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Quo, Rod Stewart to the rescue for Diana concert
Quo, Rod Stewart to the rescue for Diana concert
Friday April 27, 2007
Status Quo and Rod Stewart rode to the rescue of the Diana memorial concert as the latest performers were announced Thursday, following fears that the big acts had been hoovered up by Live Earth.
Organisers had fretted that the giant July 1 concert at London's new Wembley Stadium to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, would be usurped by the Live Earth event at the 90,000-seater venue a week later.
Last weekend the only confirmed big-name act was Elton John, joined by others including Australian 1980s pop heart-throb Jason Donovan and 1970s American entertainer Donny Osmond.
But eight new acts including British rock legends Status Quo and gravel-throated singer Rod Stewart have since confirmed they will perform at the memorial gig.
The veteran acts are joined by US rapper Kanye West, British singers James Morrison, Natasha Bedingfield and Lily Allen, US rock band Orson and British pop act The Feeling.
The first round of tickets for the charity "Concert for Diana" sold out in 17 minutes and another 10,000 go on sale Friday.
"Prince William and Prince Harry have asked me to say how incredibly grateful they are to the people who bought tickets and the artists who so kindly are going to perform, and the broadcasters who have showed such an interest in their celebrations of their mother," said a spokesman.
Status Quo memorably got the huge 1985 Live Aid concert off to a rocking start.
As well as Sir Elton -- who played at Diana's 1997 funeral -- previously announced acts for the concert on what would have been Diana's 46th birthday include her favourite band Duran Duran.
British singers Bryan Ferry and Joss Stone and US rapper Pharrell Williams will appear, while composer Andrew Lloyd Webber will stage a medley of songs from his musicals and the English National Ballet will perform.
Diana married Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, in 1981 and was a hugely popular member of Britain's royal family. The couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996.
Diana was killed in a Paris car crash in August 1997 along with her boyfriend Dodi Fayed and his chauffeur Henri Paul.
AFP
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