Sir Bob Geldof, Bono Give Accolades To G8 Leaders For Global Aid. What Did Live 8 Accomplish In The Broad Political, Economic Scope? An Analysis.
By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright July 11, 2005
Sir Bob Geldof and Bono openly praised the leaders of the G8 nations and consider the G8 Summit’s resolve to ‘’Make Poverty History’’ a great success. The summit, which concluded Friday 7/8/2005, accorded two milestone decisions.
1) To double aid to Africa to $50 Billion by the year 2010.
2) To grant $40 Billion of debt relief (canceling/forgiving debts) for 18 countries worldwide.
Speaking together at a press conference held Friday 7/8/2005, at the conclusion of the G8 Summit, both Geldof and Bono agreed that the G8’s decisions will ultimately save millions of lives from starvation and insufficient healthcare. Bono said ‘’We’ve pulled this off. The world spoke and the politicians listened. A mountain has been climbed here. But it’s worth just stopping for a second and looking back down the valley at where we’ve all come. Doubling aid for Africa has not been easy, and it’s been a very hard sell for us salesmen. And I’m proud to report that these figures are very meaningful.’’
Sir Bob Geldof exuberantly lauded the Summit. ‘’The summit in Gleneagles (Scotland) is a qualified triumph. A great justice has been done.’’
Obviously, both Irish rockers, social and political activists realize that this is not the end of world poverty, and a bounty of issues all still play a major role in eradicating indigence. But, indeed it is a monumental, significant step, towards a future where potentially, poverty will in fact be but a part of past history. As Bono stated, ‘’ It’s not the end; it’s the beginning of the end.’’ Bono also advised the G8 nations’ leaders that they will be held accountable for making good on their decisions.
The July 2, 2005 Live 8 International, 10 city concert event spectacular in particular, along with the global public’s 26.4 million ‘’Unite’’ text messaging petition campaign conducted during Live 8, the ‘’One’’ and ‘’Make Poverty History’’ campaigns with their global public petitions and televised public service announcements starring the likes of celebrity elite and artists Brad Pitt to Bono, the public protests in Edinburgh during the G8 Summit, the international media attention, and the heightened global public awareness and outpouring of support, all have been deemed pivotal, successful factors that did indeed, in fact put pressure on the G8 leaders to make the issue of global poverty, especially that in Africa, a top priority issue to be focused on, addressed, and resolved as much as possible.
Live 8, and the subsequent campaigns, media attention, etc, accomplished precisely what Geldof and Bono had hoped for. Taking an issue that was on the backburner, and making it a topic of everyday dialogue from water coolers to newsrooms to political conference rooms. 3 months ago, most people in the 8 western nations had no idea of the existence, much less the scope of Africa’s and the world’s developing countries’ plight.
While cynics can and will continue to drone on endlessly about how Live 8 and charity/benefit concerts don’t tackle the political and economic semantics that are at the center of hard core facts, of corrupt, murderous, dictatorship, puppet regimes, who oppress and murder their own people in Africa and 3rd world countries, last week’s terrorist bombings in London showcase a much broader perspective of what is at stake.
Since the beginning of mankind, democratic nations have waged battles, and yes wars, to overthrow such regimes. The current situation in Iraq is the classic example. And what do the USA and UK get for trying to emancipate the people of Iraq in a free, democratic environment, and for trying to assist the people in successfully developing and progressing their nation? Resentment, violence and terror inflicted on us for involving ourselves in the political affairs of other nations who think us arrogant, pompous, and imperialistic for what we see as trying to improve their quality (and value) of life.
We cannot wage war on an entire continent (Africa) and hordes of 3rd world nations in our attempts to fight tyranny and engage freedom and development in these nations. It simply can’t be done. The USA, UK, France and other western leading nations have tried and we have had our share of Vietnams, Afghanistans, Nicaraguas, Iraqs, Ugandas, Congos, etc. As has been the case with all of the aforementioned countries, the very oppressed people of these war torn, poverty plagued nations resented us and didn’t even want us there, thinking us pompous infidels for having the audacity of involving ourselves in their nation’s political affairs and climate, or the people were happy to have us there to instill freedom within their culture, but as soon as we rid a nation of one corrupt regime or dictator that we displace, another one swoops right in again to takes its place.
Bob Geldof and Bono (nor the G8 Summit) can’t play the ongoing parents or be the police of billions of people. Geldof and crew tackled what IS possible, feasible, with resounding success.
