Eddie Vedder’s Pearl Jam today (November 17) joined Bono’s U2 in solidarity against the start of the G20 summit in Melbourne, Australia.

The surprise open-air concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl was modelled on last year’s Live8 concert in London to raise awareness of the Make Poverty History campaign and aims to kick off three days of organized protests in the area.

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Bono sang Neil Young’s “Rocking In The Free World” in front of 14,000 fans at the free concert, calling on world politicians to fight against global poverty.

He repeated his current mantra that “Politicians have to do what you tell them to do. We are gonna make poverty history.”

Both Eddie Vedder and Bono have signed a statement addressing the members of the G20 forum with their Make Poverty History views.

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Reuters news agency reports that police have locked down parts of Melbourne to stop protesters getting too close to the summit involving finance ministers and central bankers .

Violence flared severely at the smaller, World Economic Forum in Melbourne in 2000.

This years’ “Stop G-20” protestors are planning a major rally on Saturday to cause as much disruption as possible.

The annual economic summit G20 now represents 20 industrialised and developing nations, from the United States and China to developing states Mexico and Indonesia.