Live 8 rocks world, looks to leaders for change

Over a million people listened to rock and pop musicians at venues across four continents. More than 26 million people sent text messages to support Live 8.

They rocked the world in the largest live concert ever held. Now the stars of the Live 8 extravaganza are looking to leaders to respond by doing more to help the poor when they meet later in the week.

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The ability of people power to make a difference become clearer on July 8 when leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) wealthy industrialised nations end a three-day summit in Scotland where Africa will be high on the agenda.

"Mahatma Gandhi freed a continent, Martin Luther King freed a people, Nelson Mandela freed a country. It does work. They will listen," Live 8 organiser Bob Geldof said.

But initial reaction to the star-studded poverty awareness gigs was mixed.

While in Britain Sunday newspapers plastered Live 8 images on their front pages and hailed organiser Bob Geldof, editions in Africa, the continent Live 8 was designed to benefit most, paid little heed.

In the United States, the world's largest economy, performers acknowledged the difficulty Live 8 had in getting through to the American people. Television coverage was limited to cable channels and two hours of highlights on ABC.

British finance minister Gordon Brown, an advocate of debt relief, said public opinion had already helped to shape recent agreements on debt relief and aid. But adding a note of caution, he said empowering African people was a "lifetime's work".

"I think you've seen that ministers around the world have been affected by the strength of public opinion, churches, faith groups, and it does have an impact," Brown told BBC Television.

Pope Benedict, addressing crowds in St Peter's Square a day after Rome staged one of the Live 8 concerts, said he hoped the G8 summit would bring genuine and lasting relief to Africa.

Some commentators were unsure, however.

"Rock has carried Africa on to the world's front pages and television screens. Long live rock!" Italy's Corriere della Sera wrote. "But to imagine that rock and aid ... are enough to make Africa progress by as much as one step forward is a dream."

Over a million people listened to rock and pop musicians at venues across four continents on Saturday. More than 26 million people worldwide sent text messages on Saturday to support Live 8, setting a world record for a single event, organisers said.

They also had expected two billion people to tune in worldwide, using the Internet, television and radio, although no exact estimate has been provided.

In Edinburgh, near where the G8 meets, 200,000 people marched peacefully to back the Make Poverty History campaign.

"For God's sake, take this seriously. Don't behave normally. Don't look for compromises. Be great," a Live 8 statement said, addressing leaders.

In Britain, newspapers were unanimous in their praise for Live 8 and Geldof, who also pulled off the Live Aid sensation 20 years ago that raised more than $100 million for famine relief.

"A beautiful day," said the Independent on Sunday. "Is that loud enough for you?" asked the Sunday Times.

German publications also dedicated considerable space to the gig in Berlin that attracted 200,000 fans, and Italy's four main dailies highlighted the event on their front pages.

But in Johannesburg, only one newspaper carried Live 8 on its front page.

The concerts brought an unprecedented lineup of talent to 10 stages from Tokyo in the east to near Toronto in the west.

London's Hyde Park had the strongest cast, with Paul McCartney, Bono, Madonna, Elton John, Pink Floyd, The Who and George Michael entertaining 200,000 people.

The raucous crowd fell silent when Live 8 organiser Bob Geldof replayed Live Aid footage of dying Ethiopians. After freezing on the image of a girl on the verge of death, the same person, a now healthy Birhan Woldu, was introduced on stage.

Philadelphia's Live 8 attracted hundreds of thousands.

(Reporting by Reuters bureaux)