Live Earth: 7+ concerts on 7ish continents on 7/7/07

And if I could work another 7 in there, I would

Posted by Sarah van Schagen at 5:36 AM on 17 May 2007

Read more about: green living | celebrity | music | climate

The Live Earth website has been updated with a fancy (and much improved) new design that features a different "Climate Crisis Solution" every time you refresh the page (not that I've refreshed it multiple times in an effort to see every single tip ...). And lately, news tidbits about the concerts are popping up fast and furious as well.

On the furiouser side, Live Aid and Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof has said Live Earth is a waste of time. Meanwhile, another group with a very familiar-looking web design is arguing the concerts are a waste of energy and suggesting instead a series of counterconcerts that sound more like flash mob events (gather at 7:07, clap your hands in the S.O.S. pattern, dance silently to the music on your iPod).

Sure, virtual concerts would be less energy intensive, but members of the Live Earth Green Team are doing their best to green up the events. From the Live Earth site:

All Live Earth venues will be designed and constructed by a groundbreaking team of sustainability engineers and advisors directed by John Picard. This greening team will address the environmental and energy management concerns of each concert site, as well as the operations of sponsors, partners, and other Live Earth affiliates.

Each venue will not only be designed to maintain a minimum environmental impact, but will showcase the latest state-of-the-art energy efficiency, on-site power generation, and sustainable facilities management practices.

Speaking of venues, two more cities have been added to the (apparently) growing list of hosts for the "seven" concerts on 7/7/07 -- Hamburg, Germany, and Istanbul. Again, no word on the supposed plans for Antarctica (sorry, Antarcticans!). However, earlier this week, Gore did visit Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to announce that the show on Copacabana Beach would be free and open to the public. Jennifer Lopez, Lenny Kravitz, and Snoop Dogg are rumored to be on the lineup.

And speaking of lineups, Jack Johnson, Crowded House, Wolfmother, and The John Butler Trio have all signed on to play down under. And in London, Office comedian Ricky Gervais may take the stage with Spinal Tap. Also on the stage in London, the Material Girl may materialize a new single, "Hey You," that she has reportedly penned with producer Pharrell Williams especially for the Live Earth show.

And hey, speaking of penning something special for Live Earth (you love my segues!), a companion book (Al does love his companion books) titled The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook: 77 Essential Skills to Stop Climate Change -- or Live Through It will debut in late June.

Finally, if you haven't gotten tickets yet, check out eBay, now an authorized resale provider. The choices are looking pretty pricey, but take heart in knowing a minimum of 20 percent of the final sale price is going to The Alliance for Climate Protection, Gore's new org building on the momentum of Truth.

And just for good measure I'm posting this short promo clip for Live Earth that incorporates the S.O.S. theme -- short for Save Our Selves:

For story: Live Earth: 7+ concerts on 7ish continents on 7/7/07
5 Comments | Post a Comment

madge

that madonna single is not only out, it's available for free download on http://liveearth.msn.com.

by zackk at 6:21 AM on 17 May 2007

Questionable choice of artists

When you invite celebrities that have done nothing for the environment or climate change issue and are known for being massive consumers (just think of all the diamond rings and fur coats J Lo and Madonna own), it kind of de-legitimizes the whole event. I like the Live Earth idea, but I think there should be a focus on getting only celebs that are genuinely involved and concerned about the issue.

by amc89 at 8:11 AM on 17 May 2007

My Concert

Since I am one of the few people around who actually think a hotter Earth is a good thing, I'll be driving around in my 1991 Grand Prix 3.1 and blasting some Zep in celebration of Global Heating.

by jabailo at 8:42 AM on 17 May 2007

It's not grabbing me.

Why a bunch of rock concerts all over the world? Aren't there more urgent concerns? Couldn't those sustainability experts be spending their time on less fleeting, more important pursuits?

What's the goal?

by WKB at 9:36 AM on 18 May 2007

Humility and Hollywood.....

.....have never really been synonymous with each other, but there appears to be a genuine expression of this going on right now. The Live Earth's campaign is to empower individuals to change their consumer behaviors and motivate corporations and political leaders to enact decisive measures to combat the climate crisis. I truly feel this is a movement the Church should embrace; moreover, I believe this because is one that would honor God and His creation. To be honest, when I first heard of this movement I passed it over. When I heard of the concert and how it was to be the largest co-op, multinational show ever, my mind quickly turned to the negative: how much money would the networks get? How much would the talent benefit from this? While I am sure that there were some that would gain from this publicity I found that one artist had a different agenda. John Mayer has shown a glimpse of humility on his online blog: "I hope that for all the cynicism that's existed around this subject, we can all uncross our arms long enough to give this event a chance to impact the world in the way that I'm beginning to feel that it could. Now isn't the time to dissect the rights and wrongs. (If you're hoping Live Earth doesn't work, you have a lot of soul-searching to do.) With this kind of lineup, there's no cause or crisis that wouldn't be positively affected by an event of this scope. Live Earth isn't a show - it's a showing, a presentation of an idea. Artists like us don't just get together to each play 20 minute sets every weekend, you know. We're also usually pretty sensitive about the order in which we take the stage, and I've got no problems with my 5:12 PM set time. The Police, Bon Jovi, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, and yes, myself and my dumb face are all openers for the true headliner - the power to literally change the world's mind." (http://www.johnmayer.com/blog) There is so much power and truth in this statement. Perhaps it's a view we can take in our daily lives; understanding that there is a bigger picture for our lives and that if we can lay down our desires for a minute and see what God is doing we can impact those around us in a way greater than we first believed.

by natesousa at 1:22 PM on 23 Jul 2007
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