice", adding that organisers had "scrambled like crazy" to stage the concerts to highlight the plight of Africa.

"This is to finally, as much as as we can, put a stop to that," said the political campaigner and musician.

"There is more than a chance that the boys and girls with guitars finally get to tilt the world on its axis," he added.

Geldof told reporters in London that he had asked for the support of Pope Benedict XVI.

"I think he should turn up. It would be his first gig," he said.

Jonathan Ross will present the BBC's coverage in the UK, while Graham Norton will report from Philadelphia.

The UK government has backed the project, with Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell saying Live 8 will "set the scene" for the G8 summit.

Meanwhile, the Band Aid Trust has recouped more than £2m in VAT from the government, which was made from DVD sales of the 1985 Live Aid concert.

"We want it to be the biggest and best open air concert that the capital has ever seen," she said.

The original Live Aid concerts, on 13 July 1985 in Wembley Stadium and JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, raised £40m for famine relief in Africa.

Edited May 31, 2005 by Cactus 3:16

[Hobo]

They were talking about this on Richard and Judy today and Richard mentioned that it is rumoured Pink Floyd may re-unite for Live 8.

[K]

Ill swap the london line up for philly

[Bigal]

They were talking about this on Richard and Judy today and Richard mentioned that it is rumoured Pink Floyd may re-unite for Live 8.

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[Skummy]

To be honest, I wouldn't care for a Pink Floyd reunion unless it was with Syd Barrett, and the odds against that are astronomical.

[Bigal]

To be honest, I wouldn't care for a Pink Floyd reunion unless it was with Syd Barrett, and the odds against that are astronomical.

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[tristy]

I'd go to the Philly show to just see the beauty and talent that is Sarah McLachlan.

[Hobo]

Heres all the acts so-far I would find interesting.

Hyde Park, London

Coldplay

Dido

Sir Elton John

Keane

Annie Lennox

Madonna

Mariah Carey

Muse

Scissor Sisters

Sir Paul McCartney

Joss Stone

Stereophonics

Sting

Robbie Williams

U2

REM

Velvet Revolver

Bob Geldof

The Killers

The Cure

Snow Patrol

Museum of Art, Philadelphia

Will Smith (host)

Bon Jovi

Maroon 5

P Diddy

Stevie Wonder

Jay-Z

The Dave Matthews Band

Sarah McLachlan

Rob Thomas

Keith Urban

50 Cent

Kaiser Chiefs

Eiffel Tower, Paris

Jamiroquai

Craig David

Youssou N'Dour

Yannick Noah

Andrea Bocelli

Calo Gero

Kyo

Placebo

Axelle Red

Johnny Halliday

Manu Chao

Renaud

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

A-ha

Crosby, Stills and Nash

Brian Wilson

Lauryn Hill

Bap

Die Toten Hosen (never heard of them but doesn't that mean "The Dead Trousers"?)

Peter Maffay

Circus Maximus, Rome

Duran Duran

Faith Hill

Irene Grandi

Jovanotti

Tim McGraw

Nek

Laura Pasini

Vasco Rossi

Zucchero

I was thinking about it earlier and personally I'd like to see the likes of Neil Young, Springsteen, Tom Petty or maybe Willie Nelson or Bob Dylan to play at it. I think probably Eric Clapton migh appear. Phill Collins could do it again and this time try and do all the venues!

Personally speaking, the French lineup looks pretty meh. Andrea Boccelli is the only half interesting act.

[fineintent]

Ill swap the london line up for philly

←

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

That London line up looks awesome to me.

Madonna, Coldplay, Joss Stone, Dido, U2 and Keane certainly tempt me to want to be there. Should be awesome actually, cant wait.

[Psicosis]

Hopefully the entire thing is shown live on tv (and someone tapes it all this time..)

[Billy Castillo]

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

A-ha

Crosby, Stills and Nash

Brian Wilson

Lauryn Hill

Bap

Die Toten Hosen (never heard of them but doesn't that mean "The Dead Trousers"?)

Peter Maffay

[Hellfire]

I'd defentally go to Philly, just for the chance to see Jay-Z. Having 50 Cent on there isn't cool though, anyone else would be better.

[Guest Wrestling_Man]

Looks interesting, I heard about the Pink Floyd rumor myself on Elliot in the Morning here in D.C. I'd go if they got the great heavy metal supergroup Hearing Aid play "Stars" that would be awesome.

[DMN in the House]

Honestly, this seems like the most pretentious shit ever to me.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

To me, Paris looks the most intruiging line up so far.

I'd be up for a bit of that!...Except Craig David of course...

Philly holds nothing to me (except Kaiser Chiefs), but London's got Muse, Annie Lennox, U2, Sting, Killers, Cure, Snow Patrol each of whom raise it above "below average".

Though from what I've heard, Geldof telling kids to bunk off school to march to the G8 summit is disgraceful....Especially during exam period.

Edited June 1, 2005 by ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster

[botchedpiledriver]

Looks like the Spice Girls are going to be on one of them, unfortunetly. Geldoff said he spoke to them on the phone and it looks promosing, apparently.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Looks like the Spice Girls are going to be on one of them, unfortunetly.  Geldoff said he spoke to them on the phone and it looks promosing, apparently.

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[botchedpiledriver]

Looking it on that level, yes. But we all know the only reason there appearing is for a publicity: seeing as all there solo projects have failed.

[Bigal]

I'd say that a large percentage of the acts are only in it for the publicity. It looks good on a resume, wouldn't you say?