With the announcement of the Live 8 benefit concerts, slated to be held July 2 in London, Paris, Berlin, Philadelphia and Rome, and some early complaints already being made about the lineups, we asked some of our favorite music critics, musicians and bloggers to weigh in. Specifically, we asked 1) what they think of the lineups, 2) who they would have added, 3) who they would have dropped, 4) which concert they'd pick to attend, and 5) what they think of the criticisms leveled at concert organizer Bob Geldof and the event.
Their answers are below (with most recent contributions listed first):
Alex Ross, music critic at the New Yorker, blogs at The Rest Is Noise.
The London one is the one I'd go to, I guess, though only if it were at the Royal Opera House.
Which ones would I drop? All but the following: the Scissor Sisters, Robbie Williams, Bon Jovi, a-ha and 50 Cent.
If I were picking the artists: Prince, Björk, Cecil Taylor, Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Sonic Youth, Radiohead, Steve Reich & Musicians, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, René Pape and the Berlin Philharmonic (all-Wagner program), and the Scissor Sisters.
Michael Azerrad, eMusic editor in chief and drummer in the King of France, blogs at You and What Army.
Live 8 is "hideously white," says Black Information Link? I don't know if it's hideous or merely insidious, but there's a practical angle on the lack of brown faces at Live 8. Twenty years ago, Live Aiders asked the inane musical question "Do They Know It's Christmas?" A far better question is "Does Bob Geldof know Dizzee Rascal?" Anyone who's organized a benefit concert on any scale knows that it's largely a matter of calling in favors from friends. Bob Geldof travels in certain circles; he's literally part of an old boy network and can call in favors only within that network. So naturally Sir Bob is going to go with old boys like Sir Elton, Sir Paul and St. Bono. I'm just glad someone's doing something.
I would have invited Eminem, just to see if he'd be willing to help fight AIDS. I'd have invited George Michael, just so he could sing the anti-Blair "Shoot the Dog" ("Tony, Tony, Tony, I know that you're horny/ but there's somethin' 'bout that Bush ain't right.") And if I were Bob Geldof, I'd do a whole separate concert in some place like Montgomery, Ala., or Jackson, Miss., sign up Deerhoof, the Arcade Fire, the aforementioned Mr. Rascal, the reunited Chavez, Flaming Lips, Missy Elliott and Bob Dylan and then enjoy the entire stadium to myself.
Failing that, I'd go to the concert at the Circus Maximus to see 1983 French Open winner Yannick Noah. If he's even half the rocker John McEnroe is, those Romans are in for a real treat.
John Seroff blogs at Tofu Hut
1. Who would you have asked to be in the concerts?
While I certainly don't begrudge the idea of a big ol' Lollapalooza of folks showing up for a good cause, there's not much point that I can see of holding an evening where Madonna, Annie Lennox, U2, REM and Sting play. Most of these are artists who would sound better under the aegis of glamour and spectacle in any case; reducing them to supporting cast with a song or three apiece seems an awful waste. Then again, if it's in the name of a good cause, you might as well enlist those who can afford to make a difference, right? Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
I suppose I would much prefer to see a healthier, shook-up mix of performers with a few less headliners; less name-recognized artists and more genre diversity. The current "diversity" seems designed almost willingly to include one artist for everybody, which is a noble enough pursuit if you're doing free-form radio but something altogether different when you're dealing with the known commodities of pop music; who out there was really slavering to see a bill of Crosby, Stills & Nash, Lauryn Hill, a-ha and Die Toten Hosen?
My optimal concert would likely consist of a collective of artists who tread somewhat different ground from one another. Three of the best concerts I've seen thus far this year were Devin the Dude, Leslie Feist and The Boredoms; I'd add David Banner, Konono No. 1, James Brown, Anthony and the Johnsons, Basement Jaxx, The Gospel Harmonettes of Demopolis, Alabama and Prince. Matthew Barney could design the set and Timbaland could run the sound boards.
2. Who would you drop from the current lineup?
I wouldn't presume to drop anyone from the lineup; if somebody wants to donate their time to what, ostensibly at least, seems like a good cause, more power to them. In terms of wanting to see them perform live? Well, I'm not sure I'd pay to see half those folks perform, and there's a decent percentage stuck in there that I likely wouldn't cross the street for. More power to them that they make a good living doing what they love, I suppose.
