Robbie in talks to headline Live8 at Murrayfield

Quoted from: http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk

´ROBBIE WILLIAMS and Bono are in talks with Live8 promoters about headlining the Murrayfield concert on July 6. The former Take That star and the U2 frontman are already playing Live8 at London's Hyde Park on July 2 – but they want to join Texas, Travis, Annie Lennox and Sugababes at Scotland's own anti-poverty concert at the Edinburgh stadium. A source at the organisers said today Williams and Bono were keen to be at the forefront of the Scots rock festival because "the political message will be louder in Scotland". He added: "Robbie is trying to move his schedule around because he does have another appearance on July 6. "Bono is very keen too, and although U2 are on tour they don't have a gig on that date, so it's looking hopeful. "We could get a solo performance from Bono. We don't know yet, it's too early to say. "Both Bono and Robbie are very, very serious in their commitment to the campaign to end poverty in Africa." It's believed Bono could be planning a high-profile visit to Gleneagles to deliver a message to leaders of the G8 summit, which opens on July 6. The scramble for tickets to the Murrayfield gig began at 8am today. The 42,000 pairs of tickets to the star-studded gig are up for grabs in a text lottery. Ronan Keating, McFly, Snow Patrol, Dido and African artists from Peter Gabriel's Womad will also perform at the massive event. Promoters confirmed today that comedians Lenny Henry and Peter Kay will host the concert, being organised by Scots rocker Midge Ure and Bob Geldof. The gig will be the climax of Geldof's Long Walk to Justice march on Edinburgh for a massive anti-poverty protest. There is no limit to the number of times people can enter the text lottery, but calls cost £1.50 and competitors must be 16 or over. A computer will randomly select 42,000 winners to receive a pair of tickets from among those who give the correct answer to a simple question. Live8 promoters expect a huge response to the lottery for the gig, which is being called "Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push". The figure is a reference to the number of people who die of poverty every day, said anti-poverty campaigner Richard Curtis. The Love Actually director said: "50,000 people are dying of extreme poverty each day, and the crowd at Murrayfield represents Edinburgh, which represents the world, asking the eight men in one room at Gleneagles to begin, at last, to make poverty history." Geldof echoed Curtis' call and urged: "Join us at Murrayfield for the Final Push." All the money from the text competition will go towards funding the event, with any surplus going to an African schools building programme.´