Black Eyed Peas Head Guinness Celebrations


Richard Smirke, Manchester

Black Eyed Peas top an international bill of artists set to honor the 250th anniversary of Guinness.

It was announced today (May 13) that the Grammy Award-winning act will perform in Asia on Sept. 24 as part of Guinness' global anniversary celebrations, which will simultaneously see 24-hours of live music and festivities take place in various cities around the world including New York, Lagos, Yaoundé, Kuala Lumpur and the spiritual home of Guinness, Dublin.

The country where Black Eyed Peas will be performing is yet to be confirmed, with a full international programme to be announced at a later date.

Acts currently confirmed to play at the Dublin leg on Sept. 24 include Estelle, Kasabian, Noah & the Whale, the Wombats, the Enemy, Soul II Soul, the Undertones, D'Banj, Reverend & the Makers, Mongrel, Mystery Jets, Johnny Flynn and DJ and producer David Holmes, with further artists to be announced.

Dublin's St. James Gate Brewery, where Guinness has long been produced, will be transformed into a live music studio for the event and host a series of performances for an audience of 2,000 guests.

"2009 marks a very special milestone for the Guinness brand, from 1759 when Arthur [Guinness] signed the 9,000 year lease on the St. James's Gate brewery to today, where Guinness is a truly global brand, enjoyed in 150 countries around the world," said spokesman Brian Duffy. "Guinness is a brand that evokes heritage, passion and quality, which has attributed to the success of this much loved beer."

At 17:59 local time on Sept. 24, artists and consumers around the world are encouraged to raise a Guinness in a global toast to Arthur Guinness. Celebrities participating in the toast will include Bob Geldof, Guy Ritchie, Carson Daly, Jerry Hall and model Sophie Dahl.

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