October 15, 2007
By Ndaba Dlamini
THE first group of international musicians - including British rock and world music star Peter Gabriel - has confirmed participation in the 46664 concert to be held in Johannesburg on 1 December.
This follows an announcement by Nelson Mandela, the patron of the 46664 initiative, earlier this month that the concert would be held in the city for the first time since the HIV/Aids awareness campaign began five years ago.
Supported by the City of Johannesburg, SABC and 94.7 Highveld Stereo, the concert will take place at the 50 000-seater Ellis Park Stadium on World Aids Day.
Gabriel will be joined by a fellow founding ambassador of 46664, Annie Lennox, rapper Ludacris, the multi-platinum selling Goo Goo Dolls, Grammy nominee Corinne Bailey Rae, British R&B singer Jamelia and rock band Razorlight.
Announcing the venue for this year's 46664 concert: Nelson Mandela with Joburg's Executive Mayor, Amos Masondo
(Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
More international and local performers are expected to be included when Mandela announces the final line up on 29 October. Involved from day one when the first 46664 concert took place in Cape Town in November 2003, Gabriel has earned himself a worldwide reputation for his innovative work as a musician, writer and video maker.
He co-founded the group Genesis, which he left in 1975; since then his albums, live performances and videos have won him a succession of awards. In 1980 he founded Womad (World of Music, Arts and Dance) with a group of like-minded people. In a series of international festivals, starting in 1982, Womad has brought together traditional and modern music, arts and dance from every corner of the globe.
Gabriel has been involved in a wide spectrum of human rights and environmental issues. His song Biko was the first pop song to talk about the effects of apartheid, and in 1988 and 1990 he was involved in the Nelson Mandela concerts at Wembley. In 1988 he worked with Amnesty International to set up the Human Rights Now! tour, and toured many countries with Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Tracey Chapman and Youssou N'Dour.
In June 2005, when Mandela took his message to the Arctic Circle with a historic concert in Tromso, Norway, Gabriel personally introduced Mandela on stage with the now famous line, "From the pain comes the suffering, from the suffering comes the dream, from the dream comes the vision, from the vision comes the people, from the people comes the power, from the power comes the change, but if the world could only have one father, the man we would want to be our father is Madiba, Mr Nelson Mandela."
Lennox also performed at the first 46664 concert in Cape Town. She has since said that her meeting with Mandela at the concert changed her life, leading her to devote her time to fighting HIV/Aids and social injustices. Her forthcoming album, Songs of Mass Destruction, is a result of her determination to spread the message that the fight against Aids needs to be sustained.
In a further response to the HIV/Aids crisis, Lennox has created a unique musical project entitled SING, which focuses mainly on women's and children's issues. For SING's first recording, Lennox was joined by The Choir of 23, an extraordinary line up of internationally celebrated female recording artists that included Madonna, Celine Dion, Anjelique Kidjo, Gladys Knight and Shakira.
Bailey Rae said she was honoured to be part of the 46664 concert.
"Nelson Mandela is someone whom I have admired since I was a child. His application of forgiveness and justice are an example to the world and I hope the concert will go a long way to raising awareness about HIV/Aids."
Nominated for three Grammy Awards this year, Bailey Rae has collaborated with singers like John Legend and John Mayer.
The 2007 Grammy Award winner for best rap album, Ludacris, said it was a "shame" that after all these years, people still had to raise awareness of a disease that continued to infiltrate communities, countries and families.
"But I am proud to be able to stand by Nelson Mandela, a man of dignity, power, strength and change and one who always leads by example. I hope this concert will be another stepping stone to finding a cure," he said.
Like the previous 46664 concerts, the Johannesburg outing is likely to showcase many unique collaborations, which have become a 46664 concert trademark. At previous concerts, Lennox has performed with Youssou N'Dour, Beyonce with U2's Bono, Anastacia with Queen, and Gabriel with Yusuf Islam.
Tickets for the 46664 concert are available at Computicket and range from R150 to R450.
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