3. If you could choose any one of these concerts to go to, which would it be?
I'm torn betwixt Paris and Philly; I'm inclined to lean toward the city of Brotherly Love solely for Jigga and Stevie. I could always show up late and miss DMB and Maroon 5, I suppose. The 64K question really is: which lineup would you be most willing to sit through all the bands? If that's the case, I'd lean more toward the London (bragging rights) or the Paris again (shorter).
In any case, multi-artist concerts like these don't hold much appeal to me. Music seems to be the last thing on anyone's minds. Instead we get a focus on star power, the complexities of juggling so many egos and the child's old superhero joy of creating one mega-super group. One is inclined to ask why the artists involved don't just write a codicil into their contracts demanding that a quarter of the profits that the label sees on their next album go to a worthy cause in lieu of, say, reproduction or commercial rights to the songs?
I honestly don't like the idea of throwing stones at people who do engage in charitable, well-meaning acts, but could you do it just a bit quieter, please?
Douglas Wolk, a writer and critic, blogs at Lacunae.
The impact of Live 8 is supposed to be political rather than musical; the point has to be to make people pay attention to it, and care about it. So the first person I'd ask to be in Live 8 would be Toby Keith, as little use as I have for his music -- if the current U.S. government got the idea that eliminating famine wasn't a partisan issue, and that right-wing pop stars (and their fans) cared as much about it as the left, it would be a lot more likely that something more substantial than self-back-patting might come out of these concerts. Then I'd ask ABBA, just because if they actually did reunite for the first time in over 20 years, it'd be a very big deal. And Prince, because he's a great live performer and it'd give him a chance to make amends for his "there's just as much hunger here at home" bullshit of 20 years ago. And Sleater-Kinney and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and M.I.A. (whose "Pull Up the People" should be the anthem of the whole shebang), partly so that anybody under 30 would care, and partly so that there would be some pleasant surprises to keep Live 8 in viewers' minds afterward, the way that U2 surprised people at Live Aid.
As for who I'd drop: I'm pretty short on haterade here, but I will just note that if you crossed out everybody in the lineup who was a better performer 20 years ago ... and then crossed out everybody who was a better performer 10 years ago ... and then crossed out everybody left whose music owes everything to artists who aren't on the bill -- well, you'd have a very short concert series.
And if I were to pick one concert to see? Paris. Youssou N'Dour and Manu Chao!
Michael Idov writes for Pitchfork, and plays in Spielerfrau.
1) Who would you have asked to be in the concerts?
My Live 8 lineup would have certainly included most of these artists -- it's more advisable to consult the charts than one's own taste when charity (or even "awareness") is on the agenda. I would rather see Rasputina than Coldplay onstage, but then I'd rather see a million people in the audience than 300. That said -- no M.I.A.?!! How often does a ravishing Sri Lankan toaster fall into your lap just as you're putting together a show to help alleviate third-world debt? Apparently often enough.
2) Who would you drop from the current lineup?
I would have dropped Sir Paul, provided he's not preparing a DJ set with Danger Mouse. After dozens of similar mega-events, and especially after last year's Super Bowl, his presence signals big and safe and, shockingly -- at least to me, a fan -- not much more. Macca is an invaluable dispenser of warm fuzzies, and he has dispensed a lot of the stuff since 9/11; I have been warmed and warmed over. I dread the inevitable transcontinental "Hey Jude" singalong.
3) If you could choose any one of these concerts to go to, which would it be?
Rome, just for the brain-melting disconnect between Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Duran Duran, and Circus Maximus.
Keith Causin blogs at Teaching the Indie Kids to Dance Again.
I'm not going to go into prognosticating a lineup, because it's a hopeless task. Instead I'll grouse about how 1) London is clearly hogging all the good acts -- even the American ones (R.E.M., Scissor Sisters, hell, I'll even name Madonna and Velvet Revolver and the Killers -- they sure beat what Philly has), and further complain that Philadelphia seems to be pretty amazingly watered down. Will Smith hosting? Bon Jovi? Maroon 5? Rob Freakin' Thomas? PUFFY? Gimme a break. I am surprised to not see the Foo Fighters on the bill anywhere, too. As to where I'd go? Probably either London for the strength of a whole lineup, or Berlin for Brian Wilson. Also, what the hell is up with the country music in Italy?
