From Radio 1's Newsbeat

1 July 2005

The massive Live 8 gigs are happening around the world tomorrow (Saturday) and we've got all the latest news in the run-up to it.

Organisers have confirmed that David Beckham, Ricky Gervais and the 'Little Britain' boys will all doing something at the London leg.

Some will be doing sketches and others will be there to introduce artists.

Sir Paul McCartney is closing the show, but as a lot of artists have to fly out to be at other gigs, they're not sure if there'll be a mass sing-along on stage as there was at the original Live Aid.

There are also no plans for Robbie to croon his anthem, Angels.

There'll be no alcohol on sale on site and there's a ban on people bringing any in - although the stars will be get some in the backstage hospitality.

The only duet confirmed so far is Dido and the African artist Youssou N'Dour and they're not just performing at Hyde Park - they'll fly on after to play Cornwall and on to Paris.

Destiny's Child are playing the Philadelphia leg and Beyonce says they wanted to get involved because they've seen the poverty for themselves:

"We've been a part of different charities, but this is something that is really special to us."

"I've been to Africa and so has Kelly, and we've seen the poverty and seen the children, and held the babies that are sick with Aids, and we've seen the orphanages - we've seen it with our own eyes."

"It's real but sometimes the people in America are so far away from it that they are out of touch."

"But everyone can help - we're happy to help and be a part of this historical event."

Beyonce feels so strongly about it that she, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West are going to put questions to Tony Blair on an MTV special tonight.

Eminem, Jay Z, Stevie Wonder and Bon Jovi are also playing the American gig which Will Smith is hosting.

The Kaiser Chiefs are one of two UK bands to performing in Philadelphia - they're flying the British flag along with Def Lappard.

Ricky, who hasn't realised that he's got some British support out there, says it's still too big a deal to sink in properly:

"We're the only British band playing in Philadelphia and we're playing alongside Snoop Dogg."

"It's weird isn't it?! We're an indie band from Leeds and a year ago we couldn't get ten people to come to our gigs and now we're playing to ten billion!"

"That's weird! It's too hard to actually comprehend."

"You get nervous when you do a gig in front of a hundred people that something as big as Live 8 is so unreal and so stupidly big that you think 'Crikey, that's a big deal!'."

The Stereophonics are flying in from Australia today just to be at Live 8, but singer Kelly says he's got absolutely no idea what to expect.

"These gigs are always chaos - it's like when I did that tsunami thing in January there was ten days to organise it and you think 'it's never going to happen!'."

"Then you get there, and it was like 65,000 people has got tickets in a day and it just all happens!"

"I don't know how it happens, all I do is turn up and sign three songs and go home again."

"I don't even know the full line-up to be honest."

Gary from Snow Patrol got everyone worried when he told us there was going to be a revolving stage.

However, we've found out only part of the stage will revolve so the drums can be set up - it's still got Joss Stone panicking though:

"Oh my God! I'm already worried about falling over - the stage will start moving and I'll be on my head!"

"

I'm already nervous but I'm just going to do what I usually do and sing - it's all I know how to do."

"I'm just there to make a little bit of noise and then bugger off!"

But it seems not everyone is as enthusiastic - there are reports in the paper that Oasis didn't want to do it.

However, that's not what Liam's told us yesterday - he said if they weren't in the middle of a tour, they'd love to have done it:

"I wish we were doing it but this is - and I don't really want to say it - but to some people the tour is more important, although for some people it isn't."

"But this is booked so we'll do the tour instead - if we weren't doing this we'd definitely be doing it."

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