Andrea Corr and Bono perform at the Live 8 Finale in Edinburgh, Scotland Wednesday.
Photo: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

More than 50,000 people filed into Edinburgh, Scotland's Murrayfield Stadium on Wednesday for the last of Bob Geldof's momentous Live 8 concerts, organized behind a single global mission: to raise awareness and support for the various social and economic issues facing Africa.

The postscript to the 10 concerts staged in cities all over the world on Saturday (see "Jay-Z, U2, Madonna, Pink Floyd Deliver Live 8 Highlights"), Wednesday's climactic finale featured Snow Patrol, James Brown, Travis, Annie Lennox, the Thrills, Feeder, Embrace, Texas, Wet Wet Wet, McFly, Neneh Cherry, Sugababes, and Youssou N'Dour, in addition to several guest speakers — supermodel Claudia Schiffer and actor George Clooney among them, according to BBC News.

All of the free event's participants took the stage as part of an eleventh-hour push to urge the leaders of the world's eight largest national economies — who convened yesterday for a three-day summit — to devise feasible methods by which Africa's epidemic poverty can be mitigated (see "The Road To Live 8: Why Are We Here?"). The final Live 8 gig unfolded just 40 miles away from this year's annual G8 caucus (see "What Is The G8, Anyway?").

U2 frontman Bono — who, along with Geldof, met face-to-face with some of the G8 leaders, and told Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin his refusal to pledge more foreign aid was "infuriating" — introduced former South African president Nelson Mandela, who, in a recorded message, told the assembled mass that the world needed to "work to make poverty history."

"Sometimes, it falls upon a generation to be great," Mandela continued. "You can be that generation. You have that opportunity."

According to The Associated Press, Geldof also addressed the massive crowd: "On Friday, there will be a great silence across the world while we await the verdict of eight men. Is [Africa] to live or die?"

In addition to orchestrating the Live 8 concerts, Geldof urged millions to march on Edinburgh on Wednesday, as part of the Make Poverty History movement; a few hundred did show, and an estimated 200,000 staged an anti-poverty march in the Scottish city over the weekend.

Get involved: Learn about the poverty crisis in Africa, the proposed solutions, and how you can help. Plus find all of our coverage of the international Live 8 concerts and more at our thinkMTV Live 8 hub.

• Snow Patrol
• James Brown
• Bono
• The Corrs
• Travis

Velvet Revolver (file)
Photo: Dan Winters

This week, it's all about the comeback album — from performers who used to be in massively successful bands, and those returning after falling under or off the radar.

Contraband, the title of Velvet Revolver's debut album, will no doubt be the subject of many a bad joke about the habits of certain bandmembers (ex-Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland, three former members of Guns N' Roses and a former Wasted Youth). So we'll just say that Velvet Revolver releases Contraband this week.

PJ Harvey comes back on the scene after a four-year absence with Uh Huh Her. Harvey's 2000 release, Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea, met with mainstream success — will the darker Uh Huh Her have similar luck?

Sonic Youth haven't made many stylistic changes to their sound on Sonic Nurse, but fans of the band will note that bassist Kim Gordon is back on the mic, singing four songs on the album.

For his second solo album (and his first since 1978), Gene Simmons strips off the makeup but stays heavy on the attitude. At least he's upfront about it: The album is called A--hole, and is filled with songs like "Whatever Turns You On."

They got knocked down and got up again, and then released five albums that went relatively unnoticed. Chumbawamba, the tub-thumping British band with a penchant for anarchist drinking songs, release UN this week.

On the Celtic beat, Irish quartet the Corrs release Borrowed Heaven, the band's first studio recording since 2000. Bad Religion may have been nodding to Star Wars by naming their new album The Empire Strikes First, but the punk group's attitude remains political, with titles like the George Orwell-inspired "Boot Stamping on a Human Face Forever." The Calling, having released Camino Palmero in 2001, take the obvious-album-title approach this week, releasing the sophomore disc Two.

Also out this week are !!!'s Louden Up Now, Etta James' Blues to the Bone and the Cowboy Junkies' One Soul Now.

