Live 8 schedules three new concerts

Live 8 will host shows in Japan, Canada and South Africa in addition to the five major gigs.

Three Live 8 concerts will take place in Japan, Canada and South Africa on the same day as five other gigs in the anti-poverty campaign, organizer Bob Geldof said. The gigs in Tokyo and Toronto were chosen in part to pressure the Japanese and Canadian governments to give aid to Africa, Geldof said Thursday.

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"Three weeks ago Europe agreed, unbelievably, to double aid, throwing the ball back to the Yanks, the Japanese and the Canadians," the musician said in a speech at an event marking the 150th anniversary of University College Dublin.

"So that forced me now to do, which I didn't want to do, a concert in Tokyo, Toronto, which we are announcing tomorrow." Organisers said they will officially announce the new locations on Friday.

Geldof also said the concert in Johannesburg will be opened by former South African president Nelson Mandela, health permitting. Five other Live 8 concerts have been scheduled for the same date, July 2, in London, Paris, Rome, Berlin and Philadelphia. The shows share a common goal to increase awareness about poverty in Africa and persuade world leaders to assist the continent. The Live 8 concerts have also prompted the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) to postpone its Europe Platinum Award event, which had been scheduled for July 12 in Brussels, Belgium.

Francine Cunningham, senior communications executive for the IFPI in Brussels, said Thursday it would have been too difficult for some of the artists to attend the Live 8 concerts and the awards ceremony. She said a new date for the ceremony would be announced later.