Re:viewing 2005: Live 8
Updated on 21 December 2005
July concert acts as G8 prelude.
The Story
Live 8 became the de facto curtain-raiser to the G8 Summit where the world's leading economic powers would gather. Organiser Sir Bob Geldof wanted the 2 July concert to raise awareness - not money - for the 'Make Poverty History' campaign and put the plight of the third world firmly on the Gleneagles' agenda.
So, unlike Live Aid 20 years earlier, this wasn't about the 'f***ing money', at least not directly. But like the Wembley gig, it did attract some of the world's biggest stars - Coldplay, Madonna and U2 among them. Simultaneous concerts took place around the world, including venues in Philadelphia, Johannesburg and Rome.
The verdict on the subsequent summit - truncated by the London bombings - was mixed.
The Story within the story
Arts Correspondent Nicholas Glass covered Live 8 for Channel 4 News and was drawn as much to the events outside Hyde Park's perimeter fence as he was by the acts on stage.
Touts were doing a brisk trade, selling tickets to what was ostensibly a free concert at an infinite mark-up. One, sporting a baseball cap and clutching a handful of £20 notes, was working the crowd.
He spotted a likely buyer and moved in.
"How much did you sell it for?" he was asked before a policeman intervened, ushering him to the one side for a few questions of his own.
As it turned out, the punter - a Pink Floyd fan from Israel - had paid £200.
"How do you feel about paying so much?"
"I feel good,"
The Clip
>>Watch Live 8 report
The Links
>>G8 Special Report