Hua Hsu blogs at to here knows when.
1) Who would you have asked to be in the concerts?
Morrissey, Oasis, Radiohead, Missy Elliott, Björk, Mary J. Blige, Dizzee Rascal, a reunited Stone Roses, Beyoncé, De La Soul, Justin Timberlake/Usher, Sleater-Kinney, Seu Jorge, Caetano Veloso, Nas, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, David Banner, Basement Jaxx.
2) Who would you drop from the current lineup?
Like, three-quarters of the artists playing in London. Also: any band on any of the bills that has had a career of less than three years.
3) If you could choose any one of these concerts to go to, which would it be?
Germany. The possibility of having to see Die Toten Hosen is outweighed by the possibility of getting to see two noteworthy genius-slash-recluses (Brian Wilson and Lauryn Hill) eye each other suspiciously. And I hear Bap is awesome live.
Well, that criticism [that Live 8 London is overwhelmingly white] is hard to dispute. One hardly associates the Killers, Keane, the Kaiser Chiefs or Razorlight with "progressive causes." I know the point in organizing these things is to stack the bill with big names, but if you have Elton John, Paul McCartney, U2 and R.E.M. in London, did you really need a bunch of fourth-rate imitators of third-rate rock cluttering the bottom of the bill? What about reggae or hip-hop? Dizzee Rascal or even the Streets? DJs or some representatives of club culture? At least 50 Cent (himself a very odd choice) is willing to die in the process of trying to feed himself.
Julianne Shepherd blogs at Cowboyz 'n' Poodles.
Patric Augustus' complaint about the lack of reggae artists is completely right-on. I think the British lineup is hideously white; for one, London is home to grime, which is perhaps the world's most vital new black art form since hip-hop. I mean, couldn't they at least have gotten Dizzee Rascal to open? Or M.I.A.? I understand the necessity for big-name artists on the bill, but even London's South Asian population numbers almost a million; while I cannot be mad at anyone who's working for change, the whiteness of the British lineup for the concert to help raise poverty awareness in Africa is a little patronizing, especially considering London's multiethnic population. The Live 8 spokesperson's response that "Live 8 is a global concert" and that "urban acts in the U.K. aren't popular in Rome or Paris" is weak. Like Nek is really blowing up the streets of Britain or the U.S. Please.
Jay-Z contributed something like $10,000 to the Christopher Wallace Foundation on the anniversary of Biggie's death. Raising awareness is one thing, but G.W. Bush, should he enact his African AIDS proposal, favors big-money American pharmaceutical companies, delivers most allocated money to churches and missionaries first, and preaches abstinence (though he has conceded on last-ditch condom distribution/education ... in Africa, at least). So I would like to see the American artists on the bills take the matter into their own hands and personally donate money to organizations like Project Hope or Doctors Without Borders.
I do like the idea of Stevie Wonder and Jay-Z on one show. In my fantasy world, I would attend the Philadelphia concert, and fly to Paris during 50 Cent's set to see Manu Chao. Be still my heart.
Berlin: I totally get the A-Ha headliner spot. But I would have added Ellen Allien, Mia (not M.I.A.; Mia, the Berlin new wave band). I would have put King Sunny Ade on the bill, and at least at the Philly show, mixed in more artists who put in real political work. My picks: Ozomatli, Ely Guerra, Immortal Technique, David Banner. And I would have replaced Will Smith as the Philly host with Rip Hamilton, the Piston with a heart of gold (he gets in because he is a native Pennsylvanian).
Lauryn Hill playing in Berlin is very, very exciting.
Despite its thrilling diva-ness, the London show is kinda boring. I would drop Sir Bob Geldof. I would drop Rob Thomas, Bon Jovi and anyone wearing diamonds from African mines.
Frank Yang blogs at Chromewaves.
