The Foo Fighters founder and frontman Dave Grohl is looking good and his passion and stage presence during their set at Live Earth was infectious. Passion wouldn't be a word that I would use for some of the other acts that took to the stage before the Foo Fighters.

Technical difficulties were an issue. Bands were having problems with their sound on stage all day. Razorlight's Johnny Borrell couldn't hear anything through the monitors and when the Red Hot Chili Peppers played I thought we might get through a set without the sound drama. They sounded great and Flea was on fire, but after playing a couple songs, the Chili Peppers stopped to have what appeared to be a 'band meeting' on stage - at Live Earth in front of millions of people. At one point I could hear Anthony Kiedis say something about not being able to hear. I think after that they only had one more song to go.

Now I, as a singer, can understand sound problems on stage. I love to have a good mix in the monitors with some reverb coming back at me. But you know what? If I was playing only three songs with my band at Wembley Stadium - in front of millions (some say 2 billion) of people I think even I could handle not being able to hear and just play on like everything is okay. Especially since most acts only played two or three songs. As a viewer, I don't want the distraction of stage problems and complaining while trying to enjoy a band and their music, well then again...these things do tend to make good 'car crash TV'.

I'm sure the bands didn't want to upstage their set by complaining about the sound and even though bands should know better, the first thing the stage manager or event director should have told them before they went out on stage, was "don't mention the sound".

The reason I'm even bringing this up is because knowing that there were sound problems all day at the new Wembley Stadium, it was brilliant to see Dave Grohl just get on with things, with the passion and the attitude that all rock fans love to see - and he played like his life depended on it. The band sounded great, they were having fun and if Dave Grohl had any problems hearing there were no signs or nasty expressions coming from him. Drummer Taylor Hawkins also put on an incredible performance. Excellent set by the Foo Fighters.

Watch Foo Fighters - "Best Of You" video from Live Earth:

Tour dates could be added or changed! Go to the Foo Fighters Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

August 18 V Festival, Hylands Park Chelmsford, UK
August 19 V Festival Weston Park Staffordshire, UK
August 21 T On The Fringe: Meadowbank Sports Centre (Meadowbank Stadium) Edinburgh, Scotland
August 22 Marlay Park Dublin, Ireland

Foo Fighters Official Website
Foo Fighters on Myspace

By: Jenny May - Band Weblogs

Live Earth will probably be their biggest gig and as I look through their tour dates I see they'll be playing at Fenway Park in Boston for two nights - July 28th and 29th. I've been to Fenway Park to watch "my team" the Red Sox play (Wow, can that Dice-K pitch!). If you like the Red Sox and The Police, then that would be the show to go to - if tickets are still available.

Then again, from what I've been reading recently, there's been some speculation as to whether or not The Police will even finish their reunion tour. It seems band members Sting (Gordon Sumner) (vocals, bass), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums) have been a bit frosty at times on stage according to some not so great reviews of their live show.

Also, Sting's son Joe Sumner (his band Fiction Plane is supporting The Police) was quoted in the press regarding tensions in the band and now onlookers can only speculate all the more now that their MTV Unplugged recording has been postponed according to The Police website.

Who knows what will happen, maybe all of this is just hype. I'll be interested, though, to watch their set for Live Earth (on TV). I'll be looking out for any onstage antics as well as listening for those familiar songs, like "Walking on the Moon."

Watch The Police - "Walking on the Moon" video:

Dates could be added or changed! Go to The Police Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

