Post by Salem6 on May 31, 2005 13:44:57 GMT
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, Coldplay, REM, Dido, Sir Paul McCartney and Keane are among the artists confirmed for the London event.
A text message lottery is being held on 6 June to determine who will gain tickets to the UK concert.
It will also be shown on big screens in seven cities across the UK, and shown live on BBC TV and radio.
'Amazed'
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.
Geldof originally denied planning a follow-up to Live Aid
The G8 summit takes place from 6 to 8 July at Gleneagles in Scotland.
Geldof said last week: "Once more into the breach. What started 20 years ago is coming to a political point in a few weeks.
"There is more than a chance that the boys and girls with guitars finally get to tilt the world on its axis."
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.
Spice rumours
The original Live Aid concerts, on 13 July 1985 in Wembley Stadium and JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, raised £40m for famine relief in Africa.
A Spice Girls reunion had been rumoured, but promoter Harvey Goldsmith, who put together the original Live Aid bill and is working on the new concert, told the BBC the group had neither been approached nor axed.
Mr Goldsmith said he "certainly would" consider them if they wanted to play.
A spokesman for Victoria Beckham said the Spice Girls - whose last hit was in November 2000 - were still in talks with organisers and might confirm their involvement at a later date.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4594865.stm