Why Live Earth Sucked

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:11 am

[]Live Earth message lost in the fumes

Vinay Menon

Is anybody else feeling guilty about not feeling much of anything while watching the Live Earth concerts this weekend?

More than 150 musical acts spread out across the planet – London, New York, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hamburg – to help save us from environmental catastrophe and ... nothing?

Not one spark of inspiration during this 24-hour ecopalooza? Not one galvanizing moment during the exhaustive coverage? Not one rousing call to action during this tedious marathon of song and activism? ("Rousing" being the operative word.)

Organizers claim more than 2 billion people watched the concerts on television, the Internet and elsewhere, a number that will surely "trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis."

Really? How might this happen?

From watching Live Earth guru Al Gore raise his right hand and recite his seven-point pledge while encouraging us to do the same? From listening to Kevin Bacon ask if we're "ready to answer the call?" From watching a children's choir join Roger Waters on stage in T-shirts emblazoned with "2Gether We Stand?"

Here's another inconvenient truth: these concerts have become wretched clichÃ©s. We are getting inured to the world's most vexing problem by distracting celebrity activism.

Wow, the planet is falling apart. But, hey, it couldn't be that bad since Ludacris is now singing "Pimpin` All Over the World."

And what exactly did we learn between sets? That we should switch to energy-efficient lightbulbs? That we should check tire pressure to save gasoline? That we should unplug chargers when they're not charging?

Forgive me, but did we really need to burn a sickening amount of fossil fuel flying rock stars to every continent – to say nothing of the environmental toll created at each venue by local traffic and a spike in consumption – to impart such mundane wisdom?

As Bob Geldof, the force behind Live Aid and Live 8, said while dismissing Live Earth: "We are all f---ing conscious of global warming."

Or as The Who's Roger Daltrey told a British paper: "The last thing the planet needs is a rock concert."

(Organizers promised to use "carbon offsetting" – essentially, neutralizing the environmental burden you create by doing something positive, such as planting a tree. But isn't this a bit like buying somebody a hat after you've pulled out his hair?)

Maybe this grousing is a byproduct of Charity Concert Fatigue. Or maybe it's now impossible to ignore the hypocrisy of cultural luminaries who clearly do not practise what they preach from inside the energy-sucking confines of mansions and limos.

At the London concert, Madonna wrote and performed a new song ("Hey You"). Hey us? Right, like we're the ones hurtling across the skies in private jets.

"It's a bit patronizing for us 21-year-olds to try to start to change the world," Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders told Agence France-Presse, explaining why the band declined to be a part of Live Earth. "Especially when we're using enough power for 10 houses just for lighting. It'd be a bit hypocritical."

(You can tell a lot about a charity concert by the bands that are not on the bill. Where was Radiohead? U2? Coldplay?)

Instead, Live Earth was entrusted to musicians who, for the most part, seemed to be going through the motions, pulling cheap tricks out of charity-concert hats from yesteryear but producing none of the magic.

"Put all this energy in your heart and help us solve the climate crisis," Gore implored fans near the end of the New York concert.

I sincerely hope the world listens. But, somehow, it sounded like hot air.

minks · Post by **minks** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 7:22 am

Nope no bad feelings here we are a nation scorned by Al Gore that is good enough reason for me to not feel anything about it all.

Richard Bell · Post by **Richard Bell** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:47 am

"Rock stars... is there anything they don't know ?"

Homer J. Simpson

Bill Sikes · Post by **Bill Sikes** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:14 pm

RedGlitter;656263 wrote: []Live Earth message lost in the fumes

Live earth? What was that, then?

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:21 pm

Bill Sikes;656532 wrote: Live earth? What was that, then?

Exactly!

I remember in the 80s when Live Aid (We Are The World) was happening and how excited everyone was that we might could be of help. We were babies then. Now it's like we're jaded. I didn't watch Live Earth, didn't even care. I think Gore's a joke even. Me? Take instruction from him? Don't think so.

And I agree with previous sentiments that we all know about global warming, but do we need another concert for more awareness? It's not that we're not aware, it's that we don't care.

I'm not even sold that it's an issue. Good or bad, that's how it is for me.

mikeinie · Post by **mikeinie** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:42 pm

I am personally getting tired of having musicians tell me what to do and think and preaching sh1t while all they are interested in is their next number one hit.

Live Earth was a joke, what was the carbon footprint of that one day of energy use, people travelling to see the concert, TV’s on for the full day watching the concert?

WonderWendy3 · Post by **WonderWendy3** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 1:02 pm

I didn't even know it was on until we got home from Dinner and b/f turned it on...and watched about a half hour of it and ummm, yeah...NEXT....

I don't see how they can change the world by singing to us??? Maybe I'm simple minded...but those Rock Stars have more money than brains and to think I'm going to donate money just because Madonna is on stage singing....ha!

littlemissgiggle · Post by **littlemissgiggle** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 2:15 pm

Yeah exactly and how is given money going to help the earth anyway, i didn't watch any off it so not sure what they were wanting money for,

what will they be doing with they money received !!!

if they are just using it to plant more trees then hey!

i will go plant one in my back garden right now.

i know they talk about global warming but to me thats what the earth doe's naturally i mean in many years to come there will be another ice age and it will have the same cycle, its what makes our world

anyway i am not a scientist

so i don't really know but thats how i see it :-3

and yeah sure i will do my bit with recycling and walking and turning electrics off at the socket and stuff

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 2:15 pm

mikeinie;656558 wrote: I am personally getting tired of having musicians tell me what to do and think and preaching sh1t while all they are interested in is their next number one hit.

Live Earth was a joke, what was the carbon footprint of that one day of energy use, people travelling to see the concert, TV’s on for the full day watching the concert?

I dont think musicians are telling us what to do per say. Rather I think they are in a position to influence, cajole or persuade many. They have the platform and they use it. Hey...bravo as far as Im concerned. The message is much more productive than say lets gas all the Jews. Its a positive effort. Thats a good thing.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:07 am

magenta flame;657148 wrote: Well PETA stuck the proverbial foot in the door by stating That Live earth was hypocritical because they sold hot dogs and hamburgers. You're not enviromentally friendly if you eat meat.

Well there's truth in that because that meat was responsible for methane gas when it was alive, plus all the factors necessary to feed it.

JacksDad · Post by **JacksDad** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:43 pm

RedGlitter;657152 wrote: Well there's truth in that because that meat was responsible for methane gas when it was alive, plus all the factors necessary to feed it.

So if we kill the farting cows it IS environmentally friendly to eat burgers.

Bring on the steak and pass the A1 sauce!:D