Live 8 Bill Fleshed Out
Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas, Josh Groban, Jars of Clay, Toby Keith.
And celebrity presenters: Salma Hayek, Natalie Portman, Chris Tucker, Jennifer Connolly, Jimmy Smits and Kami, the HIV-Positive Muppet.
The list, announced by official partner AOL, doesn't include Def Leppard, which announced on its Web site over the weekend that the metal-popsters would be playing. Denied? (Evening Update: Not denied. AOL's site now lists the Leps)
The day is shaping up as a stellar outing for African American artistry. Keys and the Peas join Jay-Z, P. Diddy, Destiny's Child, Stevie Wonder and host Will Smith.
The rockists are bummed. Nothing to buzz about, like London's reunion of Pink Floyd. The add-ons flavor the bill with Christian rock (Jars of Clay), God and Country (Toby Keith) and classical pop (Josh Groban, who should appear late in the day, seeing as his bio reports he likes to sleep until 2 p.m.) They join Rob Thomas, the Kaiser Chiefs, Sarah McLachlan, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Linkin Park, Maroon 5 and Keith Urban.
Blinq expects to be there, live blogging, and praying for clear skies in the 70s. Promises not to make reference to the hardship of covering Woodstock '99 or an EU summit.
Technorati has a Web page designed to collect talk about the July 2 shows and the cause, fighting povery in Africa.
One Philadelphian who'll be hard to find on Saturday? Pesky Apostrophe.
Another? Studio 2F.
Look for Dennis of Vintage 2001 to be making the trek from Selinsgrove, PA. "A shining moment in the history of Pennsylvania," he blogs.
Square Peg asks that we quit complaining for once. Something for almost everyone, she writes.
In a sense, I'd love to stick around and blog the hell out of Live 8, but I live on the Main Line and there's no *way* I'm going near the city. It'll be impossible to drive and I don't even want to count the possible ways that SEPTA can crap the bed on a weekend like this. I mean, I was stranded between 30th Street station and Overbook for almost two hours about eleven days ago. No way I'm trusting SEPTA when twenty quadrozillion people (or whatever the estimate's up to now) flood into town. And for the record, Alicia Keys makes Fergie look like a twenty cent skank.
Nothing here interests me more than a 7 out of 10. I can't believe the Roots were shut out.
if the roots, indeed, offered to play and were turned away, that is so wrong. they are essential and of this place.
ALOTT5MA has the Inqy link http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/11985765.htm "Roots spokesman Shawn Gee said the band had sought a Live 8 slot and been told they weren't right for the show, then declined the role of backup band for Jay-Z." If the Roots aren't right for the show, the show is not right for me, eh?
I'm a hip hop fan and I'm psyched about this show. I'm pretty psyched about seeing Jovi live as well. But this Roots news is just pitiful.
Not right for the show? They're more "right for the show" than any other act that will take the stage. Pretty sad.