We can only do so much for the people of these beleaguered nations. Offering to purge these nations of corrupt rulers and offering advice to them as to how to run their nations, leads to antagonizing the peoples of these nations.
History shows that there are all too numerous nations who go through an endless ebb and flow of political unrest. We can’t be the guardians of the world. But…we can help undermine these regimes with….empathy and humanity….which often works where politics fail.
That is what Geldof, Bono, Live 8, Live Aid, the Long Walk For Justice…are all about. Slipping in under the radar of these twisted 3rd world governments and providing food, healthcare, education, safe harbor to those people within our grasp and capability to help, to save.
I truly don’t feel that Sir Bob Geldof and Bono think that whatever good may potentially come out of this landmark decision from the G8 Summit and any leverage that Live 8 had in influencing the G8 leaders’ decision, will permanently save the world and end all human suffering and social injustice forever. In fact Geldof himself, has said so. But Geldof has said, that to not TRY to do whatever he, or you, or I, or any of the western leaders of the world can do to help…is unacceptable.
Critics, with your selfish, pompous chides and taunts, and by the way, I don’t see any of you working your tails off for endless years, putting yourselves on the line as Geldof and Bono do; get a reality check. Geldof is not an idealist, but he’s not a cynic either. As Sir Bob so urgently and stalwartly exclaimed at Live 8 to the worldwide audience watching and tuning in, when he brought Birhan Woldu, (the child near death of starvation seen in the original BBC documentary footage shown at Live Aid, and shown again at Live 8), out on stage, now a lovely, radiant woman of 24, now achieving..anything her dreams and imagination might be, as she is now an accomplished student at agriculture school, ‘’Don’t let them tell us why we should even try. Don’t let them tell us why we should accept defeat. Because of a concert we put on (Live Aid) this beautiful woman is alive today. Don’t let them tell us this doesn’t work! This stuff works. YOU work!’’
I am certain Birhan Woldu,…and the countless millions more lives…of people who will now literally LIVE as a direct benefit from Live 8…and from the G8..would most profoundly agree. Her life, one life, any lives, are worth 10 global concerts and an audience of 3 billion. And many concerts more. However many it takes, it’s worthwhile. Critics also bellow about star trips, celebrity, increased music artist record sales, pomposity that maybe was somewhere in the equation of Live 8. Bob Geldof and every single person involved with Live 8, from music or movie superstars, to organizers, to unpaid volunteers, whatever their selfless..or otherwise agendas, motives, who the hell cares?
The end result…no matter how you criticize it, dissect it, it doesn’t matter. What it all comes down to is it works in saving lives. And 2 parties benefit here. Those involved with and who were watching Live 8, whose hearts are now aware, touched, filled with compassion and have…taken successful ACTION to help those in need, and significantly…the lives that have and WILL be saved. A mutual connection and bond in answering the call to action, the call to arms, of grace, of hope, of humanity, in the brotherhood of mankind.
Whatever God you may pray to, whatever political doctrine you may adhere to, on Saturday July 2, 2005, we all spoke with one collective voice of hearts, of humanity in the family of man. I never thought I would be so wrong when I said that on July 13, 1985, with Live Aid....music, and rock music at that, had its finest hour.
But, this is a delightful way to be wrong, because on July 2, 2005, I witnessed once again, music, and rock music at that, had oh how wonderful..yet another finest hour, and proved that man’s good will and ability to rise to the occasion, gather and call to arms and action a most powerful voice of good and positive action, can happen again and again. It can, it did, and it will. It’s spark, it’s light is within all of us.
I never felt so proud to be part of one global heart of the common thread that connects us all. But as someone once said so beautifully about Live Aid, and what has now also proven true with Live 8, ‘’We all wanted to help. We saw the harrowing pictures on TV. What could we possibly do? Geldof gave us this immense way to help. Geldof made it all so easy.’’ Yes, and Sir Bob Geldof and the Live 8 and Live Aid organizers also had and did all of the exhaustive, laborious work for Live Aid..and now with Live 8.
I can say that during Live 8, and the subsequent week of triumphant, sentimental hurrahs in its wake, I haven’t shed this many happy tears since….well Live Aid. Every jubilant tear marked and was well worth the joy, pride, exhilaration, and sincere privilege that I felt in Sir Bob inviting me and some 3 billion people around the world to embrace our fellow brethren of this grand planet with hope, with faith, with dignity, with compassion, and with justice.