I see a lot of incredibly safe, mainstream and, yes, white, artists. The usual suspects, if you will. But something like this isn't about introducing new or daring artists to the world, it's not about art -- it's about appealing to the largest possible demographic so that they'll reach into their pockets and give to a (presumably) worthy cause. And that demographic is quite simply the white, middle-aged, middle-class, middle-of-the-road folks who continue to make it possible for people like Sting to have a career. Indie kids aren't going to dig deep and donate, people who (can afford to) go to Elton John concerts are.
That said, I find Razorlight offensive in any context so I'd lobby to have them removed from the lineup.
If I had to go to one of these shows, I'd probably go with Berlin. Less crowded than London, I'd like to see Brian Wilson, and I have a long history with a-Ha.
The complaint about the whiteness of things is sort of reasonable. I don't believe in tokenism, but Mariah Carey is a pretty sorry representative of the black community. Surely they could do better?
Simon Reynolds blogs at Blissblog.
Can't say I care for anything too much on those lineups -- although I suppose the logic is bigger names, bigger attention level. If it was down to me to pick the lineups from my own favorites the event would be a disaster!
But why not Björk, say, or Radiohead? Or the reformed Roxy Music?
I would go to the Rome one, but only because I love Rome.
David Brusie blogs at Music (For Robots).
I would have asked some more of the original players to be involved, especially the ones who are still creating some great music, like David Bowie. Also missing is the great Mark Knopfler, who isn't with his band anymore but is nonetheless pretty great.
It's hard to say who I would drop, considering that some of the big-name bands will drum up some well-needed attention for the cause. But if I were at a concert, even a free one, I wouldn't be too interested in hearing Maroon 5 (despite my undying love for "This Love"), Sarah McLachlan or Rob Thomas. I think it's a matter of including more bands and artists who have a history of political action. For that reason, I was a little disappointed not to see Peter Gabriel on the list.
I think I'd have to go with the London show, what with R.E.M., Keane, Coldplay, the Killers, the Cure, Annie Lennox ... what's a benefit show without bands like Keane and Coldplay (the "new U2s" onstage with the actual U2!) pumping out some melodrama? Though R.E.M.'s new album is terrible (which it pains me to write), they're still pretty great live, and when they get to play for a cause, they're one of the few acts who seem genuinely interested in what they're playing for. I'd be sorry to miss Stevie Wonder and Jay-Z, only a couple of the show's non-white performers, do their great things. And how we've missed Jay-Z after he's been retired for so long!
As for the non-white issue, it's pretty ridiculous that more non-white acts aren't listed. Even if the event wasn't for recognition of African poverty, any lineup with so little variety is something of a crime. (And this is more of a pipe dream than a complaint about the lineup, but how great would it be to see Public Enemy out there?)
Nick Barat blogs at Catchdubs.
Bob Geldof can't reunite the Police? What kind of Live Aid is this?
Objectively speaking, London "wins" on sheer starpower alone, but for my money, that lineup is snooze inducing. My personal choice would be Philadelphia, solely for Jay-Z being on the bill; there's no way he could do a Philly show and not bring hometown heroes State Property onstage with him. This means Freeway and Peedi Crakk playing Live 8. Freeway and Peedi Crakk! The only thing that could top that is Free and Peedi getting on the Concorde with Phil Collins to play all the other Live 8 dates around the globe. State Prop at the Circus Maximus, the mind boggles.
Aaron Wherry blogs at Pop (all love).
1) Who would you have asked to be in the concerts?
I suppose there aren't a lot of names I immediately think should be added (Radiohead is one), but there does seem to be a need to even things out. Look at the city-by-city breakdown. While Hyde Park is stacked, Philadelphia gets the MOR trio of Rob Thomas, Sarah McLachlan and Dave Matthews. Paris gets Craig David, Jamiroquai and Placebo (confirming, at least, that all three do still exist). Germany gets Lauryn Hill, Brian Wilson and Crosby, Stills and Nash (arguably the most psychologically unbalanced lineup since the abbreviated '88 Broadway run of Liza Minnelli and Adam Ant's salute to Norwegian Death Metal). While Rome gets Tim McGraw, with wife, but without his true partner in life, Nelly.
2) Who would you drop from the current lineup?
Some, but not all, of the above. Also: Elton John. Seriously, dude. You're like the Sally Struthers of pop music now. It's tremendously noble. But getting to be cliché.