Out Tuesday, June 8:

• !!! - Louden Up Now (Touch & Go)
• 311 - Greatest Hits 93-03 (Volcano)
• 800 Octane - Rise Again (New School)
• Abel - Live at Alegria (Tommy Boy)
• Karen Akers - If We Only Have Love (DRG/Koch)
• Gerald Albright - Kickin' It Up (GRP)
• Jackie Allen - Love Is Blue (A440)
• Karrin Allyson - Wild for You (Concord Jazz)
• Bad Religion - The Empire Strikes First (Epitaph)
  Buy Now: Empire Strikes First (Epitaph Records)
  
• George Benson - Irreplaceable (GRP)
• Erin Bode - Don't Take Your Time (MAXJAZZ)
• Br. Danielson - Brother Is to Son (Secretly Canadian)
• Sleepy Brown - For the Grown and Sexy (DreamWorks)
• Bruces - The Shining Path (Misra)
• J.J. Cale - To Tulsa and Back (Sanctuary)
• The Calling - Two (RCA)
  Read: "The Calling Returning With New LP, New Hired Hands"
  Buy Now: Two (RCA Records)
  
• Chumbawamba - UN (Koch)
  Buy Now: UN (Koch Records)
  
• Clarks - Fast Moving Cars (Razor & Tie)
• Bootsy Collins - Play with Bootsy (Thump)
• Corrs - Borrowed Heaven (Atlantic)
  Buy Now: Borrowed Heaven (Atlantic)
  
• Cowboy Junkies - One Soul Now (Zoö/Rounder)
• Dirty Projectors - Slaves' Graves and Ballads (Western Vinyl)
• Jay Farrar - Stone, Steel & Bright Lights (Transmit Sound)
• Fastball - Keep Your Wig On (Rykodisc)
• Faust - Rien (Table of the Elements)
• BC Gilbert - Ordier (Table of the Elements)
• Bebel Gilberto - Bebel Gilberto (Six Degrees)
• Joao Gilberto - In Tokyo (Verve)
• Harry Gregson-Williams - Soundtrack to: "Man on Fire" (Varése Sarabande)
• PJ Harvey - Uh Huh Her (Island)
  Read: "PJ Harvey Album Preview: Heartache, Madness Haunt Uh Huh Her"
  Buy Now: Uh Huh Her (lsland)
  
• The Helio Sequence - Love and Distance (Sub Pop)
• Hot Cross - Fair Trades and Farewells (Level Plane)
• Etta James - Blues to the Bone (RCA Victor)
  Buy Now: Blues to the Bone (RCA Victor)
  
• Katie Melua - Call Off the Search (Universal)
• John Morgan and William Stromberg - Soundtrack to: "Starship Troopers 2" (Varése Sarabande)
• David Murray and the Gwo-Ka Masters Featuring Pharoah Sanders - Gwotet (Just a Memory/JustinTime)
• My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (Reprise)
• Nina Nastasia - Dogs (Touch and Go)
• Paatos - Kallocain (Inside Out)
• The Paper Chase - God Bless Your Black Heart (Kill Rock Stars)
• Part Chimp - Chart Pimp (Monitor)
• Phosphorescent - The Weight of Flight (Warm Electronic)
• Pigmy Love Circus - The Power of Beef (Go-Kart)
• Queensrÿche - The Art of Live (Sanctuary)
• Railroad Earth - The Good Life (Sugar Hill)
• Tarralyn Ramsey - Up Against All (Casablanca)
• Graeme Revelle - "The Chronicles of Riddick" soundtrack (Varése Sarabande)
• Royal City - Heart's Little Ease (Rough Trade)
• Heidi Saperstein - Zara (Kimchee)
• SheDaisy - Sweet Right Here (Lyric Street/Hollywood)
• Gene Simmons - A--hole (Sanctuary)
  Buy Now: A--hole (Sanctuary)
  
• Sizzla - Jah Knows Best (Sanctuary/Ras)
• Stephan Smith - Slash and Burn (Artemis)
• Society - All My People (Pyramid)
• Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse (Geffen)
  Buy Now: Sonic Nurse (Geffen Records)
  
