I've had similar thoughts. Basically, I wonder if it might even make the situation in Africa worse if the G8 leaders erase the debt (a resolution they seem to be leaning towards) because it rewards the corrupt dictators and encourages even more corruption. And I get kind of boiled when Bono and the Coldplay guy and Michael Stipe mount their high horses about how we have to do more (i.e. provide more money... ) and pretend that they are modern-day crusaders that can rally the ignorant masses to do some good. These people are musicians. They make their dimes playing music. And it seems to me more than a little futile to look at the trouble that Africa is in and say, "Hey, let's put on a concert!" as if that can do anything to solve the dark continent's many problems. In fairness to Bono, he's been out walking the walk in Africa for a while (as well as feeding his massive ego), but the Bob Geldorf method of staging a concert to raise money and/or awareness is, at best, wasteful and ill-conceived.
The Philly lineup was the least attractive of all the worldwide shows, in my opinion, so I didn't go. I went and saw Howl's Moving Castle instead.
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