Live 8 has officially added a concert in Canada, set for Park Place in Barrie, Ontario, on July 2nd. The show, hosted by native comedians Dan Aykroyd and Tom Green, features Canadian rockers Simple Plan, Bryan Adams and the Barenaked Ladies, as well as American hard rockers Motley Crue and British vets Deep Purple. A performance by Canada's Number One diva, Celine Dion, will be broadcast live from Las Vegas.
"I'm thrilled with the outpouring of support from the artistic community," said Michael Cohl, longtime Rolling Stones tour promoter, who is serving as Canada's Live 8 concert producer. "It promises to be a great show, but we have to remember that we're coming together to urge the government to cancel the debt and improve aid and trade." Other native acts set for Barrie include Tegan and Sara, Our Lady Peace, Gordon Lightfoot and the Tragically Hip.
In addition, the previously announced Paris concert has been moved from the Eiffel Tower to the Versailles Palace, with Sheryl Crow, Shakira and the Cure joining a lineup that includes Jamiroquai and Manu Chao.
Bob Geldof, the man behind 1985's Live Aid, organized the series of performances around the world to pressure world leaders at the July 6th G8 Africa Summit to take action to eliminate world poverty. Highlights from Live 8's July 2nd events include Coldplay, Elton John, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Snoop Dogg, Sting and the Who at London's Hyde Park; Crosby, Stills and Nash, Brian Wilson, Lauryn Hill and Green Day at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate; Duran Duran, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw at Rome's Circus Maximus; Dave Matthews Band, Destiny's Child, Jay-Z, Linkin Park, Maroon 5, P. Diddy and Stevie Wonder at Philadelphia's Museum of Art.
Last week, Geldof announced the addition of Africa Calling, a concert exclusively featuring African musicians, at the Eden Project Arena in Cornwall, England. Details have yet to be announced for additional concerts in Tokyo and Johannesburg.
Live 8 will be both televised (a U.S. network has yet to be determined) and Webcast on Crow, Crue Join Live 8.