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Live 8


Uncle Joe

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Posted on Wed, Jun. 01, 2005

On the world's stage

Live 8 puts Philadelphia in global spotlight for another huge show to aid Africa.

By Dan DeLuca

Inquirer Staff Writer

Live 8, a mega-concert urging the world's leading industrial nations to fight to end "extreme poverty" in Africa, is coming to Philadelphia - and London, Paris, Rome and Berlin.

Twenty years after the Africa famine-relief fund-raiser Live Aid in London and at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, its successor is expected to draw a million people to the Philadelphia Museum of Art on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on July 2.

The Dave Matthews Band, Stevie Wonder, Bon Jovi, 50 Cent, Jay-Z and P. Diddy are among those scheduled to perform at the concert. Live 8's name derives from the G8 summit, a meeting of the leaders of the eight richest nations next month in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Philadelphia show is a non-ticketed free daytime concert, with bands performing by the Art Museum steps. "We didn't want to limit it" to a confined space such as Lincoln Financial Field, said concert promoter Larry Magid. "We didn't want to have a lottery and say only 50,000 people can come. That doesn't feel right."

Bob Geldof, the Live Aid organizer and former Boomtown Rats singer who's also the force behind Live 8, said the goal is to influence President Bush and other leaders to provide debt relief and aid to poor African nations.

"We don't want people's money, we want them," Geldof said in a news conference simulcast from London to City Hall in Philadelphia, attended by Matthews, Mayor Street and former Philadelphia 76ers center Dikembe Mutombo. Matthews is from South Africa; Mutombo - noting that U2's global crusader Bono "is a good friend of mine" - is from Zaire.

Other cities were considered for the U.S. portion of Live 8, but Philadelphia had the inside track, said event producer Tim Sexton.

"There's the legacy of Live Aid. You can't think about poverty without looking at the streets of Philadelphia, where that's an issue. And there's [Electric Factory Concerts chief] Larry Magid, who's the preeminent concert promoter in America."

"There was talk about other cities, but we really didn't have a hard time selling Philadelphia," which signed on about two weeks ago, Magid said.

At the news conference, Geldof showed a video of impoverished Africans, made in 1985. Twenty years later, he said, a child dies in Africa from hunger, AIDS or inadequate health care every three seconds.

"This will not stand," he said, calling the concerts "a unique opportunity for Britain to do something unparalleled... to tilt the world a little bit on its axis in favor of the poor."

Live Aid raised $200 million, according to Geldof, "and that's the amount that Africa pays in interest on its debt service every five days." The Live 8 concerts - whose sponsors include America Online - are free because "they're not for charity, but political justice."

"We believe hosting Live 8 will have a positive economic impact on our city," said Mayor Street, who did not elaborate on the costs and benefits to Philadelphia. "But it's most important to be part of this great event on the world's stage."

Street said that with Elton John playing an AIDS benefit concert in Philadelphia on July 4, two days after he performs at Live 8 in London, the Parkway could host more than two million visitors over the holiday weekend.

Crowds estimated to be close to or more than a million people have converged on the Parkway before, including a 1984 fireworks display and a Unity Day celebration in August 2003. Live 8 is expected to be that big - and draw visitors from across the United States and the world.

Street acknowledged that the free concert would create security challenges, but said that the city is "very efficient in our capacity to host large events." He cited previous Welcome America celebrations where "we've never had an incident."

Matthews said he decided to play in Live 8 because "we can go from Africa's lack of a future to investing in its future... . So please, we say to the G8: Be courageous... . Forgive a debt that is already unforgivable."

It would have been unlike Bono to remain silent on the subject of saving the world. The U2 singer chimed in on the phone from the south of France, saying, "We want to show that there is popular support, and that this generation has a heart - and also a mind - to put things right. This is our shot to do something we'll be remembered for after we're gone."

The original Live Aid came about when Geldof, after seeing a BBC documentary about famine in Ethiopia, wrote the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" with fellow Brit-rocker Midge Ure, of Ultravox.

That multi-artist recording - featuring Sting, Bananarama and U2, among others - inspired "We Are the World," with Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and a host of American pop stars.

Live Aid followed on July 13, 1985, a massive event remembered for Phil Collins' taking the Concorde to play at London's Wembley Stadium and in Philadelphia; Mick Jagger and Tina Turner's dirty dancing on "It's Only Rock 'N Roll"; an abysmal performance by Bob Dylan; and an over-the-top "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Patti LaBelle.