3) If you could choose any one of these concerts to go to, which would it be?
Well, London, of course. But there is chatter among the igloos here, as we chew whale blubber round the family dinner table with our neighbor, a deserting American soldier, that our Northern outpost might be in line for its own concert. Seems Bono, a good friend of Sir Bob, is good friends with our prime minister. There are plenty of cringe-worthy names being bandied about, but we would like to submit that a Canadian concert serve as the stage for the long-awaited reunion of the Northern Lights -- the Great White North's answer to all those '80s all-star charity singles. Joni Mitchell! Neil Young! Gordon Lightfoot! Geddy Lee! Not to mention: Corey Hart, Paul Shaffer, Eugene Levy and (AND!) Mike Reno! (See -- Warning! Blatant self-promotion ahead! -- here for full lineup.)
Other thoughts?
It's generally nothing but messy to get into debates over such things when it comes to cheesy pop star charity initiatives, but this stew could certainly use a touch more hip-hop. At least outside Philly. Also, just a thought: Seeing as the goal is awareness of Africa, each show would seem to need a few artists who could actually speak of such stuff firsthand, no?
Glenn Peoples blogs at Coolfer.
1) Who would you have asked to be in the concerts?
The Flaming Lips, to add some eccentriciy to the event.
New York Dolls. These shows need danger.
Cesaria Evora, although I know she was recently hospitalized and probably couldn't perform.
Femi Kuti, Orchestra Baobab, Wapaputsi, Super Rail Band.
How about some Africans on the bills? This would be a fine time to introduce some African artists to the world, erase the horrible ignorance about Africa that exists in the States and show people the continent has more to offer than civil wars and famine. I've been fortunate enough to spend time in Kenya and Ethiopia, the latter being vastly different than the stereotype that for many originated with the Live Aid. I think it's of terrible importance that the Western world gets to know these countries and their people.
2) Who would you drop from the current lineup? The Kaiser Chiefs, who should at the very most play in a country that actually cares about them. P Diddy, because he's a much better producer and entrepreneur than he is musician and performer. Sir Elton John, because a man who spends money so recklessly should do absolutely nothing to raise awareness for the poor of third-world countries. He could have fed a few million Africans for life with all the money he's wasted over the years.
3) If you could choose any one of these concerts to go to, which would it be?
Berlin. The fewer acts on the bill, the better -- less chance of error. The London gig has some great artists, but there are more than a few that would drive me to stand in the beer line or head for the exits.
Alan Williamson blogs at Sixeyes.
1) Who would you have asked to be in the concerts?
Spoon. Radiohead. Tom Waits. Antony & the Johnsons. Arcade Fire. The Wrens. The New Pornographers. A.C. Newman
2) Who would you drop from the current lineup?
All the old-timers (McCartney, Wonder, Wilson, et al.) and a number of the new major label names like: Joss Stone, Maroon 5, P. Diddy, Sarah McLachlan, Rob Thomas, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.
3) If you could choose any one of these concerts to go to, which would it be?
Definitely Hyde Park, London.
Other thoughts?
The lineup looks like a playlist from classic rock radio and current top 40 ... ugh! Jeez, I know they are trying to raise money, but they seem to be ignoring the more artistic and creative artists out there who would bring some fire to the cause and the concerts. Faded stars like Elton John, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Crosby Stills and Nash, and Brian Wilson should just write a check and sit this one out, leaving room for grass-roots artists to grab the spotlight and do their part. As for the accusations of excluding black artists at the Hyde Park event, I would tend to believe that Geldof sought out black musicians as he claims, seeing as there are some huge major label black performers who would have added more money to the event's coffers.
Steve Marchese blogs at Scissorkick.
1) Who would you have asked to be in the concerts?
I guess eight seems like a reasonable number of artists to include in the, uh, Live 8, so I think one fantastic group of eight huge performers would be:
The Big 8
Stevie Wonder
Jay-Z
Eminem
Metallica
U2
R.E.M.
Radiohead
The Foo Fighters
The "Indie" 8 (not all acts are actually on independent labels)
Arcade Fire
Postal Service
The Killers
Snow Patrol
Bloc Party
M.I.A.
