Box Of Delights

Watching Live 8 on television is a mixed blessing. On the plus side, the ‘global village’ aspect of the event is maximised, as the coverage hops from country-to-country, taking in the full range of music available. On the minus side, you cannot soak up the atmosphere in quite the same way, when watching from the comfort of your living room.

RTE and BBC took very different approaches to the event. The UK channel concentrated primarily on the Hyde Park concert, filling gaps between performances with artist interviews, studio banter and crowd reaction. As such, the presenters (Jonathan Ross, Jo Whiley and Ferne Cotton) were on-screen for large stretches of the event. Not so Dave Fanning on RTE.
His presence came mostly in the form of brief voice-overs, as the Irish terrestrial channel delivered more extensive footage from the various Live 8 gigs around the globe. RTE tended to let the music and performances do the talking.
BBC's coverage allowed you to experience the atmosphere at the Hyde Concert building, and had a greater feeling of continuity. RTE offered a chance to experience the international flavour of the event, as the viewer was transported from Berlin to Paris to Philadelphia (among other destinations) in quick succession.
Neither channel really communicated effectively about the politics of poverty or the issues that really matter in Africa. Which was a shame because the opportunity was there.
U2 and Coldplay got things off to a strong start, but it was Elton John who pointed the way for the performers that followed. He demonstrated that the best way to grab an audience’s attention and hold it for 10 to 15 minutes is to concentrate on the glammier, more up-beat aspects of your repertoire.
Elton even managed to squeeze in an endearingly shambolic guest appearance from Pete Doherty.
There were plenty of highlights to follow. Time limitations helped REM to make an impact, as they ignored their more ponderous recent material, and went straight for the jugular. Snoop Dogg brought a sense of playfulness to the event, moving stylishly through a brief resumé of his finest pop moments. The Scissor Sisters and Robbie Williams were undoubtedly the biggest crowd-pleasers, though: there was no channel-surfing during their brash, energetic sets.
If the Hyde Park gig dragged in places, there were some good performances from around the globe to enjoy. Green Day’s energetic turn went down a storm in Berlin, while the Johannesburg concert provided a sense of colour and local charm that was absent elsewhere.
Some performances may even have benefited from being viewed on television. Pink Floyd’s mesmerising Hyde Park set, and Brian Wilson’s luxurious suite of summer-pop in Philadelphia, were best consumed in home comfort, rather than in the midst of a large throng of people.
All told, Live 8 offered a feast of passionate, energetic live music for viewers around the globe. Now, when can we expect the DVD?