live8

oh how i hate this.
there is the music lover in me (yes i know i have just written about prog - but it is great stuff) who just looks at the line ups for the live8 events and goes ho hum, dull, dull, dull, dull and at best very best just plain old boring.
yes i realise that in many ways it is not about the music – it is about raising the issue and making everyone aware of it.
yes i realise that the performers who are giving their time and effort for the event deserve praise (well maybe not coldplay).

but already the posing and the posturing is growing to a level that will overshadow any good that comes from it.
unlike live aid this is not about raising money, this is about awareness and getting the g8 countries to help africa out of the terrible state it is in. this can be achieved by debt relief, fair and equal trade policies etc. in order to do it geldof and team want to show the leaders of the g8 that the people in the developed world are concerned about the situation in africa and want to see something done about it.
for some the fact this is coming from the developed countries of the west is seeing as being a replay of colonialism, and for some in this camp the live8 event is addressing the right issues of empowering africans to make the changes they need, but instead it is just another patronising pat on the head of africa.
for others it is just going to be a fashion accessory like the coloured bands they wear, feeling good that they have done a little for a cause, but not quite knowing what it is they have supported. there will that ironic moment when ebay will have tickets being offered for sale at over the odds prices, and naturally the good souls who are selling them there will give the profits to the make poverty history campaign (yeah right !)
for others (maybe the daily mail and such) live8 is potentially seen as being a jolly nice way of criticising the g8 without being anti-globalisation or anti-capitalist.

meanwhile you have bob geldof, bono and midge ure (who? remember him used to be in ultravox and was one of the key members of live aid, except that bob geldof seems to have become the only person associated with it, so poor old midge gets to speak only when the others are too busy or it’s to deal with the local press….) are beginning to shout out their sideshow patter to get people excited about the event, to get people involved in it.

midge has been speaking about the “million” march on edinburgh. the g8 is meeting there and bob and co want a million people to march to it and protest.
of course everyone is asking for the protests to be peaceful. the local police and local council have said mmm a million people might be hard to do, there might be problems, lets think this through properly.
to help accommodate the people descending on edinburgh (coming by foot, car, bus, boat, plane and train!) midge has “ urged every householder and religious institution in edinburgh to offer hospitality to the protesters.
"we want every church, chapel, synagogue and mosque to open their doors and let them in," “ (bbc)
the only question i have is are you opening up your pad to let these people in? well are you midge?
yeah i know i am being cynical – i hope it is a success, i hope it does make a difference. already i am praying that ronnine james dio isn’t looking to do a heavy metal version of this one……

either way i shan't be listening to it - the line up sucks.