Live concert venue changed
2007-06-25 12:31
Johannesburg - The Live Earth Concert, a fundraising event to combat global warming, will be held at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate, not at Maropeng in the Cradle of Humankind Heritage Site as previously reported.
"The show is a massive global event and after much deliberation, a decision was taken to change the venue in order to accommodate critical logistical requirements," said Big Concert's John Langford on Monday.
He assured people who had already bought tickets for the July 7 event that the Maropeng tickets would be accepted at the Dome.
The show, which is expected to continue across seven continents, will feature South African artists such as accomplished guitarist, percussionist, composer and performer Vusi Mahlasela.
Zola, Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal
Kwaito star Zola, award-winning musician Danny-K, and the Grammy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir are some of the local talent expected to participate.
West African singer and composer Angelique Kidjo would also be among the artists performing for a good cause, Langford said.
Known for her diverse musical influences, eleven albums and a host of awards including Mobo, Kora and a Danish Music Award, Kidjo is expected to present audiences with the tribal and pop rhythms of West Africa.
Also performing African traditional sounds will be Senegalese musician Baaba Maal, with his innovative fusion of traditional music with elements of pop and reggae.
From Britain will come R&B and soul singer Joss Stone, as well as the reggae band UB40.
'Unify Africans on the global warming issue'
Supermodel, actress, singer and author Naomi Campbell is expected to address the Johannesburg concert.
She said in a statement that Live Earth "will not only unify Africans on the global warming issue, it will connect the crisis here with the rest of the world".
More than 150 of the world's top music acts are expected to perform on all seven continents, with concerts being held in Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Johannesburg, London, Hamburg, and Rio de Janeiro, before concluding in New York.
Former US vice president Al Gore said of the concert: "Live Earth is taking place across all seven continents because the climate crisis affects us all, and all of us must be a part of the solution."
The show is sponsored by car manufacturer Smart, Philips and Coca-Cola.
Tickets for the Johannesburg concert are available at www.computicket.com or the Computicket call centre 083 915 8000. They cost R250.
- SAPA