The Big Day

[hamish]

I have to admit I thought the crowd were very tame except for the U2 opening, Sting really gave it some but got very muted applause. Are they giving out free tranquilisers or what???

Oh b0ll!x Mariah Carey is starting........retch. More cocktail lounge soul.

Looking forward to Pink Floyd - the body language between Roger Waters and the others should be interesting.

[pineapple stu]

Anyone catch Sting's changed lyrics to "Every Breath You Take"? Very good -

"Oh can't we see
If our democracy
Is just a game you play
No matter what you say

Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
We'll be watching you"

Great to highlight thinkgs like this, but I think the sad fact is that there's just too much corruption and toadying in the world - particularly the US, with GB catching up fast - that the political leaders will just ignore it, or at best pass off some token change (AFAIK, much of the debt cancellation has serious strings attached?). Geldof would probably achieve far more going for political office, but probably wouldn't have enough ability across the board to get in.

PS I HATE BOB!!!!

Why?! Would you rather he buried his head in the sand like everyone else?

[Frank Blue]

Anyone catch Sting's changed lyrics to "Every Breath You Take"? Very good -

"Oh can't we see
If our democracy
Is just a game you play
No matter what you say

Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
We'll be watching you"

Great to highlight thinkgs like this, but I think the sad fact is that there's just too much corruption and toadying in the world - particularly the US, with GB catching up fast - that the political leaders will just ignore it, or at best pass off some token change (AFAIK, much of the debt cancellation has serious strings attached?). Geldof would probably achieve far more going for political office, but probably wouldn't have enough ability across the board to get in.


Why?! Would you rather he buried his head in the sand like everyone else?

The democracy we have is a sham. It's always the same sort promoting themselves, so anything else short of a revolution and nothing changes. And with some revolutions the folk at the top might change, but for tha majority little else does.
As for "I hate Bob", I do too. His intentions may be well meaning, but are extremely over simplistic and his attitude swings between grating, boring and at times patronising. Poverty in the world is down to many factors and governing bodies, not just the G8: The World Bank, The IMF, The USA, the EU (and policies including CAP), lack of democracy, even the UN. The list is quite long in my opinion.
The fact of the matter is, yes Bob we all realise that something needs to be done about 3rd World debt and poverty. However, simply asking for debt relief and/or democracy in hand with this in certain countries will still fail to deliver.

A shame, but that's the way it is.

[hamish]

Some good bands, some goodish, some not so good...........

then Pink Floyd decended from the heavens .....

for 45 minutes all was well with the world.

Awesome, just awesome

Happy Hamish

[liam88]

What a class night!
Nearly got there-was at the National St. John Ambulance compeition and a couple of Ambulance crews were going up-tried to get myself onto one of them but they couldn't get the clearance
Ah well-they said Live Aid would never happen again in 85
Great night-glad to ahve been part of if.........though that whopping great Northern Ireland flag stayed up through the whole thing!! (so fair paly to those holding it-strong arms), Belfast one a few of the SJA competitions so I've been seeing the flag waved about all day! Some waving a rangers shirt round in the crowd but also hoops so good to see everyone getting together for it-qaulity stuff!

[jofyisgod]

That was great.To quote Chris Martin:"Anyone cynical about this is a knobhead".

This wasn't just some protest, this was centred around a major aim, with a 3-point plan, and the support of some very famous people. Fúck the music, it was largely irrelevant, hopefully this kind of global passion will force the hand of the less eager G8 nations.

Well done to all who organised this, especially Geldof.

[pineapple stu]

Poverty in the world is down to many factors and governing bodies, not just the G8: The World Bank, The IMF, The USA, the EU (and policies including CAP), lack of democracy, even the UN. The list is quite long in my opinion.

True. The problem is that there is one common link in most of those - the US, who make it ridiculously difficult for other countries to do anything they (the US) don't want. No matter how loud people raise their voices - protests, Live 8, etc. - the corruptness of the US administration and their toadying to big business (in particular the oil industries) will overrule...

However, simply asking for debt relief and/or democracy in hand with this in certain countries will still fail to deliver.

He's not being as simplistic as to just ask for debt relief though. He's asking for the big political leaders to get their fingers out and sort the whole thing out (and let's be honest, they're the only ones who really can). He's raising awareness again with the hope that political leaders can feel the threat of not getting re-elected if they don't do something - the threat of getting the sack is a fairly big one to hold.

Your point about democracy is sadly valid though - and then if we start getting cynical about such corruptness and, say, don't vote, the politicians turn around and chastise us and tell us of the sacrifices ohers made so we could have democracy...don't think they made those sacrifices so political leaders could ignore the vast majority of the people when the people are so clearly in the right (fair trade, the war in Iraw, etc., etc.)


With regards the music, I thought The Who were quality.

[Drumcondra Red]

Performances that stood out for me:

The Who, love them, always have, always will,

Razorlight, Can't wait to see them at oxegen next week,

Pink Floyd, nuff said!

Madonna, soley for the film shown before and her greeting of that girl, very emotional moment!

U2 and Paul McCartney, Sgt Pepper, marvelous!!!

