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Star-studded concerts around world highlight global warming
(Belfast Telegraph Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) The star-studded concerts are being held to highlight the threat of global warming and will include local acts Snow Patrol, Katie Melua and Damien Rice.
Madonna will headline the gig at London's Wembley Stadium.
Other shows are scheduled for New York, Johannesburg, Shanghai, Tokyo, Rio De Janeiro, Sydney and Hamburg (although there is doubt about the Rio gig after a judge ruled it should be axed amid safety fears).
Billed as "the biggest show on earth", the event will be beamed to a worldwide audience of two billion people.
Live Earth is the brainchild of former US vice president and environmental crusader Al Gore.
"By attracting an audience of billions, we hope Live Earth will launch a global campaign giving a critical mass of people around the world the tools they need to help solve the climate crisis," he said.
"But, ultimately, corporations and governments must become global leaders taking decisive action to stop global warming."
The London line-up includes the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kasabian, Black Eyed Peas, Duran Duran and Keane.
Sir Paul McCartney and Justin Timberlake are said to be in talks to appear as surprise guests.
Around the globe, performers include Joss Stone in Johannesburg, The Police in New York and Sarah Brightman in Shanghai.
The London show will be broadcast live on the BBC.
Despite its lofty aims, Live Earth has its detractors - including Bob Geldof, organiser of Live Aid and its follow-up, Live 8.
Geldof said: "I hope they're a success. But why is he (Gore) actually organising them? To make us aware of the greenhouse effect? Everybody's known about that problem for years. We are all f***ing conscious of global warming."
The concerts will be carbon neutral, with all energy to Wembley Stadium and the other venues supplied by renewable sources.
The 'carbon footprint' of each act is likely to come under scrutiny.
A newly re-formed Genesis will perform at Live Earth during the day before catching a plane to Manchester, where they will kick off the UK leg of their reunion tour.
A Live Earth spokesman explained: "They will be flying to Manchester but, as with other artists with many obligations to meet in one day, the alternative was to do nothing at all and not lend their voice to the cause."
Copyright 2007 Independent News & Media Ltd Source: The Financial Times Limited
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