Bob Geldof [ tickets ], co-founder of 1985's Live Aid benefit, has announced plans for Live 8 [ tickets ], five simultaneous concerts set for July 2 that aim to spotlight the issues of global poverty and debt.

U2 [ tickets ], Madonna [ tickets ], Elton John, Sting and Paul McCartney [ tickets ] are among the artists set to perform at the event's flagship show at London's Hyde Park, while the U.S. show, at Philadelphia's Museum of Art, will feature 50 Cent, Dave Matthews Band, Bon Jovi, Stevie Wonder and host Will Smith, among others.

Andrea Bocelli, Youssou N'Dour and others will perform at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, while Crosby, Stills & Nash, Brian Wilson and more will play at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Duran Duran are among the acts scheduled to perform at Rome's Circus Maximus. The full list of performers, by venue, is below, and additional concerts are in the works.

In announcing the event at a London press conference on Tuesday (5/31), Geldof said that the free Live 8 concerts don't aim to raise money. The objective, he said, is to draw attention to the debt, aid and trade issues confronting Africa.

The Live 8 event coincides with the arrival in the U.K. of leaders of the world's richest nations for the G8 summit, set for July 6-8 in Gleneagles, Scotland. At a press conference, Geldof reportedly urged people to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland during the summit to draw attention to Africa's humanitarian crisis.

"The G8 leaders have it within their power to alter history," Geldof said. "They will only have the will to do so if tens of thousands of people show them that enough is enough. By doubling aid, fully canceling debt, and delivering trade justice for Africa, the G8 could change the future for millions of men, women and children."

Tickets for the London show will be distributed to winners of a "text lottery," during which those who would like tickets can send a text message to a telephone number. The phone number will be announced Monday (6/6), according to the Live 8 website. Other venues won't require tickets; "details on how to attend will follow shortly," according to the site.

Organizers claim that Live 8 will be watched and listened to by more than 2 billion people. BBC-TV and radio will carry the London show, and partner broadcasters in Europe and America--to be announced--will also carry the event.

AOL plans to broadcast all of the concerts via its AOL Music site.

LIVE 8 PERFOMERS

Hyde Park, London
Coldplay
The Cure
Dido
Bob Geldof
Elton John
Keane
The Killers
Annie Lennox
Madonna
Mariah Carey
Paul McCartney
Muse
REM
Scissor Sisters
Snow Patrol
Stereophonics
Sting
Joss Stone
U2
Velvet Revolver
Robbie Williams

Museum of Art, Philadelphia
50 Cent
Bon Jovi
Jay-Z
Kaiser Chiefs
Maroon 5
Dave Matthews Band
Sarah McLachlan
P Diddy
Will Smith (host)
Rob Thomas
Keith Urban
Stevie Wonder

Eiffel Tower, Paris
Axelle Red
Andrea Bocelli
Manu Chao
Craig David
Calo Gero
Johnny Halliday
Jamiroquai
Kyo
Youssou N'Dour
Yannick Noah
Placebo
Renaud

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin
A-ha
Bap
Crosby, Stills and Nash
Die Toten Hosen
Lauryn Hill
Peter Maffay
Brian Wilson

Circus Maximus, Rome
Duran Duran
Irene Grandi
Faith Hill
Jovanotti
Tim McGraw
Nek
Laura Pasini
Vasco Rossi
Zucchero