Mariah on board for massive Live Aid sequel
This time, instead of money, Bob Geldof is hoping to raise awareness. The Live Aid organizer announced on Tuesday that he has organized a star-studded sequel to the landmark 1985 concerts that raised hundreds of millions of dollars for famine relief in Africa.
Instead of two shows, though, Geldof has lined up five shows for the July 2 Live 8 event to shine a spotlight on the issue of poverty in the developing world. Among the stars on board are U2, Mariah Carey, Coldplay and the Dave Matthews Band. The concerts will take place in London's Hyde Park, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, the Circus Maximus in Rome and the Museum of Art in Philadelphia.
"We arrived here today because I was very reluctant to do this again, I couldn't see how anything could possibly be better than that glorious day 20 years ago, almost perfect in what it achieved," Geldof said at the press conference. "But Bono and [filmmaker] Richard [Curtis], in particular, kept saying, 'Do it again.' What could we do that was in any way different? It couldn't be about charity anymore."
The concerts are timed to coincide with the meeting of the G8 in Scotland (July 6-8) at which the leaders of the world's richest countries are gathering to discuss alleviating Third World debt. The concerts will be free and are aimed at raising awareness, not money.
The London show is slated to feature Paul McCartney, U2, Mariah Carey, Coldplay, Madonna, Elton John, Sting, Snoop Dogg, Annie Lennox, Dido, Keane, Muse, Scissor Sisters, Joss Stone, Stereophonics, Robbie Williams and R.E.M., while Philly will host Will Smith, Bon Jovi, Matthews, Stevie Wonder and P. Diddy. Berlin has Crosby, Stills & Nash, Lauryn Hill, A-ha and the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. So far, Jamiroquai, Placebo, Craig David, Youssou N'Dour and tennis-player-turned-singer Yannick Noah are on board in Paris, and Duran Duran and Faith Hill are slated to play Rome.
Organizers also said plans are being sketched out to hold more concerts in other G8 countries, but they did not announce those events on Tuesday. The remaining G8 members are Japan, Canada and Russia.
Speaking to CNN Tuesday morning (May 31), Matthews said, "I think awareness is the biggest thing, which is sometimes what's needed to move the leaders of the world." Growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa, Matthews said he saw firsthand how an event like Live Aid can help change people's minds. "The people of the world rose up and changed that," he said of the first concert. "This is another opportunity to say Africa shouldn't be indebted to us ... This is another chance we have to bring together the power of the people to move our leaders."
The original Live Aid took place at Wembley Stadium in London and in Philadelphia's JFK Stadium on July 13, 1985 and raised $245 million for famine relief in Africa. It was watched by more than 1.5 billion people worldwide and featured sets from Elvis Costello, B.B. King, Black Sabbath, Run-DMC, Sting, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Judas Priest, U2, Queen, David Bowie, the Who, Santana, Elton John, Madonna, McCartney, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and a reunited Led Zeppelin with Phil Collins on drums. (MTV News)
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