Live Earth: Concerts For A Climate In Crisis

Got a cause? Want support? Here's the drill. Ignore the experts; "facts" are boring. Call your privileged rock star pals instead. Maybe convince an old group to get back together. Fly them in on private jet to play some songs. Repeat a vague catchphrase — like "answer the call". Give the whole shebang an original name — like Live Aid/8/Earth.

It’s the Bob Geldof strategy, guaranteed to oversimplify issues and provide great music since 1985. But it has problems. Lecture too much and you bore the punters. The central message (something about Ethiopia/third world debt) gets lost — Bono's walk into the crowd is the enduring memory of Live Aid; Pink Floyd's reunion (or Pete Doherty's shambolic duet with Elton John) lingers from Live 8. The day after, the critics say, people just go back to worrying about their mortgage/job/Facebook status message. Never mind that each event must outdo the previous one for anyone to actually notice it in the first place.

Live Earth was little different. But 'The Concerts For A Climate In Crisis' doggedly overlooks these issues, showcasing a stream of bands (including three reunions) appealing to everyone from heavy metal fans to grannies; and celebrities throwing around slogans and a few choice words (like climate change, recycling, biofuel and energy-efficient lightbulbs).

See Kevin Bacon be smarmy, watch Zach Braff rant about geography, witness wild-eyed Melissa Etheridge turn into a rapturous preacher and praise singer, be distracted by Cameron Diaz' short shorts, cringe with Gerri Halliwell at her Spice Girls joke ("I'll tell you what I really, really want…") and be completely unmoved by Ioan Gruffudd's words as he reads them off a piece of paper.

(Most of) the music is better, with the compilers of this double DVD set able to pick from some 20 hours of performances. Their formula is simple: focus primarily on the London and New York shows; choose one song from each of the main performers' shows. Mostly they get it right. But, barely known outside the boys-with-eyeliner brigade, Taking Back Sunday and AFI seem odd inclusions. The Smashing Pumpkins' laborious 'Unite States' and Bon Jovi's umpteenth performance of 'Wanted Dead Or Alive' are interminably boring And although featuring Angelique Kidjo and Joss Stone from the SA leg is intended to underline the day's global nature, it only highlights the relative lack of size, support and spectacle at the local show.

Back abroad we've got the oldtimers: Genesis creak through 'Invisible Touch', The Police resolutely tear up 'Driven To Tears, Duran Duran show off their botox injections during 'Planet Earth', Crowded House lead the biggest mass singalong with 'Better Be Home Soon', Roger Waters actually spends most of 'Another Brick In The Wall' laughing, and a clearly heartfelt Al Gore is the only one of the speakers who actually makes a real point.

We've got the rockers: Lenny Kravitz does 'Are You Gonna Go My Way' like it's 1993 again, a lethargic Chris Cornell lets his voice do all the work on 'Black Hole Sun', Wolfmother channel AC/DC and Led Zeppelin on the ferocious 'Woman', Metallica kick out 'Sad But True', Linkin Park turn frenzied on 'Bleed It Out' and with 'Times Like These' Foo Fighters prove they're currently the world's greatest stadium rock band.

We've got the youngsters: Rihanna rocks to 'Umbrella', Snow Patrol and Keane do their best Coldplay impersonations, KT Tunstall and Missy Elliot dish up feel-good folk with 'Suddenly I See' and 'Steer' respectively, James Blunt looks bewildered during 'Wisemen' and Enrique Iglesias spends more time flirting with the girls in the audience than singing 'Bailamos'.

We've got the unusual duets: Damien Rice and David Gray lead Wembley Stadium in singing adopted football anthem 'Que Sera, Sera', Corrine Bailey Rae and John Legend give Marvin Gaye's 'Mercy Mercy Me' a makeover, Keith Urban and Alicia Keys do a surprisingly gutsy take on 'Gimme Shelter' and Madonna teams up with vaudeville gypsies Gogol Bordello for La Isla Bonita — but not before reminding us: "Let's hope tonight's concerts aren’t just about entertainment; they're about starting a revolution."

We've got the apathy, six months later…