STAND by for the "biggest party on earth" - the biggest, at least, since Live8 at London's Hyde Park in 2005.

Top acts such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snow Patrol, Keane, Bloc Party and Snoop Dogg are lined up for the 24-hour Live Earth event on July 7 to raise awareness of the threat of climate change.

Two billion people are expected to watch star-studded concerts in London and six other major cities around the world.

Meanwhile, closer to home another special concert has been announced - this time to get young Scots to vote at the Holyrood elections in May.

The Zutons and Scots X Factor hopefuls the Macdonald Brothers will play Glasgow's Carling Academy on March 29.

Both events are part of a long tradition of special concerts aimed at raising money for good causes or boosting awareness of key issues.

Previous events have ranged from George Harrison's 1971 Concert for Bangladesh to Live Aid in 1985, the Nelson Mandela concert at Wembley in 1988, and Live8 two years ago.

No-one disputes such concerts have generated vast sums of money and have increased awareness.

But do you think they have any long-term benefit - or do some artists just see them as a chance to sell more records? Gigs for good causes are all the rage, but is it just another way to sell records? DEAN McMANUS, 19, engineer, South Side These concerts won't make a difference at all. People aren't going to leave the concert and later that night make sure they switch off all of their lights before going to bed. � CATRIONA MONROE, 19, photographer, Shawlands If it makes a few people change their habits then it will be worth it. I think the bands involved are doing it for the right reasons, not to sell records. � CHRIS SAUNDERS, 21, Glasgow This isn't the way to go about making the world more carbon friendly. The only way to stop the destruction of the rainforest is with the intervention of the world's governments. � ANNETTE REID, 52, Townhead The only way to tackle these issues is with laws and governments getting involved. Who is going to listen to a band? They are only going to give advice, they can't force change. � STUART FANNON, 19, student, Airdrie It is quite ironic that it will take up a lot of energy to put on these concerts, but in the long term it might be worth it. I would be disappointed if the bands were doing it to sell records. JANICE MGOVERN, office worker, Paisley Events like this cause a heightened awareness momentarily, but the bands are tying themselves to trendy cause. Look at Al Gore in the USA - are we to believe he genuinely cares? � BRUCE DAVIDSON, 19, student, West Kilbride People won't be going to the concert because they support the carbon-friendly cause, they'll go because they like the bands. But it grabs headlines and might make people think. � SARA McNANEESE, 76, Balornock The kids who are going to go to these concerts don't care about climate change, they will be there to have a good time, so I don't think it will make a blind bit of difference. � STEVEN WRIGHT, 30, mature student, Coatbridge I don't know if it is the most effective way of raising awareness about climate change but I'm sure the Red Hot Chili Peppers are in it for the right reasons. � JEAN MACKIE, 44, office worker, Paisley I think bands who get involved with concerts like this are genuine. But I'm not sure about any long-term benefit. You have to laugh at the amount of energy it will take to put on the concerts.