With a global television audience estimated at 1.5 billion, it remains the biggest single event in a fund-raising concert tradition that stretches from George Harrison's 1972 Concert for Bangladesh to the Vote for Change tour supporting Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004.

So far, the Live 8 lineup of the concert to be held at London's Hyde Park - the bicontinental concerts' principal locale - is the most impressive. The U.K. acts include U2, Coldplay, Madonna, Paul McCartney, the Killers, Velvet Revolver, the Cure, Mariah Carey, Elton John, Scissor Sisters and Keane.

The Philadelphia bill includes Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20, Sarah McLachlan, the Kaiser Chiefs, Keith Urban and Maroon 5. Magid, who is booking the show and worked on the original Live Aid with promoter Bill Graham, said that more acts would be announced in the coming days. As many as 18 will play, including host Will Smith and other homegrown talent.

The London show has been in the planning stages for more than a month.

Magid said that he didn't want to finalize the roster yet, because "once the announcement gets out, people will be calling us and want to play. And then we can be more selective."

Referring to putting on such an extravaganza as a "logistical nightmare... . Dave Matthews is playing Saratoga that night," Magid said his initial reaction was to think of excuses to avoid booking the show. "But at the end of the day, how can you not do it? And because it's in Philadelphia, it makes it so much more exciting."

Berlin headliners are Lauryn Hill, Brian Wilson and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Youssou N'Dour, Johnny Hallyday and Andrea Bocelli will perform in Paris. And Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Duran Duran will play in Rome, at the ancient chariot racing arena Circus Maximus.

The concert will be televised on a yet-to-be-determined cable channel and on broadcast TV, according to Sexton. And it will be streamed on the Internet on www.aolmusic.com.

LIVE 8

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More Acts Added to Live 8

More a-list music stars including Elton John, Mariah Carey and Tim McGraw have been added to the star-studded Live 8 charity concert line-ups.

The five historic events are taking place on the same day, July 2, all over the world, and aim to raise awareness of world poverty in developing countries by coinciding with the G8 Summit in Scotland four days later.

In London's Hyde Park, Mariah Carey, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Scissor Sisters, Sting, Joss Stone, Robbie Williams, Velvet Revolver, and The Cure have joined the line-up, while 50 Cent, Maroon 5, Sarah McLachlan, Rob Thomas and Kaiser Chiefs are adding to the collaboration at Philadelphia's Museum of Art.

At Paris' Eiffel Tower, Craig David, Jamiroquai and Johnny Halliday have all added their names; A-Ha and Crosby, Stills & Nash have joined the Berlin Brandenburg Gate line-up; and Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Zucchero have also confirmed their appearance at Italy's gig at Rome's Circus Maximus.

Organizer Bob Geldof is also hoping to organize three further concerts in Japan, Canada and Russia - the three remaining countries in the G8.

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i saw sir bob talking about this on cnn last night. he was speaking very passionately about it, as he is wont to do, but when he was finished and it cut back to the anchorwoman she had the most cynical expression on her face. she was like 'hmmm yeah, that was bob geldof there....' it angers me to see people treating such an important cause with such cynicism. then again, i've only started watching cnn in the last week (since bbc world is off at the moment due to the strikes) and i've been shocked by the blatant propaganda and manipulation i've seen so far - no wonder so many americans are scared out of their wits if this is what they sit down to watch every day!

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Bon Jovi to Perform at Live 8

The American leg of Bob Geldof?s Live 8 charity concert to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief is to be held July 2 in Philadelphia at the Museum of Art.

Bon Jovi, Will Smith, Dave Matthews Band, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, P. Diddy, Il Divo, Maroon 5, Rob Thomas, Keith Urban, 50 Cent and Kaiser Chiefs will perform in Philly.

As previously reported, a second concert will be held simultaneously at London?s Hyde Park with U2, Paul McCartney and Robbie Williams in the lineup.

The name "Live 8" is a nod to the G-8 summit, a meeting of the world's leading powers, set to start days later in Scotland.

Geldof organized the star-studded, Live Aid concerts 20 years ago in London and Philadelphia, and has since pressed for the world's wealthiest countries to do more to fight famine and

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This reminds me of a story from 8th grade. there was a lovely young lady named Bobbi Wexler who wrote a Thanksgiving play to be performed in school for the students then the parents. For whatever reason she wanted me to be the lead character and she wrote the part with me in mind.

