There are plenty of top-selling African artists with plenty to say on the fate of their continent. So why have they all been sent to Cornwall while that well-known development diva Mariah Carey will take to the stage in Hyde Park? Is Live 8 a whitewash, asks Brian Boyd
The nine Live 8 shows taking place in three different continents tomorrow are designed to draw attention to and support Africa - except, it seems, its musicians. The line-up for the showcase London Hyde Park gig has already been described as "hideously white" while World Music DJ Andy Kershaw and Blur frontman Damon Albarn have both severely criticised Bob Geldof for his selection of acts.
As with 1985's Live Aid concerts, the organisers have clearly gone down the "never mind the quality of their music, feel the width of their record sales" route. Geldof has said that he only picked "megastars that pack stadiums around the world" - which is fair enough, except that doesn't explain the Live 8 appearances of such not-even-stars-never-mind-megastars as Die Toten Hosen, Kyo, Bap and Yannick Noah (when last heard of, he was a professional tennis player). The above take the place of big-selling and acclaimed African artists such as Salif Keita, Tinariwen, Kekele, Baaba Maal and Thomas Mapfumo.
There's also been a few raised eyebrows about the inclusion of Elton John (albeit live from Dublin) - a megastar, yes, but someone whose annual spend on flowers alone could keep alive a few thousand people. Similarly Geldof's repeated calls for the Pope to attend one of the Live 8 shows strikes many as strange. This is a man who refuses to sanction the use of contraceptives to stop the spreads of Aids - which is one of the main reasons Live 8 is being held in the first place. It's like inviting a torturer to an Amnesty International gig.
If the message of Live 8 is "Don't Neglect Africa", they're off to an inauspicious start. There is no African act playing the Hyde Park show.
"It was the same problem at Live Aid 20 years ago when black artists were backing singers to other acts," says Justin Onyeka, the entertainment editor of Britain's New Nation newspaper. Damon Albarn says that the line-up is like "holding a party on behalf of people and then shutting the door on them when they arrive . . . It perpetuates the idea that Africa is a failing, ill place". Baaba Maal, writing last week, said: "I do feel it's very patronising as an African artist that more of us aren't involved. If African artists aren't given a chance, how are they going to sell records and take the message back to Africa?". As a Grammy nominee, Maal is more qualified to appear at Live 8 than a significant number of confirmed acts.
In response to the criticism about the lack of African artists appearing at Live 8, Bob Geldof enlisted the help of Peter Gabriel to organise a special July 2nd show at the Eden Project in Cornwall to be called "Africa Calling". The line-up includes (finally) Salif Keita, Thomas Mapfumo and Tinariwen. DJ Andy Kershaw reacted furiously to this Africans-only concert, saying last week: "Geldof's arrogance is breathtaking. First, he dismisses the idea of having Africans on the bill since, supposedly, they are not big enough draws. Now, outrageously, he is planning to corral the African musicians into Cornwall rather than allow them to appear on the same stage, on equal terms, with their European and American counterparts. And I thought apartheid was dead."
While the whole idea of the Live 8 shows was specifically to pressurise the leaders of the G8 countries (hence there being almost one show in each G8 country), what it really amounts to is the Hyde Park show plus eight supporting shows. The London line-up is superb: you have the mega-acts (U2, Coldplay); a Beatle (Paul McCartney); fashionable indies (The Killers, Razorlight, The Cure) and The Massive Band Reforming Specially (Pink Floyd). But you also have the hasn't-done-anything-in-years Annie Lennox; the very out-of-place Snoop Dogg, the who-cares? Velvet Revolver, the boring-and-worthy Sting and the pain-in-the-arse Mariah Carey. Hyde Park also has Madonna, which is nice, because what Africa really needs is a past-it star doing her yoga routine on stage surrounded by camp dancers. It should make all the difference to the continent.
By the way, if you want to make some easy money, go into a bookies and place money that Mariah Carey will be the first act to start blubbing on the day (I've €50 on her at 3 to 1). It all puts the argument about the lack of African artists on the bill into sharp relief. Senegal's Baaba Maal (who is even more famous in his homeland than his compatriot Patrick Vieira) is an eloquent and informed voice on Africa's struggles with famine, debt relief and Aids.
The US line-up is almost as bad as the Philadelphia line-up for Live Aid. Apart from Stevie Wonder, there are a number of big-only-in-America acts such as The Dave Matthews Band, Rob Thomas and Keith Urban. And what Leeds' Kaiser Chiefs are doing on the bill is anyone's guess (they're a great band but shoving them in between Bon bloody Jovi and Maroon 5 isn't doing anyone any favours).
The other Live 8 concerts seem to have gone for the "One Big Name and loads of people no one has heard of" model. Paris has Jamiroquai and a host of acts even worse than him. Berlin was looking at A-Ha headlining until Brian Wilson stepped in and their line-up (which mysteriously includes Chris de Burgh) has received a very significant boost from the last-minute addition of Green Day. Poor Rome is lumbered with Duran Duran and someone/something called Nek, while Ontario really shouldn't bother given that all they can offer is Bryan Adams, Deep Purple and (by satellite!) Celine Dion.
The Edinburgh show is clearly designed to torture the G8 leaders into submission given that it features both of the Bedingfields (Daniel and Natasha - who make Donny 'n' Marie sound like Mötley Crüe), The Corrs, Jamie Cullum and McFly. Raising awareness about Africa? Can we start with raising awareness about hideously crap music?
In contrast to Live Aid, when most record companies actively warned their artists off playing the event, the record companies are flinging their artists at the Live 8 concerts (with begging notes attached) - hoping a few will stick. Following the Wembley and Philadelphia concerts of 20 years ago, most acts showed a huge increase in their record sales over the following weeks.
Damon Albarn, speaking total sense for the one of the first times in his life, says that all the relevant record companies should donate a portion of the sales boost the Live 8 shows will give their artists. "If the acts play well on the day, they will enjoy increased record sales. Donate the profits. This would show that this is an altruistic act and there is no self-gain in it," he said. Over to you caring rock stars.