• Tiger Saw - Gimme Danger/Gimme Sweetness (Kimchee)
• Glenn Tilbrook - Transatlantic Ping Pong (Compass/Quixotic London)
• J. Van Tongeren - Soundtrack to: "Van Helsing: The London Assignment" (Decca)
• Tree a.k.a. Lil' Hollywood - Real Life Stories (Bungalo)
• Tye Tribett - Life (Columbia)
• Vandermark 5 - Elements of Style ... Exercises in Surprise (Atavistic)
• Velvet Revolver - Contraband (RCA)
  Read: "Velvet Revolver Album Preview: GN'R + STP = Uphill Battle"
  Buy Now: Contraband (RCA)
• Val Watson - Urbal (Thump)
• Jim White - Drill a Hole in That Substrate and Tell Me What You See (Luaka Bop)
• The Wiggles - Whoo Hoo Wiggly Gremlins (Koch)
• X-ecutioners - Revolutions (Columbia)
• Rachael Yamagata - Happenstance (RCA Victor)
• Various artists - 30 Seconds Over DC (2.13.61)
• Various artists - Punk-O-Rama 9 (Epitaph)
• Various artists - The Statesmen of Jazz: A Multitude of Stars (Arbors)
• Various artists - A Trip in House (Varese Sarabande)
• Various artists - Warped Tour 2004 (SideOneDummy)
• DVD: Laura Fygi - Live at North Sea (Verve)
• DVD: Macy Gray - A Day in the Life (Image Entertainment)
• DVD: Luciano Pavarotti & Friends - 2003 (Decca)
• DVD: Radiators - Earth Vs. the Radiators: The First 25 (Image Entertainment)
• DVD: Kate Rusby - Live From Leeds (Compass)
• DVD: Various artists - Pick a Winner (w/ CD, Load)
• DVD: Various artists - Travel the World With Putumayo (Putumayo)

June 15:

• Beastie Boys - To the 5 Boroughs (Capitol)
  Read: "Beastie Boys Album Preview: Political Bleats And Old-School Beats"
  Buy Now: To the 5 Boroughs (Capitol)
• Phish - Undermind (Elektra/Asylum)
  Buy Now: Undermind (Elektra/Asylum)
• Josh Gracin - Josh Gracin (Hollywood Records)

June 22:

• Mobb Deep - Amerikaz Nightmare (Jive)
  Read: "Mobb Deep Blinded With '80s Science For 'Twisted' Beat"
• Wilco - A Ghost Is Born (Nonesuch)
  Buy Now: Ghost Is Born (Nonesuch)
  
• Brian Wilson - Gettin' in Over My Head (Rhino)
• Stevie Wonder - A Time 2 Love (Motown)

June 29:

• Pixies - Wave of Mutilation: Best of Pixies (4AD)
• The Cure - The Cure (Geffen)
• Lloyd Banks - Hunger for More (Interscope)
• Brandy - Afrodisiac (Atlantic)
  Read: "Brandy Album Preview: Singer Opens Up On Afrodisiac — Or Does She?"

• Velvet Revolver
• PJ Harvey
• Sonic Youth
• SHeDAISY
• The Corrs

Michael Stipe
Photo: MTV News

R.E.M., the Corrs and the Spice Girls' Mel B have been tapped to co-headline an April 29 concert at London's Trafalgar Square celebrating the seventh anniversary of South Africa's first democratic elections following the fall of apartheid.

Other artists lined up for the South Africa Freedom Day Concert on the Square include South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela and female pop trio Atomic Kitten, according to Reuters. The concert is expected to draw 30,000 people, including political activist and former South African president Nelson Mandela. The show will benefit the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund and the Prince's Trust, a British charity.

The Freedom Day concert will be held during a six-week period of festivities in the U.K. scheduled for April 16 through May 31 to commemorate the thriving South African culture that has emerged since that country's democratic elections in 1994.

The BBC reports that organizers have been planning the concert for more than two years and that their request to close Trafalgar Square to traffic and pedestrians during the show was granted by British authorities on Wednesday.

• R.E.M.
• The Corrs

The Corrs
Photo: Rossa Cole

It's been a beautiful day for the Corrs.

The Irish family quartet has been invited to kick off one of the most anticipated tours of the year, just as its latest album, In Blue, took an unexpected leap from #79 to #42 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and passed the 1 million mark in sales.

With PJ Harvey backing out of the first four dates of U2's Elevation Tour due to illness, the Irish rockers have asked the Irish folk-pop group to take over her opening slot for shows Saturday and Monday at the National Car Rental Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The group — vocalist Andrea Corr, violinist Sharon Corr, drummer Caroline Corr and guitarist Jim Corr — will play 40-minute sets at each of the shows, according to the Corrs' spokesperson at Atlantic Records.

Nelly Furtado will open for U2 on March 29 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and March 30 in Atlanta, her DreamWorks publicist said. The Canadian singer's previously announced date in Norfolk, Virginia, on March 29 will be rescheduled.

Harvey, a British songstress supporting last year's acclaimed Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea, canceled the last three shows of her European tour last month because of a severe fever. She is scheduled to rejoin the Elevation Tour on April 2 in Houston, according to a statement from U2.