Now I am a well-know ham and class clown, so I was more than happy to get up in front of large crowds to do the play.

The dramatic end of the play had me saying "wait a minute...after all it is Thanksgiving." (As I stood giving a toast at a Thanksgiving dinner table.

things went well during the daytime performance for the kids. At night however, when my big chance to shine came up, I said "wait a minute.................................................................................................................................. I couldn't remember the next line. I asked the audience to wait a minute, then literally made them wait the minute. Somebody sitting at the table whispered the line to me and I muttered" afterallitisthanksgiving". Bobbi Wexler wouldn't talk to me and I was looked at as some sort of F'up...which by the way, didn't bother me. What bothered me is a blew my shot at Bobbi Wexler after the cast party. sigh...

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lol!!! that's hilarious! it's always the most obvious lines that you lose! i've lost count of the number up times i've messed up onstage - especially in pantomimes!

one year i had to be tinky winky, the purple teletubby, for a cameo appearance. one night the head of my costume fell off - there are hundreds of children in therapy right now because of me!

another time we were arabian chicks offering treasure to aladdin. i was first in the line, and one night i got distracted and ran onstage too early. so i had to stand there holding the treasure out to aladdin for five minutes of script until he actually asked for it! everyone onstage was in hysterics as i stood there redfaced! thankfully pantomime actors are experts at adlib so they made something up about 'oh look what you could have with one of your wishes' blah blah to cover it up!

those are the best bits about being onstage though!! :laughing:

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Queen to Perform at Live 8 Via Satellite

Legendary British rockers Queen will perform at London's Live 8 concert thanks to a live satellite link-up.

The legends - who starred in the original Live Aid extravaganza 20 years ago - are busy performing in Portugal on July 2 when the Hyde Park charity event takes place.

But Queen is so keen to play at the historic event; they are arranging a spectacular satellite connection to join British fans at the star-studded line up.

Live 8 spokesman Phil Symes says, "The band is playing an outdoor concert on the same day. They are discussing being featured at Live 8 on a big screen."

Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon and Paul Rodgers - the ex-Free and Bad Company singer who replaced the band's late frontman Freddie Mercury - will 'virtually' perform alongside other A-list celebrities including Paul McCartney, Mariah Carey and Elton John.

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  • 4 weeks later...

so here's the line-up and what they are playing

Details of the set list became known through rehearsals but may change before the gig.

1. Paul McCartney/U2: Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

2. U2: One

3. Coldplay: In My Place, Fix You, Bitter Sweet Symphony (duet with Richard Ashcroft)

4. Elton John: Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting, The Bitch Is Back, Children Of The Revolution (duet with Pete Doherty)

5. Dido: Life For Rent, White Flag, Thank You

6. Stereophonics: [TBC]

7. REM: The One I Love, Losing My Religion, Imitation Of Life, Everybody Hurts

8. Ms Dynamite: Dy-namitee, Judgement Day, Redemption Song

9. Keane: Everybody's Changing, Somewhere Only We Know

10. Travis: Sing, Turn, Why Does It Always Rain On Me?

11. Annie Lennox: Walking On Broken Glass, Sweet Dreams

12. UB40: Food For Thought, Red Red Wine

13. Snoop Dogg: [TBC]

14. Razorlight: Somewhere Else, Golden Touch, Vice

15. Madonna: Like A Prayer, Music, Ray Of Light

16. Snow Patrol: Chocolate, Run

17. Joss Stone: I Had A Dream, Super Duper Love

18. Scissor Sisters: Laura, Take Your Mama

19. Velvet Revolver: [TBC]

20. The Killers: [TBC]

21. Sting: Every Breath You Take - to include the lyric "We'll Be Watching You", Message In A Bottle

22. Mariah Carey: Vision Of Love, Make It Happen

23. Robbie Williams: Let Me Entertain You, Rock DJ, Feel, We Will Rock You

24. The Who: Won't Get Fooled Again, Baba O'Riley

25. Pink Floyd: Money, Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here

26. Paul McCartney: The Long and Winding Road

27. Grand finale: All the stars will join Sir Paul on stage

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For those of you who didn't see the Pink Floyd performance - get hold of it somehow, it truly was fantastic!

Speechless - 'Comfortably Numb' has given me the shivers, beautiful, absolutely transfixed on the TV when they performed, completely lost myself in it!!

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