July 5 2007 Wrigley Field Chicago, Illinois
July 6 2007 Wrigley Field Chicago, Illinois
July 7 2007 Giants Stadium [Live Earth] East Rutherford, New Jersey
July 10 2007 Dolphin Stadium Miami, Florida
July 11 2007 St. Petersburg Times Forum Tampa, Florida
July 14 2007 Churchill Downs Louisville, Kentucky
July 16 2007 Quicken Loans Arena Cleveland, Ohio
July 17 2007 Palace of Auburn Hills Detroit, Michigan
July 19 2007 Citizens Bank Park Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
July 20 2007 Hersheypark Stadium Hershey, Pennsylvania
July 22 2007 Air Canada Centre Toronto, Ontario
July 23 2007 Air Canada Centre Toronto, Ontario
July 25 2007 Bell Centre Montreal, Quebec
July 26 2007 Bell Centre Montreal, Quebec
July 28 2007 Fenway Park Boston, Massachusetts
July 29 2007 Fenway Park Boston, Massachusetts
July 31 2007 Rentschler Field Hartford, Connecticut
August 1 2007 Madison Square Garden New York, New York
August 3 2007 Madison Square Garden New York, New York
August 4 2007 Virgin Festival Baltimore, Maryland
August 5 2007 Giants Stadium East Rutherford, New Jersey
August 29 2007 Globe Arena Stockholm
August 30 2007 Globe Arena Stockholm
September 1 2007 Vestereng Aarhus
September 4 2007 National Indoor Arena Birmingham
September 5 2007 National Indoor Arena Birmingham
September 8 2007 Twickenham Stadium London
September 9 2007 Twickenham Stadium London
September 11 2007 AOL Arena Hamburg
September 13 2007 Amsterdam ArenA Amsterdam
September 14 2007 Amsterdam ArenA Amsterdam
September 16 2007 Geneva Stadium Geneva
September 19 2007 Stadthalle Vienna
September 22 2007 Olympiastadion Munich
September 25 2007 National Stadium Lisbon
September 27 2007 Olympic Stadium Barcelona
September 29 2007 Stade de France Paris
September 30 2007 Stade de France Paris
October 2 2007 Stadio Della Alpi Turin
October 6 2007 Croke Park Dublin
October 8 2007 Sportpaleis Antwerp
October 9 2007 Sportpaleis Antwerp
October 10 2007 SAP Arena Mannheim
October 13 2007 LTU Arena Dusseldorf
October 15 2007 MEN Arena Manchester
October 16 2007 MEN Arena Manchester
October 19 2007 Millenium Stadium Cardiff
October 31 2007 Madison Square Garden New York, New York
November 3 2007 Boardwalk Hall Atlantic City, New Jersey
November 8 2007 Air Canada Centre Toronto, Ontario

Sting
Stewart Copeland
Andy Summers

The Police Official Website
The Police on Myspace

Live Earth Information

By: Jenny May - Band Weblogs

Not a bad way to start out the summer, really. Rihanna is set to perform at the worldwide concert event Live Earth Tokyo, Japan at Makuhari Messe this Saturday, July 7th, 2007.

Rihanna will be singing on stage for what Live Earth organizers are calling the biggest concert event ever. Something tells me that as the reigning number 1, whatever Rihanna wants on Saturday, she's going to get it.

Watch Rihanna featuring Jay-Z - "Umbrella" video

Buy Rihanna - Umbrella on amazon.com.

Other acts set to perform for Live Earth Tokyo, Japan include: Abingdon Boys School, AI, AI Otsuka, Ayaka, Cocco, Genki Rockets, Kumi Koda, Linkin Park and Rize.

Live Earth on Band Weblogs

Watch Live Earth concerts - live broadcast on MSN

Rihanna Official Website
Rihanna on Myspace

By: Jenny May

The Live Earth Hamburg, Germany lineup is set to include: Chris Cornell, Enrique Iglesias, Jan Delay, Juli, Katie Melua, Lotto King Karl, Mana, Mando Diao, Maria Mena, MIA, Michael Mittermeier, Reamonn, Revolverheld, Roger Cicero, Samy Deluxe, Sasha, Shakira, Silbermond, Snoop Dogg, Stefan Gwildis and Yusuf.

Live Earth is a 24-hour, 7-continent worldwide concert event to raise awareness about climate change and to combat global warming. Over 2 billion people are expected to watch Live Earth.

More Live Earth locations, information and lineups on Band Weblogs:

Live Earth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Live Earth Tokyo, Japan
Live Earth Shanghai, China
Live Earth Antarctica
Live Earth South Africa
Live Earth Australia
Live Earth Giants Stadium, USA
Live Earth London, UK

Live Earth Hamburg, Germany on MSN

By: Jenny May - Band Weblogs

A special music event will be held at the To-Ji Buddhist Temple in Kyoto later in the day.