By the way, Bob Geldof has been nominated for the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for Live 8 and pledging his tireless, endless work on behalf of and to help resolve poverty in Africa and around the world, (which he also was nominated for in 1986 for his work with Live Aid). Personally, I want and hope that he receives it. He most certainly has earned and is deserving of it.
But for those git critics, I would like to say that, no Bob Geldof is not a saint. I don’t want him to be. He is more. He is a flawed, abrasive, angry, mercilessly driven, blunt, ….wide eyed with wonder, optimistic, open to any positive change and possibility, faith filled, hope filled, actively involved, selfless, compassionate measure of a true and good man who will never cease…trying…to make a positive difference in bettering the world, in forever traveling and treading the road of the long walk to justice.
In closing, I think singer Dido put it best in her signature song ‘’Thank You’’, which she performed at Live 8. On behalf of myself, people all over the world, and the people whose very gift of life itself will directly benefit from Sir Bob Geldof’s and Bono’s and everyone involved with Live 8’s, gracious deeds, “I want to thank you, for giving me the best day of my life”.
By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright July 11, 2005
Monday, July 11, 2005
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Live 8: The Concert Event Of Light, Hope And Triumph
Live 8: The Concert Event Of Light, Hope and Triumph
By Arlene R Weiss © Copyright 7/5/2005
Saturday July 2, 2005, was no ordinary day. It was an extraordinary day that will be one of the few to go down in history, as a day where some 3 Billion people around the world, including music artists, movie stars, political dignitaries, concert goers, and a global audience tuning in via TV, radio, and the internet, all connected in the family of man, with open hearts and minds all to stand up for the universal cause of finding solutions to 3rd world poverty. July 2, 2005, was Live 8.
What some saw as the sequel to the 1985 historic Live Aid, once again materialized, organized, and spearheaded by Sir Bob Geldof, along with Midge Ure, Harvey Goldsmith, and the Band Aid Trust, promised monumental expectations, and delivered handsomely.
Live 8 opened with a momentous flourish. Performing ‘’Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’’, live for the first time ever, Sir Paul McCartney was joined onstage in London’s Hyde Park by U2 with Bono trading vocals. The opening verse, of the legendary song ‘’It was 20 years ago today’’, paid affectionate homage to the 20th anniversary of Live Aid, held July 13, 1985, and the song itself could not have been more befitting this music event, of love and humanity. As Macca and U2 performed the song, four men dressed in the infamous Sgt. Pepper uniform costumes stood onstage playing the brass horn part of the tune from the Beatles’ concept album about peace, tolerance, and love, while a giant onstage video screen collage mirroring the classic Beatles’ album cover art, showed a collage of political figures and celebrities from Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela, to Madonna and John Lennon. Bono joyfully changed the lyrics singing, ‘’You’re such a lovely audience, we’d love to take you home with us.’’
From there, U2 performed the moving and equally appropriate ‘’One” and a rocking “Vertigo”. Then as Bono and crew charged into the sublime, powerfully jubilant, uplifting ‘’Beautiful Day’’, with Bono again changing the lyrics to include ‘’Hyde Park, London stretched out in front of you’’ as well as including the names of all 10 Live 8 concert cities in the song, the 200,000 strong London crowd rapturously cheered to the release of white doves. Live 8, indeed a most beautiful day, forever in our hearts and history, officially opened its arms to the world.
As 10 simultaneous concerts were then underway in London, Philadelphia, Rome, Berlin, Paris, Barrie, Tokyo, Moscow, Johannesburg, and Cornwall, the universal voice of music never spoke louder and more meaningfully. But no message ever had more rockin’, dancing, and grooving, all part of the inspiring spirit of the day.
Many of the artists performed songs that were hit, crowd pleasers, many artists chose songs whose meaning befit the message of the day. Around the globe saw Bryan Adams’ ‘’All For Love’’ and Neil Young’s ‘’Keep On Rockin’ In The Free World’’ in Barrie, Canada.
In Philadelphia, Alicia Keys, The Black Eyed Peas singing the apt ‘’Where Is The Love?’’, Destiny’s Child covering the Staple Singers’ gospel song of tolerance ‘’I’ll Take You There’’, Linkin Park, Def Leppard, Sarah McLachlan dueting with Josh Groban on the lovely ‘’Angel’’, Bon Jovi, the one and only Stevie Wonder, and the inimitable Will Smith were introduced by Hollywood luminaries, Richard Gere, Jennifer Connelly, Jimmy Smits, Natalie Portman, Don Cheadle. Paris saw The Cure close an all star lineup that included Shakira and Muse. Rome had Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, and Duran Duran adorn their stage. Tokyo had the stylistic diversity of Bjork and Good Charlotte.
Berlin was enthralled by Roxy Music and an anthemic Green Day performing with an exuberant Billie Joe Armstrong.
There were speeches too, from Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates, Brad Pitt, to Will Smith. Smith hammered home the bleak harshest of realities of statistics that every 3 seconds, a child dies of starvation or disease in Africa. He proclaimed on this the USA’s July 4th Independence Day weekend, that this should be a world where people around the globe, now proclaim ‘’our declaration of interdependence’’ to have humanity for one and all, in that ‘’We are all in this together’’. Annie Lennox gave a heart string tugging plea as well before performing her set.
And then there was London. With Bill Gates and Brad Pitt on hand to do the introduction honors, glittering star after star rocked Hyde Park, and the world. During U2’s performance, Bono proclaimed, ‘’This is our moment. This is our time. This is our chance to stand up for what’s right. We’re not looking for charity, we’re looking for justice. We can’t eradicate every problem, but the ones we can, we must.’’
Bono went on to exclaim, ‘’Eight of the most powerful men on earth are meeting on a golf course in Scotland, and we have a message for them. This is your moment to make history by making poverty history.’’ And so like the words of U2’s song, oh yes, it was indeed about ‘’Pride, In The Name Of Love’’.
Coldplay, in a superb duet with Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft, performed a lush ‘’Bittersweet Symphony’’. Elton John also collaborated with former Libertines’ frontman Pete Doherty on ‘’Children Of The Revolution’’. The stars kept coming. R.E.M. with their social conscious set including ‘’Everybody Hurts’’, Dido’s passionate ‘’Seven Seconds’’ and a gorgeous crowd pleasing ‘’Thank You’’, incredibly funky showstopping shake your booty beats from both soul songstress Joss Stone on ‘’Super Duper Love’’ and the bo-ho hippy Scissor Sisters ‘’Take Your Mama’’, Mariah Carey joined by The African Children’s Choir for the uplifting ‘’Hero’’ and ‘’Make It Happen’’, Razorlight went toe to toe with the ever outrageous Velvet Revolver with both tearing what roof there was off of the Hyde Park stage with their volatile sets.
And then there were the icons. Bob Geldof himself gave a powerful, pivotal repeat performance of his 1985 Live Aid take on the Boomtown Rats classic ‘’I Don’t Like Mondays’’ backed by Travis, and just as he also did at Live Aid, midway through the song, he paused abruptly at the ever so stark and fitting lyrics, ‘’And the lesson today is how to die,’’ with his fist raised to the sky in anger, in defiance, in compassion, in encouraging man’s humanity to one another, in fighting the good fight to end injustice, to the cheers of the audience.
The reunion people have waited 2 decades for was worth the wait when a tight and spot on Pink Floyd gathered together on stage with all 4 original members performing to a stone quiet audience exhilarated and mesmerized with The Floyd’s ‘’Money’’ ‘’Breathe’’, ‘’Wish You Were Here’’, and ‘’Comfortably Numb’’. David Gilmour and Roger Waters traded smiles with one another and the audience.
The Who, more than made up for their faltered 1985 Live Aid performance by all but stealing Pink Floyd’s thunder with firestorm versions of ‘’Who Are You’’ and ‘’Won’t Get Fooled Again’’. Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend showed why many still say The Who is the greatest band in rock, choosing 2 classic songs of questions, skepticism, and outrage at authority..perhaps targeting the leaders of the G8 nations, performing them with vicious, tornadic ferocity.
As U2 had lit up the stage before in 1985 at Live Aid, in 2005 at Live 8, it was U2 once more, along with fellow Live Aid returnees Sting and Madonna.
Sting performed a pointed yet emotionally uplifting, optimistic, faith filled version of ‘’Every Breath You Take’’ changing the lyrics to, ‘’this time we’ll see, a democracy.’’ And ‘’we’ll be watching you’’, as footage of the G8 leaders played on the video screen behind him.