Everyone at the end with Macca singing Hey Jude, hate the song, but that was quality!

Although, for some reason I pretty much watched all day, I was hungover, and enjoyed it all, even artists I normally can't stand were on form, the G8 have to listen after all this...

[Babysis]

My favourites, from what I saw, were Razorlight & Maddonna. Didnt think U2 were all that. Coldplay are a good band to watch in TV IMO, but thats does not come across when you see them live. Joss stone was good - She really is growing on me. Robbie williams is a born entertainer. Thought the crowd were a bit sedate alot of the time though.

[noby]

Was thinking of that song '7 seconds' watching the ads lately. Wasn't that song about how often a child dies in the world? And the ads for Live8 mention 3 seconds. Was wondering was that just a guesstimate or has the rate actually increased.

The 7 seconds is how often a child is born.
It's an anti-racism song. Goes something like "When a chid is born, it has no concept of tone of skin it's living in" ,so we're 7 seconds away from stopping racism. In theory.


Not a Dido fan, but I did enjoy that, aswell as the Who (aka the CSI band) and Pink Floyd.

Low point: Mariah "lookitpeopleibroughtafricankids" Carey.

[Pauro 76]

didnt see all of the gig... a mate of mine arriving in london for the weekend, so left after Snow Patrol (where were excellent).

Highlight for me, REM's gig, Coldplay were amazing and Richard Ashcroft coming on for Bittersweet Sympony was a definite thumbs up. Chris Martin even threw in a bit of Quo during In My Place... Razorlight were fantastic, they'll be huge on the back of this, and amazingly Madonna with the choir on 'Like A Prayer' was a standout. Travis doing Staying Alive was great too.

Downs: Dido was brutal, but getting Yousoh n'Dour was a good touch. Ms Dynamiteeeeeeeeeeeeee was shocking, but Pete Doherty coming on with a cigarette lighter in his gob brought a lot of gasps, what a nob.

but tbh would have preffered the atmosphere in Berlin and Paris. Muse, Audioslave, Green Day would have brought a bit of life to proceedings....

[hamish]

didnt see all of the gig... a mate of mine arriving in london for the weekend, so left after Snow Patrol (where were excellent).

Highlight for me, REM's gig, Coldplay were amazing and Richard Ashcroft coming on for Bittersweet Sympony was a definite thumbs up. Chris Martin even threw in a bit of Quo during In My Place... Razorlight were fantastic, they'll be huge on the back of this, and amazingly Madonna with the choir on 'Like A Prayer' was a standout. Travis doing Staying Alive was great too.

Downs: Dido was brutal, but getting Yousoh n'Dour was a good touch. Ms Dynamiteeeeeeeeeeeeee was shocking, but Pete Doherty coming on with a cigarette lighter in his gob brought a lot of gasps, what a nob.

but tbh would have preffered the atmosphere in Berlin and Paris. Muse, Audioslave, Green Day would have brought a bit of life to proceedings....

Did anyone see Bruce Cockburn from Toronto? The Canadians are often stereotyped as laid back but the language of this folk singer was priceless - he out-Geldofed Geldof.

[Drumcondra Red]

Nearly forgot about Velvet Revolver, they were excellent too, but nobody seemed to know them and then Jonathon Woss & Paul McCheesey took the pish out of them!?! Bad form that!!!

[Ash]

Didnt see much cos there were powercuts down our way and then Chorus
packed in ... but never mind the performances, Jonathan Ross taking the p!ss
outta Stereophonics and Ricky Gervais was deadly.

What was the story with that tw@ interviewing bands practicially asking
very band if they were sh!tting themselves playing to such a big crowd!


Ah well, hopefully it'll all make some difference for the better

[sligoman]

Nearly forgot about Velvet Revolver, they were excellent too

Yeah they were ok. Not a big fan of Maroon 5 but they were fairly good in the U.S.A.

[pineapple stu]

Nearly forgot about Velvet Revolver, they were excellent too

Never actually heard of them - played alright, but yer man the lead singer sounded like a right tool when he was interviewed afterwards - "Have you ever played in front of a crowd that big before?" "Yeah, once, in front of all those ancient Greeks in 900BC..."

[paul_oshea]

velvet revolver are made up of most of guns and roses, well most it depends what most is, but there are 3 former band members from g n r.

[Baker]

Green Day's set from Berlin looked great.

I thought Peter Kay got the best reception from anyone on stage!

Im not too sure if the whole Live 8 thing will make too much of a difference to the politicians but at least they tried and that needs to be applauded.

[Drumcondra Red]

Never actually heard of them - played alright, but yer man the lead singer sounded like a right tool when he was interviewed afterwards - "Have you ever played in front of a crowd that big before?" "Yeah, once, in front of all those ancient Greeks in 900BC..."

They're a mix between Guns N' Roses (3), Stone Temple Pilots (1, singer) and Wasted Youth (1) so thats who they are, surely you recognised Slash though???

[pineapple stu]

Thought one or two looked vaguely familiar alright - particularly yer man with the top hat and the smoke? Wouldn't be a big Guns 'n' Roses fan either though.