The lineup is scheduled to feature: Bonnie Pink, Michael Nyman, Rip Slyme, UA and Yellow Magic Orchestra.

Live Earth Japan on MSN

More Live Earth locations, lineups and information on Band Weblogs:

Live Earth Hamburg, Germany
Live Earth Brazil - Rio
Live Earth Shanghai, China
Live Earth Antarctica
Live Earth South Africa
Live Earth Australia
Live Earth Giants Stadium, USA
Live Earth London, UK

The whole Al Gore and the seven continents idea for the Live Earth concerts did concern me for awhile when Antarctica was thrown into the mix. With all of the controversy surrounding Live Earth as it is, the thought of Al Gore flying bands down to Antarctica for a Save the Earth campaign was a bit extreme to say the least. For awhile, things got quiet regarding Antarctica so I began to think that it just wasn't going to happen there.

Now it's been confirmed that Nunatak is set to play at the British Antarctic Survey's (BAS) Rothera Research Station, and that Nunatak is a house band made up of scientists that already reside in Antarctica. Good idea. Their performance will be viewed via a high-speed datalink. I think the only thing that did stop Al Gore from flying more people down there was that he physically can't make it happen. July is winter in Antarctica, and apparently no planes or boats can get in or out at that time.

Watch a sneak preview video of British Antarctic Survey's band, Nunatak, rehearsing for Live Earth:

I think that area of the world is precious and the fewer people that frivolously make the trek the better. On the other hand, that is one of the places in the world that I would love to go...hypocrital? Maybe if I stow away on some ship that's going there anyway for important reasons, then I won't be leaving a carbon footprint behind! It's not easy dampening our natural desires to explore. These are confusing times.

Nunatak band members are:

Matt Balmer - Electronics Engineer - Singer, Guitar
Tris Thorne - Communications Engineer - Fiddle
Ali (Alison) Massey - Marine Biologist - Saxophone
Rob Webster - Meteorologist - Drums
Roger Stilwell - Field General Assistant (polar guide) - Bass

I'm looking forward to hearing them!

Learn more about Nunatak - Live Earth and Rothera Research Station in Antarctica.

Live Earth on Band Weblogs:

Live Earth Hamburg, Germany
Live Earth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Live Earth Tokyo, Japan
Live Earth Shanghai, China
Live Earth South Africa
Live Earth Australia
Live Earth Giants Stadium, USA
Live Earth London, UK

By: Jenny May

The Live Earth Australia concert will also include live performances by acts Crowded House, Jack Johnson, Wolfmother, John Butler Trio, Eskimo Joe, Sneaky Sound System, Paul Kelly, Ghostwriters, Blue King Brown and Toni Collette and The Finish.

Based in Melbourne, Australia, Missy Higgins has had great success in her home country with both her debut album, The Sound of White and her second and most recent album, On a Clear Night released in April 2007. With Missy's upcoming appearance at Live Earth this will certainly help to introduce her and her music to more fans from around the world.

Watch Missy Higgins "Steer" video

By: Jenny May

"Hey You" was produced by Pharrell Williams and Madonna and was recorded in London. This is definitely a different sound for Madonna - a ballad with flavors of 60's/70's nostalgia with acoustic guitar and harmonies mixed in with modern effects that I'm sure were tweaked by Pharrell Williams. Sheryl Crow could sing "Hey You" with ease.

Watch the Madonna "Hey You" video

"MSN is pleased to offer this song in conjunction with Madonna and is proud to donate 25 cents for each of the first 1 million downloads to the Alliance for Climate Protection, in support of Live Earth."

Madonna will be one of headlining acts performing for Live Earth at Wembley Stadium in London on July 7th, 2007.

Get the free "Hey You" single by Madonna!

For more information go to:

Live Earth Hamburg, Germany
Live Earth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Live Earth Tokyo, Japan
Live Earth Shanghai, China
Live Earth Antarctica
Live Earth South Africa
Live Earth Australia
Live Earth Giants Stadium, USA
Live Earth London, UK

Official Live Earth Blog
Madonna Official Website

By: Jenny May