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Posted: Friday, 06 July 2007 6:59PM
A Ninth Live Earth Concert Added
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TRENTON, NJ (AP) -- A ninth Live Earth concert was added Friday to the global series of shows highlighting climate change, whose worldwide lineup includes Madonna, Metallica, The Police and Kanye West.
Are you heading over to the Live Earth concert? Check out NJ Transit for your best route
 Country music stars Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood will headline a show in Washington on the National Mall, about two blocks from the U.S. Capitol. The biggest names will appear at Live Earth concerts in London and the United States, with more modest lineups of mostly local and regional acts in Australia, Japan, China, South Africa, Brazil and Germany.
Live Earth was inspired and is backed by former Vice President Al Gore's campaign to force global warming onto the international political agenda by generating a groundswell of public concern.
But critics say that it lacks achievable goals, and that bringing jet-setting rock stars in fuel-guzzling airliners to plug in to amplifier stacks and crank it up loud may send mixed messages about energy conservation.
``The last thing the planet needs is a rock concert,'' The Who's singer Roger Daltrey recently told a British newspaper.
Organizers say the concerts will be as green as possible, with a tally of energy use being kept. Proceeds from ticket sales will go toward distributing power-efficient light bulbs and other measures that will offset the shows' greenhouse gas emissions, they say.
``This is going to be the greenest event of its kind, ever,'' Gore told The Associated Press recently. ``The carbon offsets and the innovative practices that are being used to make this a green event, I think, will set the standard for years to come.''
More than 150 artists will perform at the eight concerts. Other venues are in Tokyo, Shanghai, Johannesburg and Hamburg. The New York venue is actually being held in East Rutherford, N.J.
There have been some organizational hiccups. A judge canceled the Brazil concert because of security concerns before reversing the decision just two days before the event, and lukewarm public interest caused a planned show in Istanbul, Turkey to be called off.
Promoter Michael Chugg said on Friday there were still plenty of tickets available for the Sydney show.
But organizers were predicting live broadcasts on cable television and the Internet could reach up to 2 billion people. Scores of short films and public service announcements will be aired giving the audience tips about how to conserve energy and reduce their environmental impact.
Rob Hirst, drummer for Midnight Oil and performing at Live Earth in his new band the Ghostwriters, said at the launch of the Sydney concert lineup that the traditional rock star lifestyle was not eco-friendly.
``Any of the musicians here who've spent 24-to-30 years roaming the globe on planes, trains and automobiles should have a mighty guilt complex about what they've done to the environment,'' Hirst was quoted as saying by local media.
``But it's not too late to change.''
Laid-back rocker Jack Johnson is the only international act in Sydney, which features the reformed 1980s pop group Crowded House as top billers.
The Tokyo concert, featuring artists including Ai Otsuka, Kumi Koda and Linkin Park, comes next, followed by the other cities. Madonna and the Black Eyed Peas feature in London, while Red Hot Chili Peppers and Alicia Keys are among acts in the United States.
When Saturday's Live Earth concerts bring focus to global warming, millions around the world will hear about Live Earth New York.
But try as one might, they will find no such show in New York.
It will be in New Jersey, and many here are tired of seeing the Empire State steal the Garden State's thunder, whether it be with pro football teams, an American Idol episode or Live Earth.
The show will take place in East Rutherford, across the Hudson River at the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which New Jersey built and manages.
State Sen. Paul Sarlo can picture it already - video beamed around the world Saturday of the Live Earth concert at Giants Stadium with the images described as being from New York.
``I'm really getting sick and tired of always having things in our backyard and having them always deem it a New York venue,'' said Sarlo, a Democrat whose district includes the Meadowlands complex.
This complaint is nothing new for New Jersey, which has lived in the shadows of New York and Philadelphia for so long that even Benjamin Franklin once remarked upon it, describing New Jersey as a ``keg tapped at both ends.''
New Jersey is home to three professional sports teams - the National Football League's Giants and Jets and Major League Soccer's Red Bulls - who all use the New York moniker. ``American Idol'' taped an episode at the Meadowlands that was billed as being from New York.
While Saturday's concert is meant to put focus on global warming, it's New Jersey - not New York - that has passed legislation to cut global warming gases and emissions.
``New Jersey never gets any respect,'' said Beth Mann, a Plumsted resident who pondered New Jersey's plight on Thursday.
A few lawmakers have tried demanding respect.
Assemblyman Richard Merkt introduced legislation to rename Giants Stadium after the Giants placed ``NY'' on their helmets. He wants a name that better reflects New Jersey, but his bill has never received consideration.
``It's no surprise that the concert at Giants Stadium is being billed as Live Earth New York because most New Jersey politicians have never had the guts to challenge the New York moniker draped all over the Meadowlands,'' said Merkt, a Morris County Republican.
``So long as New Jersey political leaders continue to accept New Jersey as being just a suburb of New York, can we blame the rest of the world for doing the same?'' Merkt asked.
But Sarlo said he's researching legislation to require Meadowlands events be billed as being from New Jersey.
"It's getting kind of old and it's getting kind of frustrating that these promoters always want to call it New York but they want to do it at our venue,'' he said.
Such is the case with Live Earth. From global news accounts to Live Earth's own Web site, Live Earth New Jersey is nowhere to be found. Unlike Live Earth New York.
``The New York metropolitan area spills over into Connecticut, New York and to New Jersey,'' said Live Earth spokesman Yusef K. Robb. ``We want to convey to people that this is a truly global event and New York is the city they recognize.''
The Live Earth concerts are backed by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, with Saturday's shows hoping to reach 2 billion people. Besides Giants Stadium, shows are scheduled for Hamburg, Istanbul, Johannesburg, London, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo.
Gore, who will attend the Live Earth concert at Giants Stadium, is scheduled to join New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine on Friday when Corzine signs New Jersey's global-warming bill. Corzine's office on Thursday declined to comment on New Jersey's lack of billing by Live Earth.
While it won't use the New Jersey name, Robb said Live Earth is grateful to the Garden State for hosting the concert after plans to locate the United States show in Washington, D.C. fizzled.
``New Jersey saved the day for Live Earth,'' he said.
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