US Live Earth show set for New Jersey
Giants Stadium to host event for climate crisis awareness; the Police, Dave Matthews Band, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Ludacris, and Bon Jovi slated to play.
Thwarted by politicians opposed to his cause, Al Gore and the promoters of Live Earth have backed off plans to hold the US edition of the Live Earth concerts in DC, instead going with Giants Stadium in New Jersey.
The promoters confirmed a preliminary lineup for the US show, for which dozens of artists had been rumored to perform. The Police, Dave Matthews Band, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Ludacris, Jon Bon Jovi, Akon, Alicia Keys, AFI, John Mayer, Kanye West, Kelly Clarkson, KT Tunstall, Melissa Etheridge, Rihanna, and Roger Waters are all slated to play.
The concert is one of seven to be held July 7 on each of the seven continents. The others are slated for Shanghai, Sydney, Johannesburg, London, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, and Antarctica.
Gore had wanted to use the National Mall in Washington for the US edition, but two other groups had already obtained permits for that day. A subsequent effort to stage the show on the nearby US Capitol grounds was opposed by some Republicans in Congress, including Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe, who has referred to global warming as a "hoax."
"We had a number of cities all over the United States saying 'come here, come here,"' Live Earth founder and executive producer Kevin Wall told the Associated Press. "New York and the state of New Jersey really wanted us to be there and went out of their way to accommodate us."
Organizers predict more than 1 million people will attend the shows, with millions more tuning in via the Internet, television, radio, and wireless services.
In addition, organizers announced more additions to the lineup for the Live Earth show at Wembley Stadium in the UK. Madonna, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Black Eyed Peas, Genesis, Snow Patrol, Duran Duran, Razorlight, Bloc Party, Corinne Bailey Rae, Keane, and Paolo Nutini are all confirmed. More names will be announced in the coming weeks.
"By attracting an audience of billions, we hope Live Earth will launch a global campaign giving a critical mass of people around the world the tools they need to help solve the climate crisis," Gore said in a statement. "But ultimately, corporations and governments must become global leaders taking decisive action to stop global warming."
Proceeds from the concerts will create a foundation to combat climate change led by The Alliance for Climate Protection, currently chaired by Gore. Tickets for the US performance will go on sale Monday, April 16 at 10 a.m. ET via Live Nation and Ticketmaster. |
Morrissey unable to reschedule US shows
Morrissey has been unsuccessful in attempts to reschedule shows in several US cities following recent cancellations.
The former Smiths frontman was forced to cancel shows in a number of east coast locations over the past few weeks due to a viral throat infection.
He has managed to play rescheduled shows in Boston and Norfolk, and will hit Philadelphia (July 23) and Atlantic City (24) but other affected cities will not be re-visited this time around.
Shows at New York's Madison Square Garden, Holmdel, NJ, Northampton, MA, New Jersey's PNC Bank Arts Center and Baltimore, MD are not available for the singer to play on this outing, and it is expected that another US leg will be added to the tour in the fall, in order to cover the cities.
Morrissey will this week play shows in Knoxville,TN, Clearwater, FL, Boca Raton, FL and Orlando, FL. |
Starsailor announce UK tour
Starsailor have announced details of a UK tour.
The band will hit the road this autumn for a series of dates.
The group, who last released an album in 2005, will play acoustic and electric sets to promote Fairtrade.
They play:
Huddersfield Town Hall (September 30)
Queens Hall Edinburgh (October 1)
Middlesbrough Town Hall (2)
Preston 53 Degrees (3)
Warrington Parr Hall (5)
Chesterfield Winding Wheel (6)
Southampton University (8)
Northampton Roadmenders (9)
Bath Pavilion (10) |