Elevation Tour dates, according to www.u2.com:

• 3/24 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ National Car Rental Center
• 3/26 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ National Car Rental Center
• 3/29 - Charlotte, NC @ Coliseum
• 3/30 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
• 4/2 - Houston, TX @ Compaq Center
• 4/3 - Dallas, TX @ Reunion Arena
• 4/6 - Denver, CO @ Pepsi Arena
• 4/9 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
• 4/10 - Calgary, AB@ Pengrowth Saddledome
• 4/12 - Tacoma, WA @ Dome
• 4/13 - Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
• 4/15 - Portland, OR @ Rose Garden
• 4/17 - San Diego, CA @ Sports Arena
• 4/19 - San Jose, CA @ Arena
• 4/20 - San Jose, CA @ Arena
• 4/23 - Anaheim, CA @ The Arrowhead Pond
• 4/24 - Anaheim, CA @ The Arrowhead Pond
• 4/16 - Anaheim, CA @ The Arrowhead Pond
• 4/28 - Phoenix, AZ @ America West Arena
• 5/1 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
• 5/3 - Cleveland, OH @ Gund Arena
• 5/4 - Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena
• 5/6 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mellon Arena
• 5/7 - Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
• 5/9 - Milwaukee, WI @ Bradley Center
• 5/10 - Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse
• 5/12 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
• 5/13 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
• 5/14 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
• 5/16 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
• 5/24 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
• 5/25 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
• 5/27 - Montreal, QC @ Molson Centre
• 5/30 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills
• 5/31 - Buffalo, NY @ HSBC Arena
• 6/2 - Albany, NY @ Pepsi Arena
• 6/3 - Hartford, CT @ Civic Center
• 6/5 - Boston, MA @ Fleet Center
• 6/6 - Boston, MA @ Fleet Center
• 6/8 - Boston, MA @ Fleet Center
• 6/9 - Boston, MA @ Fleet Center
• 6/11 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Union Center
• 6/12 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Union Center
• 6/14 - Washington, DC @ MCI Center
• 6/15 - Washington, DC @ MCI Center
• 6/17 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
• 6/19 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
• 6/21 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Continental Airlines Arena
• 6/22 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Continental Airlines Arena

• The Corrs
• PJ Harvey
• Nelly Furtado
• U2

After selling more than 430,000 copies of their sophomore album, "Talk On Corners," in the U.S. alone, Irish family quartet The Corrs have returned with their new record, "In Blue," which will crack the Top 25 of the "Billboard" charts next week, debuting at number 21.

For "In Blue," The Corrs tapped revered producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange (who has worked with the likes of AC/DC, Def Leppard, Backstreet Boys, and his wife, Shania Twain) to oversee the recording sessions held in Dublin. Lange also co-penned the album's lead track and first single, "Breathless," which has already topped the charts in the U.K.

MTV Radio caught up with The Corrs, comprised of lead vocalist Andrea Corr, violinist Sharon Corr, drummer Caroline Corr, and guitarist Jim Corr, during their recent promotional blitz for "In Blue," and the siblings discussed the sun-drenched "Breathless" track.

"It was a beautiful, sunny day when we wrote it," she continued, "and I think that's very much in the song, because it's kind of high impact and driven and sunny and summery and it's a love song. It's about seduction and how when you're falling in love, you're just enticing that person to go one step further. It's good, good fun." [RealAudio]

The Corrs have already completed a video for "Breathless" with director Nigel Dick, although Jim Corr noted that the climate where filming took place was a far cry from the rainy seasons the band is used to in Ireland.

"We shot the video in the Mojave Desert, just outside Los Angeles," Jim described, "and it was shot by a friend of ours, Nigel Dick. We've worked with him on quite a number of videos. We spent about two days out in the desert sun, and we kind of weren't really prepared for that type of heat. Actually, two of us -- Andrea and Sharon -- came down with severe heat exhaustion and had to be taken to a hospital."

"But it was [still] great fun," Andrea maintained. "Fantastic." [RealAudio]

The Corrs will wrap up their current round of U.S. appearances this weekend by performing at the "Summer Stretch" radio show in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, on September 22, followed by a set at the Mix Fest in Boston on September 23. The group will then return to Europe for a tour slated to kick off on October 31 in Hamburg, Germany.

• The Corrs

The Irish singing family known as the Corrs is hoping to parlay a bit of its U.K. chart success into Stateside gold as well with a well-timed tour.

• 3/19 - Boston, MA @ Avalon
• 3/21 - Chicago, IL @ Park West
• 3/25 - San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore
• 3/28 - West Hollywood, CA @ House Of Blues

• The Corrs

The Corrs Flipbook

• The Corrs