Some of you have probably (hopefully) already heard this. So excuse me while I point it out again.

On July 2, 2005, some of the biggest bands in the world will gather in (among other places) Hyde Park, London to play a free concert to a crowd of 150 000. The purpose: to give a voice to the tens of thousands who die of poverty in Africa every day.

"Live 8" is schedlued for both the 20th anniversery of the famous "Live Aid" concert of 1985, which raised millions of dollars for the Etheopian famine, and in preperation for the G8 summit to be held days later in Scotland.

Bob Geldof, the the mastermind of the original "Live Aid" concert and leader singer for the Boomtown Rats, has changed his mind (previously saying another Live Aid would happen over his dead body) because it is it "morally repulsive and intellectually absurd that people die of want in a world of surplus".

The line-up is set to include U2, the Rolling Stones, Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Madonna, Muse, Keane, Sting, Velvet Revolver, REM, the Killers, the Cure, Snow Patrol, and more... and that's just the London Show.

There's talk of a Pink Floyd reunion, and even some chatter about Queen performing (sans Freddie Mercury, of course).

(Full List)

The other shows don't have nearly as impressive (imo) line-ups, but the number of artists who have agreed to play - for free - is staggering. The US show even features 50 Cent. Yes, 50 Cent. Don't ask why.

The British government has agreed to waive Value Added Tax for the event, which would ammount to about 500 000 pounds (roughly USD $1 million).

For anyone old enough to remember Live Aid, or be fortunate enough to have seen the DVDs released last year (which I highly recomend), this should be an absolutely amazing show.

July 2, 2005. Be there.

For more info, just Google "Live 8".

If Pink Floyd does show up, I can't be held responsible for the people I will kill to get a copy of that show.

I was wondering who String were.

It was a test to see how quickly you could make connections.

You lose, but know that your career as a burger flipper will be long and... long.

Sounds like fun... hiyuk.

For this, I'm gonna have to figure out once and for all how to make my VCR work. Truly a momentus event.


Incidentally, has anyone read Geldof's autobio? He wrote it before he got knighted or his marriage fell to pieces, so there's none of that juice in there, but it offers quite an insightful view into the process of putting on a concert of this size. The trials, hardship and all that shit. Interesting, it is.

But what's really thought-provoking is after the concert, how he describes taking a trip to Africa to find out how the money will be spent and getting bogged down in the local politics. It offers kind of a depressing outlook, but still worth a read.

horrid

Well, it's confirmed. Pink Floyd will play together for the first time in 24 years at the London show of Live 8. Even if you're not a fan of the band, that's quite an impressive feat.

Chau, you make sure that VCR is working!

Pink Floyd can blow me. Never liked them.

Neato, though.

Didn't one of the members of Pink Floyd go insane?