A celebration of soccer and music -- but be ready to pay

LISA VAN WYK - Mar 17 2010 11:53

The line-up for the official Fifa World Cup Kick-off Celebration Concert has been announced -- but anyone wanting to be part of this historic event is going to have to dig deep in their pockets to buy a ticket.

The line-up boasts local, African and international stars, including Alicia Keys, Amadou and Mariam, Angelique Kidjo, the Black Eyed Peas, BLK JKS, John Legend, Juanes, Shakira, the Parlotones, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Touré and Vusi Mahlasela.

Tickets for the concert, which takes place at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto on June 10, the night before the official opening of the World Cup, will range from R450 (outer circle) to R1 400 for the best seats in the house. And despite the concert being billed as "the greatest entertainment event to date in Africa", many may find the price tag a bit steep.

Local fans will also have to compete for the limited number of tickets with international visitors, who can buy tickets for the concert wherever they are in the world, at local prices.

Those who do manage to get their hands on a ticket, however, should be in for a music spectacular that will also include appearances by football legends past present, as well as celebrities from other fields, all of whom will be working together to create a celebratory atmosphere that will last for the duration of the tournament.

The event should be an audio-visual feast, with Emmy Award-winning producer Kevin Wall and his company, Control Room, producing the concert. Control Room has masterminded some of the world's biggest and most complex events, such as Live Earth 2007, which featured 150 artists performing on seven continents over the course of 24 hours to raise awareness of climate change.

On the Fifa website, Wall states: "We believe sports and music transcend cultural, language and geographic barriers, and through the official Fifa World Cup Kick-off Celebration Concert, Control Room will present the sights and sounds of unity and celebration for an unforgettable, must-see experience."

All proceeds from the concert will be donated to "20 Centres for 2010", the official campaign of the 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa, which aims to build 20 centres across Africa offering education and healthcare services as well as football training to disadvantaged communities.

Tickets are available now through Computicket.

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