From New York to the Antarctic, from Shanghai to Rio de Janeiro, the world is getting ready to rock Saturday as organizers of the Live Earth events seek to raise awareness of global warming. Some 7,000 events in 129 countries including eight giant concerts are being promoted by former US vice president Al Gore as part of his passionate bid to focus attention on the dangers of climate change. The 24-hour event on July 7 includes music, theater and other shows and will be broadcast live worldwide to get the message across to two billion people about the need for drastic measures to protect the environment, say promoters. A wave of music is set to ripple round the globe starting in Sydney then fanning out to Tokyo, Shanghai, Johannesburg, Hamburg, London, New York, and Rio. Some 150 stars including Police, Genesis, Madonna, Bon Jovi, Ai Otsuka, Eason Chan, Mana, Joey Yung, Shakira, Linkin Park, Rip Slyme and Red Hot Chili Peppers will be taking part. Smaller concerts will take place in other cities, most notably Kyoto, where countries came together to establish the Kyoto Protocol aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate warming. Another show will be held at a British base in the Antarctic, where some of the effects of global warming are the most visible. "This monster line-up will ensure Live Earth meets our goal of bringing together people from around the world to combat the climate crisis," says Live Earth founder Kevin Wall. "Live Earth will be a monumental event both in terms of entertainment and in turning the tide against global warming." Gore, whose film "An Inconvenient Truth" about climate change won this year's Oscar for best documentary, says one of the key aims is to urge a massive reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2050. "If we are going to solve the crisis, we have to commit, and we have to do it now," he said. "Live Earth will ask people across the world to commit to changes in their lives and to move other people, communities, companies and governments to reduce our carbon output by 90 percent by 2050 and ensure there is a new, global treaty on climate change by 2009." The number of participating countries, has however, fallen short of what organizers had hoped for. No Muslim country is taking part; and Turkey has vetoed a concert in Istanbul for security reasons and a lack of interest. Plans for a concert on the mall in front of the US Congress in Washington were also turned down by Republican lawmakers. Wall compared it to organizing 10 soccer World Cups at the same time. The concerts will be carried on television stations and on the Internet, at liveearth.msn.com. Spectators will be invited to sign a statement on Live Earth's Internet site or by text message. The event's organizers are also calling on people to support energy conservation and alternative energy sources, to plant millions of trees and protect the world's forests, and to support groups dedicated to protecting the environment. Gore said he will attend the concert in New York and will also appear at another surprise venue. Each venue will feature top global performers: in London Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Black Eyed Peas will headline; in New York, Police and Smashing Pumpkins. Tokyo will get Rihanna, Linkin Park and a bevy of Japanese stars like Ai Otsuka, while in Kyoto Ryuichi Sakamoto and Rip Slyme will top the bill. In Rio Lenny Kravitz, Pharrell Williams and Macy Gray will share the stage with Brazilian stars, while in South Africa UB40, Angelique Kidjo and Joss Stone will take the stage. Shakira and Enrique Iglesias perform in Hamburg. Gore said he had asked the artists to compose songs for the occasion, and praised Black Eyed Peas for promising one and coming up with it in seven days. He also cheered Madonna's offering: "Madonna's song is fantastic," he said. Ticket sales for the events will benefit The Alliance for Climate Protection led by Gore.
I'm really excited because I like a few of those bands, for example Fall Out Boy. I can't wait to watch it.
Maybe not. Maybe so. See update... below. Judge cancels Rio Live Earth concert 07/05/2007 1:25 AM, AP A Brazilian judge has canceled Saturday's Live Earth concert in Rio because police said they do not have enough officers to guarantee crowd safety. Organizers of the free show on Rio's Copacabana Beach said Wednesday they were trying to overturn the order to prevent Latin America from being left out of the worldwide music fest aimed at stopping global warming. Brazilian prosecutor Denise Tarin requested a suspension of the concert, saying there were not enough officers to police a crowd that could top 700,000. Rio police already are busy making sure Rio stays safe during the July 13-29 Pan American games. Concert organizers confirmed the show was suspended but said they would contest the order and expected to overturn it. Rio's concert, the only free one for Live Earth, would include performances by Lenny Kravitz, Macy Gray and Pharrell Williams. -=-=-=-=- U P D A T E... U P D A T E... Rio Live Earth Concert Gets Judge's OK Jul 5, 4:20 PM (ET) By PETER MUELLO RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) - A Brazilian judge ruled Thursday that South America's Live Earth concert could go ahead as planned after organizers convinced her there would be adequate security at the Copacabana Beach event. The office of the prosecutor who had sought to cancel the concert confirmed Judge Maria Galhardo had reversed her earlier decision to nix the show. "We still don't know if she will appeal the judge's latest decision," said Daniel Brunet, a spokesman for prosecutor Denise Tarin. Under Brazil's multilayered court system, judges' decisions can be repeatedly reversed, often within hours. Chances for the gig - featuring Lenny Kravitz, Macy Gray and Pharrell Williams - got a boost from police who said they could guarantee security for the show expected to draw 700,000 people. -=-=-=-=- Unknown Antarctica band joins Live Earth megastars 07/05/2007 7:57 AM, Reuters Mike Collett-White Nunatak, an unknown rock band from Antarctica, is about to become famous. However brief its moment in the limelight, the group comprising two engineers, a marine biologist, a meteorologist and a polar guide will be watched by millions around the world when it appears as part of the Live Earth concerts on Saturday. Full story at Yahoo news.