Then…Sir Bob Geldof and Lady Madonna brought the house down with heart wrenching and heart soaring matters. Geldof, understandably angered and frustrated with the cynics, especially in the International press, about his and the Live 8 organizer’s mission, showed to the Live 8 world audience, footage of the original BBC documentary he had also shown to the Live Aid world audience of the dying masses from the 1985 African famine. In it, Geldof pointed out, was a three year old girl, just moments away from dying of starvation.
Geldof, adamant in driving home the message of what Live 8 was about and not letting the global audience forget what all the wonderful music of the day was about, to serve a universal purpose of justice, saving lives, impassionately exclaimed ‘’See this little girl? She had ten minutes to live 20 years ago. And because we did a concert (Live Aid) in this city and in Philadelphia, last week she did her agricultural exams in the school she goes to in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands.’’
Then, he proclaimed, with outrage, ‘’Don’t let them tell us why we should even try! Don’t let them tell us why we should accept defeat!’’
And with those words Geldof brought out that same girl from the documentary, Birhan Woldu, saved by the funds from Live Aid that provided her with food and healthcare, now a resplendent 24 year old woman. And Geldof trumpeted and beamed, ‘’She is here tonight. Here is this beautiful woman.’’ And as the crowd cheered with joy and triumph, Geldof exclaimed, ‘’Don’t let them tell us this doesn’t work. This stuff works. YOU work.’’ Calling Birhan a beautiful queen, there was not a dry eye in London, and all around the world, but tears of joy rained down with Geldof’s words and the immensity of what Live Aid, and Live 8 has, can, and will accomplish. The gift of life.
With that, Geldof introduced Birhan, ‘’this beautiful Queen’’ to the ‘’Queen Bee of Rock’’, Madonna, and the infamous songstress exclaimed ‘’Are you ready to start a revolution? Are you ready to change history?’’ as Madonna embraced and kissed Birhan throughout the absolutely glorious, exalted, joyous, resounding resolve of a soaring, gospel choir backed ‘’Like A Prayer’’, perhaps the most befitting song of the day, as all of Hyde Park clapped along to the song in unison, and billions cried in happiness and cheered and rejoiced around the world.
And the finale…Sir Paul McCartney playing piano and singing a stunning, poignant, ‘’The Long And Winding Road’’, in reverence to what Live 8 and the ‘’Make Poverty History’’ campaign is all about and what it will commence with, this July 6-July 8, 2005 during the G8 Summit in Gleneagles Scotland, when Sir Bob and people from every walk of life gather in Edinburgh for The Long Walk To Justice. From there, happy..beginnings…and hope that Live 8 will impact and make a resounding difference in convincing the leaders of the G8 nations to enact concrete resolutions with foreign aid and economic development to Africa and the 3rd world nations….as Sir Paul and the all star artists who had performed at Hyde Park, all day, gathered together onstage to sing ‘’Hey Jude’’ with joy in their hearts and souls, as Sir Bob heralded to the world, ‘’We’ll see you in Edinburgh’’!
By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright July 5, 2005
By Arlene R Weiss © Copyright 7/5/2005
Saturday July 2, 2005, was no ordinary day. It was an extraordinary day that will be one of the few to go down in history, as a day where some 3 Billion people around the world, including music artists, movie stars, political dignitaries, concert goers, and a global audience tuning in via TV, radio, and the internet, all connected in the family of man, with open hearts and minds all to stand up for the universal cause of finding solutions to 3rd world poverty. July 2, 2005, was Live 8.
What some saw as the sequel to the 1985 historic Live Aid, once again materialized, organized, and spearheaded by Sir Bob Geldof, along with Midge Ure, Harvey Goldsmith, and the Band Aid Trust, promised monumental expectations, and delivered handsomely.
Live 8 opened with a momentous flourish. Performing ‘’Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’’, live for the first time ever, Sir Paul McCartney was joined onstage in London’s Hyde Park by U2 with Bono trading vocals. The opening verse, of the legendary song ‘’It was 20 years ago today’’, paid affectionate homage to the 20th anniversary of Live Aid, held July 13, 1985, and the song itself could not have been more befitting this music event, of love and humanity. As Macca and U2 performed the song, four men dressed in the infamous Sgt. Pepper uniform costumes stood onstage playing the brass horn part of the tune from the Beatles’ concept album about peace, tolerance, and love, while a giant onstage video screen collage mirroring the classic Beatles’ album cover art, showed a collage of political figures and celebrities from Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela, to Madonna and John Lennon. Bono joyfully changed the lyrics singing, ‘’You’re such a lovely audience, we’d love to take you home with us.’’
