Photos (including cover) by Wayne Herrschaft
Billed as “The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis,” Live Earth became the biggest concert event in history with seven concerts being held on seven continents across the globe, held on July 7, 2007 (7/7/07), all with the common message of alerting the world that we must pull together to help save our environment from a global climate crisis. The concerts mark the beginning of a multi-year campaign led by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Chair of the Alliance for Climate Protection, to take action to solve global warming. The concerts, featuring more than 40 artists, were held at Giants Stadium in New Jersey, Wembley Stadium in London, Aussie Stadium in Sydney, Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg, Makuhari Messe in Tokyo, the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai, and HSH Nordbank Arena in Hamburg.
Here on U.S. soil at Giants Stadium, Live Earth featured K.T. Tunstall, Taking Back Sunday, Keith Urban, Ludacris, AFI, Fall Out Boy, Akon, John Mayer, Melissa Etheridge, Alicia Keys, Dave Matthews Band, Kelly Clarkson, Kayne West, Bon Jovi, Smashing Pumpkins, The Roger Waters, and The Police. Running from 2:30 pm to 10:30 pm, the concert flowed smoothly as most acts performed a half-hour set with a revolving stage that avoided long set up breaks. In between acts, large screens showed songs from artists such as Duran Duran, Madonna, Beastie Boys, Lenny Kravitz, and more from the other Live Earth concerts from around the globe. Actors Kevin Bacon, Cameron Diaz, Alec Baldwin, Zack Braff, Rosario Dawson, and Leonardo DiCaprio along with football star Dhani Jones, model Petra Nemcova, and politicians such as Al Gore and Robert Kennedy Jr. introduced various acts while providing educational information about how to stay “green” by using alternative energy sources and recycling waste. In fact, Giants Stadium recycled all products from the concession stands and composted all the organic waste.
Throughout the concert via commercials on the screen, a scroll across the stage, and verbal rants from celebrities, the message was delivered to the crowd that measures must be taken to preserve planet earth’s environment. Suggestions were made such as looking into purchasing a hybrid car, recycling all plastic and paper products, walking, biking, carpooling, or using public transportation to travel as often as possible, eating less meat, and powering down or turning off computers, radios, lights and TVs when they are not being used, to name a few.
“Today we are two billion strong and I ask you – are you ready to answer the call? Become part of the solution,” said Kevin Bacon, kicking off the show. “Today we are calling upon the unique power of music to spread light and truth.”
K.T. Tunstall got the crowd going with her hits “Black Horse & The Cherry Tree” and “Suddenly I See” as she possessed an upbeat attitude that kept many in the crowd baking in the sun happy.
Long Island’s own Taking Back Sunday brought the energy up as they performed songs from their latest record, Louder Now, such as “What’s It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?” “Liar (It Takes One to Know One),” and “Make Damn Sure.” They suffered with sound problems, but they delivered a good show.
Keith Urban surprised the crowd as he played an electrifying cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” with Alicia Keys, followed by his singles “Stupid Boy” and “I Told You So.” Ludracris pumped up the audience with “What’s Ur Fantasy” and “Get Out The Way” while AFI killed with “The Missing Frame,” “Love Like Winter,” “Miss Murder,” and a cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust.” Fall Out Boy rocked the house with “Sugar, We’re Going Down” and “Thanks For The Memories” and Akon kept the party going with his smash “Smack That.”
As the sun began to lower, John Mayer hit the stage with a set of all new material from his latest album, Continuum. A consummate musician, Mayer was as smooth as silk playing “Belief,” “Vultures,” and “Gravity” before launching into his new anthem, “Waiting For The World To Change.” The growth Mayer has gone through as a performer is vast, proving that he will have a long career.
Melissa Etheridge won an Academy Award this year for her song “I Need To Wake Up” from Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth, and it seems that it has gone to her head. She hardly sang but rather preached her way through two new politically charged songs, “Imagine That” and “What Happens Tomorrow” plus the aforementioned tune. Etheridge said, “America, what happened to us? I remember when our democracy was sacred. I remember when people in this country would protest an unjust war. I remember we stood up when our president was a criminal – we didn’t tolerate it.
I remember hearing about global warming in eighth grade and thinking, ‘I know somebody is going to take care of that.’ What happened to us? We need to wake up on Monday and shout – enough!” While her passion is admired, she’s losing credibility as a musician as she’s becoming more known as an advocate for breast cancer, lesbianism, and the environment. Her messages are good and her drive is admirable, but she appears to be losing her focus.
Gore took the stage asking people to jointly make a pledge with him to take action against the climate crisis by demanding from our government an international treaty to reduce greenhouse emissions as well as taking steps at home such as changing their light bulbs to CFLs, using energy efficient electronics, and planting trees.
Alicia Keys exploded with “Mercy Mercy Me” and “If I Ain’t
Got You,” while The Dave Matthews Band jammed away on “Don’t
Drink The Water” and “Too Much.” Despite current bad press,
Kelly Clarkson performed like a little powerhouse, belting out fan faves “Walk
Away” and “Since You Been Gone” as well as introducing new
songs “How I Feel,” “Never Again,” and “Sober.”
Kanye West upped the anty with “Gold Digger” and “All Falls
Down.”
The highlight of the show was when hometown heroes Bon Jovi took the stage.
The entire stadium was on its feet as the Jersey boys performed a skyrocketing
set that began with the title track of their new album, Lost Highway, followed
by “It’s My Life.” “This is my house,” said
lead singer Jon Bon Jovi proudly. “Please rise for our national anthem.”
The band went directly into “Wanted Dead Or Alive” plus “Who
Says You Can’t Go Home” and “Livin’ On A Prayer.”
Holding his heart, Bon Jovi was overwhelmed by the reception.
The Smashing Pumpkins brought the energy way down with a poor set containing “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” and the new tune “Tarantula.” However, Roger Waters made up for it with a tremendous performance of Pink Floyd classics “Money,” “Us & Them,” and “Brain Damage,” complete with a flying pig. But it was “Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2” that sent everybody into the stratosphere.
The Police closed the show with a tight set featuring the classics “Driven To Tears,” “Roxanne,” and “Can’t Stand Losing You.” Sting (vocals/bass), Stewart Copeland (drums), and Andy Summers (guitar) turned the clock back to the early 80s and the audience ate it up. For the final song of the concert, they performed the perfect number, “Message In A Bottle” containing the phrase “I’ll send an S.O.S. to the world” which coincided with Gore’s mission to send an S.O.S. to save our planet. Mayer and West joined them on stage for extra star power as their message was driven home like an exclamation point at the end of a sentence.