Fischerspooner
Daft Punk
The Scissorkick 8 (had to)
DJ Shadow
Boards of Canada
The Gotan Project
Royksopp
Mr. Scruff
Jaga Jazzist Dangermouse (with Gemini & Murs)
DJ Jazzy Jeff
2) Who would you drop from the current lineup?
Too many to name, but I'd start with Mariah Carey and Bon Jovi. Does Bob Geldof really have to play? Isn't he too busy organizing things?
3) If you could choose any one of these concerts to go to, which would it be?
Probably go to the London show. Definitely the best lineup. But the fact that each concert has been designed to appeal to the broadest audience makes most of them simply unappealing. For instance, fans of the Killers, U2, R.E.M., the Cure and Snow Patrol would have to sit through sets by Elton John, Madonna, Mariah Carey and Sting. Just doesn't seem to work.
And where is the world music contingent like Oliver Tuku Mtukudzu or Konono No. 1?
Yancey Strickler maintains a blog here.
Since when is Rome the capital of country music? Did Bob Geldof take the name of Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson's posse (the Music Mafia) literally? I'm flinching just thinking about Tim McGraw's slow-mo fist pumps and ironed-on jeans in front of an Italian crowd, although maybe he and Faith Hill are perfect for Rome, as they have all the subtlety of Silvio Dante and Victoria Gotti.
I wouldn't attend any of these concerts, even for the spectacle. The chances are at least 90 percent that every one of these things will end in a self-basking round of "Kumbaya," "Give Peace a Chance" or, at the very least, Pink Floyd's "Money." There are a handful of artists on here whose philanthropic past suggests that their involvement is something more than simple self-promotion. And then there's Velvet Revolver, whose frontman Scott Weiland has single-handedly kept Afghanistan's poppy crop thriving.
The artist I would most want to see among the Live 8 participants is definitely Lauryn Hill, because she's crazy great and there's nothing I love more than getting preached at by a millionaire. It's telling that she's appearing in Berlin -- one of the more distant locales, surpassed only by Philadelphia -- because her history of stage fright and media paranoia is like some unholy combination of Van Morrison and Richard Nixon. A close second is Mariah Carey, another artist stricken with the "crazy" tag (If she were a man it would simply be "eccentric" or "genius." Brian Wilson, say hello), because I'm a lifelong fan, and her new record is unbelievably great, even if she seems to have awoken one morning to decide that she's Beyoncé (who is also wonderful, but isn't fit to mop up Mariah's spittle).
The group who proclaimed the London lineup as "hideously white" was half-right, as "hideous" alone would have sufficed. As the U.K. charts regularly attest, black music is still a mystery to the Brits, unless it's being played by a slightly pudgy white dude with bad hair, worse clothes and a voice like a pickled hen. Speaking of which, where is Oasis, anyway? Chances are, Elton John and Paul McCartney were going to be playing Hyde Park that day for the press and spare change regardless, so their presence doesn't really count. And what's the over/under on Madonna getting mistaken for a roadie?
Jay-Z -- who has "retired" like a Dashiell Hammett detective -- alone makes Philly the show to see, while the rest of the lineup makes it the show to miss. Would it have been too much for Geldof to arrange for Terrell Owens and Allen Iverson to duet while Donovan McNabb vomited just offstage? Unless they can pull something like that off, this is just another awards show, albeit dedicated to a cause more worthwhile than celebrity self-glorification, although in their heart of hearts, many of the performers would undoubtedly disagree.
Few of these artists have ever taken anything even close to a true political stand beyond "love one another" and the patchouli-scented like -- a huge disappointment considering the amount of attention these concerts will receive, and the tremendous opportunity it presents those who are performing. Numerous articles have been written about pop music's irrelevance post-9/11 -- aside from country's jingoistic anthems, where was the unifying reaction to the horror? -- and this concert only furthers that perception, as artists with genuine political convictions (System of a Down, M.I.A. and, shit, even the horrifyingly-fascist-but-musically-great Montgomery Gentry) are kept just offstage so as not to offend. But the Western world should be offended by its complete ambivalence toward Africa and all developing nations. And if Geldof and the rest aren't willing to admit that, how much can this concert really accomplish?
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