World tunes in to Geldof’s Live 8 chorus

LIKE drones they buzzed about Hyde Park yesterday, a myriad of footmen setting the scene for a global chorus of rich and poor singing for one day from the same hymn sheet.

Dotting the landscape, giant posters of a guitar transformed into a map of Africa symbolised humanity’s massive heave to narrow the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Amid the manic preparations, the heavy security presence and the tents of those seeking to snaffle a prime viewing spot at today’s Live 8 concert, the limos of the musicians who are making it all possible snaked in and out.

Behind blacked-out windows they cruised through the gates of Hyde Park, into the cordoned off sanctuary of the spot reserved for the 200,000 fortunate enough to have tickets for the biggest show on earth.

On site, Paul McCartney oversaw proceedings as Annie Lennox and Mariah Carey let loose their glass-shattering vocals. Over on Prince Albert Road, Robbie Williams’s personalised number plate signalled his presence.

Everywhere, good-natured bobbies, all of whose leave has been cancelled for the weekend, bantered with eager music fans, queuing overnight to beat the rush.

Lounging against barriers erected for crowd control, they offered unsolicited advice to frazzled young ladies tangled in a complex mass of tent poles.

“Typical,” one frustrated miss remarked. “The guys are great for supervising. Get over here and help,” she yelled at a group of bemused policemen, all displaying the white wristband urging world leaders to Make Poverty History.

The same band of hope, massively magnified, ringed the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral, declaring the Church’s solidarity with superhuman efforts to eliminate African suffering.

Today in London, 30,000 people will march for Gay Pride, thousands will throng to the women’s final in Wimbledon between Venus Williams and Lyndsay Davenport, but the eyes of the world will be on the centrepiece of Sir Bob’s endeavours, the Irishman who has successfully engaged in the politics of rock.