From there, U2 performed the moving and equally appropriate ‘’One” and a rocking “Vertigo”. Then as Bono and crew charged into the sublime, powerfully jubilant, uplifting ‘’Beautiful Day’’, with Bono again changing the lyrics to include ‘’Hyde Park, London stretched out in front of you’’ as well as including the names of all 10 Live 8 concert cities in the song, the 200,000 strong London crowd rapturously cheered to the release of white doves. Live 8, indeed a most beautiful day, forever in our hearts and history, officially opened its arms to the world.
As 10 simultaneous concerts were then underway in London, Philadelphia, Rome, Berlin, Paris, Barrie, Tokyo, Moscow, Johannesburg, and Cornwall, the universal voice of music never spoke louder and more meaningfully. But no message ever had more rockin’, dancing, and grooving, all part of the inspiring spirit of the day.
Many of the artists performed songs that were hit, crowd pleasers, many artists chose songs whose meaning befit the message of the day. Around the globe saw Bryan Adams’ ‘’All For Love’’ and Neil Young’s ‘’Keep On Rockin’ In The Free World’’ in Barrie, Canada.
In Philadelphia, Alicia Keys, The Black Eyed Peas singing the apt ‘’Where Is The Love?’’, Destiny’s Child covering the Staple Singers’ gospel song of tolerance ‘’I’ll Take You There’’, Linkin Park, Def Leppard, Sarah McLachlan dueting with Josh Groban on the lovely ‘’Angel’’, Bon Jovi, the one and only Stevie Wonder, and the inimitable Will Smith were introduced by Hollywood luminaries, Richard Gere, Jennifer Connelly, Jimmy Smits, Natalie Portman, Don Cheadle. Paris saw The Cure close an all star lineup that included Shakira and Muse. Rome had Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, and Duran Duran adorn their stage. Tokyo had the stylistic diversity of Bjork and Good Charlotte.
Berlin was enthralled by Roxy Music and an anthemic Green Day performing with an exuberant Billie Joe Armstrong.
There were speeches too, from Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates, Brad Pitt, to Will Smith. Smith hammered home the bleak harshest of realities of statistics that every 3 seconds, a child dies of starvation or disease in Africa. He proclaimed on this the USA’s July 4th Independence Day weekend, that this should be a world where people around the globe, now proclaim ‘’our declaration of interdependence’’ to have humanity for one and all, in that ‘’We are all in this together’’. Annie Lennox gave a heart string tugging plea as well before performing her set.
And then there was London. With Bill Gates and Brad Pitt on hand to do the introduction honors, glittering star after star rocked Hyde Park, and the world. During U2’s performance, Bono proclaimed, ‘’This is our moment. This is our time. This is our chance to stand up for what’s right. We’re not looking for charity, we’re looking for justice. We can’t eradicate every problem, but the ones we can, we must.’’
Bono went on to exclaim, ‘’Eight of the most powerful men on earth are meeting on a golf course in Scotland, and we have a message for them. This is your moment to make history by making poverty history.’’ And so like the words of U2’s song, oh yes, it was indeed about ‘’Pride, In The Name Of Love’’.
Coldplay, in a superb duet with Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft, performed a lush ‘’Bittersweet Symphony’’. Elton John also collaborated with former Libertines’ frontman Pete Doherty on ‘’Children Of The Revolution’’. The stars kept coming. R.E.M. with their social conscious set including ‘’Everybody Hurts’’, Dido’s passionate ‘’Seven Seconds’’ and a gorgeous crowd pleasing ‘’Thank You’’, incredibly funky showstopping shake your booty beats from both soul songstress Joss Stone on ‘’Super Duper Love’’ and the bo-ho hippy Scissor Sisters ‘’Take Your Mama’’, Mariah Carey joined by The African Children’s Choir for the uplifting ‘’Hero’’ and ‘’Make It Happen’’, Razorlight went toe to toe with the ever outrageous Velvet Revolver with both tearing what roof there was off of the Hyde Park stage with their volatile sets.
And then there were the icons. Bob Geldof himself gave a powerful, pivotal repeat performance of his 1985 Live Aid take on the Boomtown Rats classic ‘’I Don’t Like Mondays’’ backed by Travis, and just as he also did at Live Aid, midway through the song, he paused abruptly at the ever so stark and fitting lyrics, ‘’And the lesson today is how to die,’’ with his fist raised to the sky in anger, in defiance, in compassion, in encouraging man’s humanity to one another, in fighting the good fight to end injustice, to the cheers of the audience.
