Beijing's Show of Peace

Beijing's Show of PeaceLegendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page (R) and the late Michael Jackson's guitarist, Orianthi (L), look on during a press conference Wednesday for the Show of Peace concert to be held in Beijing. The event will take place on April 17 at the Bird's Nest. Photo: AFPMusicians from around the world will perform a concert for peace and environmentalism in front of the Bird's Nest on April 17 that will be broadcast to a global audience of over 2 billion people, a US concert promoter announced Wednesdaytiffany silver.Guitar legend Jimmy Page and Michael Jackson's former guitarist, Orianthi, announced they would take part in the show, dubbed the Show of Peace. Culture Ministry official Liu Xiaolin told the Global Times the show had a "100 percent" certainty of taking place. A Bird's Nest official also confirmed the show.The announcement comes as Chinese officials talk about increasing the country's soft power and as nations around the world seek to polish their green credentials after the finger pointing that followed the disappointment at Copenhagen.Promoter Rick Garson said other confirmed artists included the Black Eyed Peas, Cuban band Moncada and Aerosmith, whose lead singer Steve Tyler was admitted to rehab last month.According to a press release, Lady Gaga and 50 Cent will also perform as well as the moderately well-known Chinese artists Xie Tianxiao, Ai Jing, Cheng Lin and New Pants.Garson estimates that between 50,000 and 100,000 people will be able to attend with free tickets being distributed via the Internet. He said the concert would use the iconic Bird's Nest as a backdrop, because the interior is indistinguishable from any other stadium around the world.The event will be produced by Hamish Hamilton, the producer of this year's Academy Awards and Superbowl halftime show, said Hamilton's business partner Ian Stewart."The most difficult challenge was getting the trust of the Ministry of Culture," said Garson, who produced a series of concerts featuring top opera singers during the Olympics and created and executive produced the now-defunct Billboard Music Awards on Fox TV.Jimmy Page, legendary in the West as the guitarist for Led Zepplin but known in China primarily for popping out of a red double-decker bus during the Olympic's closing ceremony, spoke little at the press conference."My belief that music is a universal language is the reason I've returned to Beijing once again to voice my support for the Show of Peace on April 17," he saidtiffany jewellery. "I'm delighted to be back in China, feeling the dynamic energy of this vast country and its people." During the press conference, the whitehaired rocker, better known for dabbling in the occult than social activism, smiled politely at the speakers and gazed distractedly around the room.He skipped a scheduled question and answer session with the media. A person close to him said Page got wrapped up in some business calls to London but would talk to reporters Thursday.The source also said that Page had suggested he might perform new material at the concert, which takes place near the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Page earlier expressed disappointment to the media that Led Zepplin will not be reuniting to play the new material he has written.Garson said the concert will not simply be a list of bands performing three songs one after the other, but instead will be one surprise after another, such as "[Aerosmith guitarist] Joe Perry and others that are here performing with erhu [a Chinese traditional instrument] players or guitar players from around the world and having a 2010 voice choir of kids singing and having an orchestra like the China philharmonic."Garson also suggested a collaboration of hundreds of drummers reminiscent of the Olympics opening ceremony. Lu Jiankang, who helped produce that ceremony, was at the press conference and will be involvBy Chris HawkeMusicians from around the world will perform a concert for peace and environmentalism in front of the Bird's Nest on April 17 that will be broadcast to a global audience of over 2 billion people, a US concert promoter announced Wednesday.Guitar legend Jimmy Page and Michael Jackson's former guitarist, Orianthi, announced they would take part in the show, dubbed the Show of Peace. Culture Ministry official Liu Xiaolin told the Global Times the show had a "100 percent" certainty of taking place. A Bird's Nest official also confirmed the show.The announcement comes as Chinese officials talk about increasing the country's soft power and as nations around the world seek to polish their green credentials after the finger pointing that followed the disappointment at Copenhagen.Promoter Rick Garson said other confirmed artists included the Black Eyed Peas, Cuban band Moncada and Aerosmith, whose lead singer Steve Tyler was admitted to rehab last month.According to a press release, Lady Gaga and 50 Cent will also perform as well as the moderately well-known Chinese artists Xie Tianxiao, Ai Jing, Cheng Lin and New Pants.Garson estimates that between 50,000 and 100,000 people will be able to attend with free tickets being distributed via the Internet. He said the concert would use the iconic Bird's Nest as a backdrop, because the interior is indistinguishable from any other stadium around the world.The event will be produced by Hamish Hamilton, the producer of this year's Academy Awards and Superbowl halftime show, said Hamilton's business partner Ian Stewart."The most difficult challenge was getting the trust of the Ministry of Culture," said Garson, who produced a series of concerts featuring top opera singers during the Olympics and created and executive produced the now-defunct Billboard Music Awards on Fox TV.Jimmy Page, legendary in the West as the guitarist for Led Zepplin but known in China primarily for popping out of a red double-decker bus during the Olympic's closing ceremony, spoke little at the press conference."My belief that music is a universal language is the reason I've returned to Beijing once again to voice my support for the Show of Peace on April 17," he said. "I'm delighted to be back in China, feeling the dynamic energy of this vast country and its people." During the press conference, the whitehaired rocker, better known for dabbling in the occult than social activism, smiled politely at the speakers and gazed distractedly around the room.He skipped a scheduled question and answer session with the media. A person close to him said Page got wrapped up in some business calls to London but would talk to reporters Thursday.The source also said that Page had suggested he might perform new material at the concert, which takes place near the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Page earlier expressed disappointment to the media that Led Zepplin will not be reuniting to play the new material he has written.Garson said the concert will not simply be a list of bands performing three songs one after the other, but instead will be one surprise after another, such as "[Aerosmith guitarist] Joe Perry and others that are here performing with erhu [a Chinese traditional instrument] players or guitar players from around the world and having a 2010 voice choir of kids singing and having an orchestra like the China philharmonic."Garson also suggested a collaboration of hundreds of drummers reminiscent of the Olympics opening ceremony. Lu Jiankang, who helped produce that ceremony, was at the press conference and will be involved with the concert.Garson says the concert will kick off a yearlong campaign for peace and environmental stainability, with help from the NGOs Pathways to Peace, JUCCCE and a special Show of Peace Foundation to be funded by the proceeds from marketing the eventTiffany jewel. ed with the concert.Garson says the concert will kick off a yearlong campaign for peace and environmental stainability, with help from the NGOs Pathways to Peace, JUCCCE and a special Show of Peace Foundation to be funded by the proceeds from marketing the event.