This Sunday is fast approaching so if you were one of the lucky few who managed to snag a ticket for the Concert For Diana back in December, here’s a round up of what you can expect. The concert is one of the first to play the newly reopened Wembley Stadium and 90,000 people are expected to cram in between 2pm when doors open and 4pm when the first act kicks off.
In line with Prince William and Harry’s wishes, the line up is an eclectic mix of performers reflecting their own tastes as well as their mother’s. Elton John is headlining and other performers include Duran Duran, Joss Stone, Pharrell Williams, Kylie and The Feeling. But there will also be turns from the English National Ballet and a West End medley courtesy of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Full line up details are here.
July 1st would have been Diana’s 46th birthday. At the launch, William told the BBC: “We want it to represent exactly what our mother would have wanted. The church service alone isn’t enough. We wanted to have this big concert full of energy, full of the sort of fun and happiness, which I know she would have wanted.”

The concert is this year’s big summer event, along with the following Saturday’s Live Earth. In fact some of the initial rumoured Diana performers have chosen to support Live Earth instead - including Madonna and Keane. Less than five years ago, crowds would have been schlepping over to Party In The Park, but the annual event paused almost 2 years ago to the day for Live 8 and has yet to show signs of ever returning.
Proceeds from the concert will go to Centrepoint UK (homelessness charity of which William is patron), Sentebale (helping African country Lesotho’s AIDS orphans - Harry is patron) and Princess Diana’s Patronages & Memorial Fund. It’ll apparently do its bit for climate change too.
Even if you haven’t got a ticket, the BBC coverage might well be worth a gander. The song roster looks to be more unusual than most gigs - for example, Joss Stone has already confirmed she’ll sing not only one of her own tracks but also cover Queen’s Under Pressure and a Tina Turner track. Maybe she should also have a go at Love Is In The Air, if tabloid rumours are anything to go by.

Possibly related:

1. Festivals round-up: Diana concert schmaltz / entertainment ratio, Bassey and The Killers benefit from Glastonbury appearances

2. Festivals Update: Spice Girls sad to miss Diana concert, The Guardian guide to boutique festivals, possible T in the Park travel chaos

3. Live Earth (London) billing finalised

4. Taxicab Classics - “Upside Down” by Diana Ross

5. Nile Rodgers tells how he tricked Diana Ross into “coming out”

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Posted by sophiebruce on Thursday June 28th, 2007 at 9:02 am