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TOKYO: Thousands of fans packed arenas in Sydney and Tokyo on Saturday as the first all-day music concerts to raise awareness about climate change kicked off around the globe.
Rock stars urged thronging crowds in Tokyo to join the fight against climate change while in Sydney former US vice-president Al Gore said they were part of a global movement to solve the crisis.
"Thank you for coming today and thank you for being the very first to launch this movement to help solve the climate crisis," said Gore, one of the backers of the concerts, in a video message from Washington. "Enjoy the show."
Sydney's Live Earth concert is the first in a wave of events to be staged in nine major cities around the world highlighting the potentially dire consequences of continued greenhouse gas pollution.
Some of the biggest names in the music world have committed to performing in Live Earth concerts in Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hamburg, London, Johannesburg, New York, Washington and Rio de Janeiro which are expected to attract an audience of two billion people.
Performers will include Madonna, The Police, Keith Urban, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lenny Kravitz.
The event will stretch across seven continents with an amateur band playing at the British Antarctic Survey Station in Antarctica.
Hours after the Sydney show started, more than 10,000 fans packed the main arena at Tokyo's Makuhari Messe complex to hear indie giants Linkin Park, R&B diva Rihanna and a multitude of Japanese artists.
"We now hear a lot about global warming. This is really everyone's business," Japanese pop star Ayaka told the crowd.
"There are many things we can do. I want everybody to take action."
Some fans conceded, however, that they were more interested in the music than the message.
"I came here for Linkin Park and Linkin Park only," said Masato Nakajima.
"But I think this is a good event. If Linkin Park tells me to go eco-friendly, I will do it. Absolutely," he added.
A separate smaller concert is being staged in the Japanese city of Kyoto.
The Sydney show, which will be headlined by Crowded House, opened with a troupe of Aboriginal performers dancing and playing didgeridoos.
Little-known local outfit Blue King Brown were the first band of the day, bringing their Latin and African-influenced music to a swelling crowd out at Aussie Stadium to enjoy the open-air event in perfect conditions.
Australian politician and former rock star Peter Garrett urged concertgoers to push their governments for better controls on pollution.
"Your voice matters, make it heard," said the former Midnight Oil frontman in a pre-recorded message.
Organisers of Live Earth hope that by spreading their message about harmful carbon emissions, they will be able to save the planet from the ravages of climate change.
In addressing the Sydney concert, Gore urged people to take a seven-point pledge designed to change behaviour and put pressure on political leaders in every country.
The pledge urges people to take personal action to reduce their carbon pollution, fight against the building of new coal burning facilities, plant trees and to support the expansion of renewable energy sources.
It also asks that they demand their government join an international treaty within two years to reduce global warming pollution by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to benefit from a healthier earth.
Campaigners argue that if nothing is done to stop the build-up of greenhouses gases such as carbon dioxide which trap heat in the atmosphere, the consequences could prove disastrous.
Live Earth will feature some 7,000 events in 129 countries but it has not been without problems.
A concert due to be held in Istanbul was called off due to security concerns while the Rio event was nearly stopped by a judge who feared for the safety of the 700,000 expected to attend the free concert in Copacabana.
Criticism of the event has also emerged, with some charging that many jet-setting rock stars had only added to global warming.
Ahead of Sydney's carbon-neutral event, Crowded House singer Neil Finn acknowledged the impact that touring musicians have had on the planet.
"It's a motivation for us as well to improve our personal record," he said.
- AFP/so
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