Live Earth
Live Earth was an event developed to increase environmental awareness through entertainment.
Live Earth
7 July 2007
Sydney, Johannesburg, New Jersey, Rio de Janeiro, Antarctica, Tokyo, Kyoto, Shanghai, London, Hamburg, Washington, D.C., and Rome
2007
Background[edit]
Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action. Live Earth seeks to leverage the power of entertainment through integrated events, media, and the live experience to ignite a global movement aimed at solving the most critical environmental issues of our time.[1]
Live Earth India 2008[edit]
The 2nd Live Earth concert was scheduled for 7 December 2008 at the Andheri Sports Complex on Veera Desai Road in Andheri West, Mumbai, India and was managed by Kevin Wall who, after a request from former U. S. Vice President Al Gore, planned to have the entire event take place in India.[3][4] In September 2008 Reuters stated that, "the December event will see U.S. rocker Jon Bon Jovi and Bollywood's biggest superstar, Amitabh Bachchan share the stage, and is described by organisers as one of the biggest events held in India."[3] Shekhar Kapur, Nobel laureate Rajendra Pachauri, Abhishek Bachchan, and Aishwarya Rai also planned to star in the event.[4] Additional acts included Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy,[5] Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta,[6] Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, will.i.am, Hard Kaur, and Anoushka Shankar.[6] Palash Sen stated that his band, Euphoria, was scheduled to launch a song written for the concert on the topic of global warming.[7]
Live Earth would have been broadcast by STAR TV (Asia), which works in conjunction with the STAR Plus channel (United Kingdom, Middle East) and the Star World Channel. MSN was "the exclusive global broadband partner for Live Earth India."[8]
The concert was cancelled shortly after the November 2008 Mumbai attacks on 26 November 2008. Wall, Gore, and Pachauri stated in a joint press release that, "due to circumstances far beyond our control, we are saddened to announce that Live Earth India has been cancelled. We will continue to work for solutions to the climate crisis for the good of the people of India and around the world. But for now, our thoughts and our prayers are with the victims of this terrible attack, with the bereaved, with the people of Mumbai and with everyone in India."[9][10] Some argued against the cancellation stating that "music could have helped fear-hardened Mumbai to ride the storm."[11] Jethro Tull and Anoushka Shankar, who also cancelled their 29 November Mumbai concert[12] after the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, reorganized the performance as A Billion Hands Concert, a benefit performance for victims of the attacks, and held it in Mumbai on 5 December 2008.[13]