The reunion people have waited 2 decades for was worth the wait when a tight and spot on Pink Floyd gathered together on stage with all 4 original members performing to a stone quiet audience exhilarated and mesmerized with The Floyd’s ‘’Money’’ ‘’Breathe’’, ‘’Wish You Were Here’’, and ‘’Comfortably Numb’’. David Gilmour and Roger Waters traded smiles with one another and the audience.
The Who, more than made up for their faltered 1985 Live Aid performance by all but stealing Pink Floyd’s thunder with firestorm versions of ‘’Who Are You’’ and ‘’Won’t Get Fooled Again’’. Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend showed why many still say The Who is the greatest band in rock, choosing 2 classic songs of questions, skepticism, and outrage at authority..perhaps targeting the leaders of the G8 nations, performing them with vicious, tornadic ferocity.
As U2 had lit up the stage before in 1985 at Live Aid, in 2005 at Live 8, it was U2 once more, along with fellow Live Aid returnees Sting and Madonna.
Sting performed a pointed yet emotionally uplifting, optimistic, faith filled version of ‘’Every Breath You Take’’ changing the lyrics to, ‘’this time we’ll see, a democracy.’’ And ‘’we’ll be watching you’’, as footage of the G8 leaders played on the video screen behind him.
Then…Sir Bob Geldof and Lady Madonna brought the house down with heart wrenching and heart soaring matters. Geldof, understandably angered and frustrated with the cynics, especially in the International press, about his and the Live 8 organizer’s mission, showed to the Live 8 world audience, footage of the original BBC documentary he had also shown to the Live Aid world audience of the dying masses from the 1985 African famine. In it, Geldof pointed out, was a three year old girl, just moments away from dying of starvation.
Geldof, adamant in driving home the message of what Live 8 was about and not letting the global audience forget what all the wonderful music of the day was about, to serve a universal purpose of justice, saving lives, impassionately exclaimed ‘’See this little girl? She had ten minutes to live 20 years ago. And because we did a concert (Live Aid) in this city and in Philadelphia, last week she did her agricultural exams in the school she goes to in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands.’’
Then, he proclaimed, with outrage, ‘’Don’t let them tell us why we should even try! Don’t let them tell us why we should accept defeat!’’
And with those words Geldof brought out that same girl from the documentary, Birhan Woldu, saved by the funds from Live Aid that provided her with food and healthcare, now a resplendent 24 year old woman. And Geldof trumpeted and beamed, ‘’She is here tonight. Here is this beautiful woman.’’ And as the crowd cheered with joy and triumph, Geldof exclaimed, ‘’Don’t let them tell us this doesn’t work. This stuff works. YOU work.’’ Calling Birhan a beautiful queen, there was not a dry eye in London, and all around the world, but tears of joy rained down with Geldof’s words and the immensity of what Live Aid, and Live 8 has, can, and will accomplish. The gift of life.
With that, Geldof introduced Birhan, ‘’this beautiful Queen’’ to the ‘’Queen Bee of Rock’’, Madonna, and the infamous songstress exclaimed ‘’Are you ready to start a revolution? Are you ready to change history?’’ as Madonna embraced and kissed Birhan throughout the absolutely glorious, exalted, joyous, resounding resolve of a soaring, gospel choir backed ‘’Like A Prayer’’, perhaps the most befitting song of the day, as all of Hyde Park clapped along to the song in unison, and billions cried in happiness and cheered and rejoiced around the world.
And the finale…Sir Paul McCartney playing piano and singing a stunning, poignant, ‘’The Long And Winding Road’’, in reverence to what Live 8 and the ‘’Make Poverty History’’ campaign is all about and what it will commence with, this July 6-July 8, 2005 during the G8 Summit in Gleneagles Scotland, when Sir Bob and people from every walk of life gather in Edinburgh for The Long Walk To Justice. From there, happy..beginnings…and hope that Live 8 will impact and make a resounding difference in convincing the leaders of the G8 nations to enact concrete resolutions with foreign aid and economic development to Africa and the 3rd world nations….as Sir Paul and the all star artists who had performed at Hyde Park, all day, gathered together onstage to sing ‘’Hey Jude’’ with joy in their hearts and souls, as Sir Bob heralded to the world, ‘’We’ll see you in Edinburgh’’!
By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright July 5, 2005
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