Live Earth Makes Going Green Global

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/AP: Live Earth Makes Going Green Global
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: July 7, 2007

LONDON (AP) -- Aboriginal elders, virtual-reality performers, a holographic Al Gore and more than 100 of the biggest names in music -- including Madonna, the Police and Kanye West -- were taking to the stage on seven continents Saturday to fight climate change.

The Material Girl was flaunting her eco-friendly side as the headliner of an eclectic show at London's newly rebuilt Wembley Stadium that included the Beastie Boys, the Pussycat Dolls and the Black Eyed Peas.

The drummers from Queen, the Foo Fighters and the Red Hot Chili Peppers began the London concert, leading a battery of percussion set to flashing images of endangered animals, landfill heaps, wind farms and the Earth seen from space. They performed against a map of the world made from the painted tops of oil barrels.

The crowd -- which was expected to swell to 60,000 -- rose to its feet as the reunited Genesis used its hit ''Land of Confusion'' to send an environmental message with Phil Collins urging fans to make the world ''a place worth living in.''

The London show was one of nine gigs involving some 150 acts around the world aimed at raising awareness about climate change and backed by Gore, whose campaign to force global warming onto the international political stage inspired the event.

With shows in New York, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Kyoto, Shanghai, Hamburg, Johannesburg, Rio de Janeiro -- and even a performance by a five-piece band of scientists beamed from a research station in Antarctica -- organizers promised Live Earth would be the biggest musical event ever staged, dwarfing the Live Aid and Live 8 concerts....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-Music-Live-Earth.html