I've watched bits and pieces since early morn' and saw Duran-Duran again.. and love their version of the old "Sly and The Family Stone's" "I Want To Take You Higher" saw "The Red Hot Chili Peppers" and didn't know, or like some other groups, where were the "STONES" and Eric, and other old time rockers?
Guideline seemed to be that to participate, the artists involved had to be on tour in the area of the show at the time so no extra fuel was expended. I know Foo Fighters have been doing shows in the UK so they were a lock. Not sure how many of the veteran bands are touring anywhere at the moment, and judging from the blank expressions even early-MTV-era superstar bands like Duran Duran and Genesis were getting, I'm not sure how much they'd have added to the proceedings anyway. Sad. But then, getting me started on the subject of music could be dangerous, LOL... ::bangs head repeatedly against wall and reaches for the Geritol...:: Off that point, I was surprised that some of the bands I expected to get huge reactions didn't so much. Of course I was thrilled that Foo Fighters finally got the kind of killer rock and roll response needed for an event like this. I love those boys...when they started playing it was like..."Ladies and gentlemen, ROCK AND &@%#ING ROLL!!!!!" Aside from them, loved Linkin Park, loved Rize (I want to hear more outa those guys...), Metallica were superb as always, Kenna impressed the hell out of me (wanna bet they'll be the most downloaded new artist on iTunes next week?), that bunch from Antarctica were fun as heck...little disappointed in RHCP, as their Woodstock '94 performance was one of the watermark performances, you know they can handle a large, super-event crowd...wasn't feeling it this time. Roger Waters was givin' me flashbacks. :lol: I'll have to review the last hour off Sundance tomorrow (I lost that first overnight segment off Sundance due to our lame DVR...AUGH!!!)...It was a terrific event and I hope it accomplishes the intended goal...I was a high school freshman on the first "Earth Day" back in 1970 and have been down with the cause ever since...
That was a cool event, I wasn't in Hamburg, though, but I liked the London line-up better anyway so I had the TV on the whole evenig - not really energy saving is it? And that leads me to my main point: the concerts were great, but will they really help at all? I'm not so sure. Soon most people will have forgotten about the intention of Live Earth, and anyway, the artists want to be good examples but go to concerts in private jets and spend loads of money on cars and stuff. I don't think that this is a good example.
Yes!My sentiments exactly!! The concerts themselves defeat the whole purpose of why the concerts are even being held in the first place! Mind you,the whole purpose behind these concerts is very noble indeed.. It's just that the avenue that was chosen to put forth the initiative is very flawed.. Heck,the Live 8 concerts had much more sense in it! This one is extremely hypocritical...
WOW I JUST FINISHED WATCHING THIS. I taped the highlights last night, so I was impressed by Keith Urban with Alicia Keys doing a "STONES" song "Gimme Shelter' not bad and John Mayer, he's unique..Phil Collins old timer and Duran-Duran still HOTT and cute, Simon still look's pretty much the same! Joss Stone so sultry and how blusey! Pink Floyd, lordie haven't heard "Another Brick In The Wall" for ages more old timers ..Lenny Kravitz. always good, what a great guitar player, Bon Jovi.. such professionals and still GOOD!! and then of course MADONNA.. gawd, she's hitting 50. and look's amazing.. so thin. and loved the "Hey You" with all the kids I love concerts, so it was good and enjoyable.. and go AL GORE
I reiterate... In other words, if you weren't already scheduled to be within screaming distance of the venue on July 7th, you didn't get on the bill. And artists like Bon Jovi, Rize and 12 Girls Band were practically playing in their back yards as it was. Someday I'll repeat my rant about how A) the 5% of the musicians who make 95% of the money are 95% session/soundtrack players and B) the remaining fraction get so much publicity for their bling-bling that people get the impression that Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, etc. all roll like that too (they don't) - and might even throw in the TLC "Behind The Music" with their brilliant and educational dissertation about how a multi-million selling artist ends up in debt very quickly. Hey - do we all have to wear burlap and eat twigs and berries to be pro-environment? Richard Branson, I venture, has enjoyed the luxury of his own personal jet on occasion :lol: and yet check this out. I don't own a car,I use compact flourescent lights, microfiber cleaning cloths, Method housekeeping supplies and eco-friendly/cruelty-free personal care items...but I couldn't do THAT much to help out the cause. Rich folks aren't all evil. Besides, now that they've developed a new "green" airliner... Seriously - most of those artists tour (other than overseas travel) via bus, not plane, anyway. Willie Nelson's been touring with a biodiesel bus for years. But then...he couldn't play, because he wasn't already scheduled to be near one of the venues on the 7th...so if anyone was wondering why we didn't see him (or U2, System of a Down, Green Day, Rage Against The Machine, etc. etc.) just look up their current tour itineraries...
I thought it was a bit err...rubbish Although I think London had the best line up, best of a bad bunch though. They had some great acts, but they had alot of fillers aswell. Entertainment wise.... no where near as good as Live8 was. The relative cause....will have as much as effect as Live8 did.....zilch Jimmy Carr, right at the head of the BBC coverage at 12.30pm was my highlight 'Lets all remember we're here for Diana' :lol Nice to see Chris Rock and Madonna 'Mother Effing' before the watershed
Chris Cornell was amazing, watched the German gig online just for him and I must say I wasn't disappointed, he ROCKED!! :devil: