Backstage at Live 8

Here's a very cool behind-the-scenes look at this weekend's Live 8 show, with insight about a possible Linkin Park-Kanye West collaboration, everyone worshipping Paul McCartney and the largest backstage posse belonging to, um, Bill Gates.

Here's one nugget that I find particularly amusing: One fan in the VIP section was obviously at Live 8 more for the politics than the music. Soon after one of rock's most successful groups had performed, he said, "Bon Jovi? Who cares about him? I want to see Reverend Al [Sharpton]."

I'm not sure whose side I'm on in that one.

I think MTV and VH1 did a nice job with their coverage, all things considered. They spent too much time explaining what it was about (versus showing the music) and strangely showed the same footage simultaneously on both networks, but some of my favorite highlights -- among the songs I actually witnessed -- were U2's "Beautiful Day," Linkin Park/Jay-Z's "Numb/Encore" and Green Day's cover of Queen's "We Are The Champions." Another super awesome highlight was Sting's "Driven To Tears" -- SO cool. You gotta love the old-school, obscure Police songs. Or at least I do.

Things I wish I had seen: The U2-McCartney "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," Pink Floyd's set and the London finale. And the awkward Madonna-Elton John encounter, if there was one, after this highly publicized spat.