Live Aid was the brainchild of Bob Geldof, the singer of the Irish rock group the Boomtown Rats. In 1984, Geldof traveled to Ethiopia after hearing news reports of a horrific famine that had killed hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians and threatened to kill millions more. After returning to London, he called Britain’s and Ireland’s top pop artists together to record a single to benefit Ethiopian famine relief. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” was written by Geldof and Ultravox singer Midge Ure and performed by “Band Aid,” an ensemble that featured Culture Club, Duran Duran, Phil Collins, U2, Wham!, and others. It was the best-selling single in Britain to that date and raised more than $10 million.

On July 13, 1985, at Wembley Stadium in London, Prince Charles and Princess Diana officially open Live Aid, a worldwide rock concert organized to raise money for the relief of famine-stricken Africans.

https://www.thatericalper...um-london/

Fans Photos from the 1985 Live Aid Concert at Wembley Stadium, London

Watched it on tv live!! This was done via satelite long before live streaming happened.

Two UK performances changed the lives of the band and the world.

The first being Queen, obviously. I can't add anything to what's been heralded about that performance.

The other was U2. Despite Bono's pre-Achy-Breaky-mullet, that performance really put them in a new place with the public. It was a career defining moment. One wonders if Joshua Tree would've been as popular or made at all had it not been for that exposure and a little clout that came with it. I remember U2 before that, seeing a video for "Pride," but it never clicked with me. I hated "Sunday Bloody Sunday" when I first heard it. But a gal that worked on the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard grounds, MaryBeth, loved U2. She got me into Joshua Tree and I started to s-l-o-w-l-y explore their catalog. And OMG, during "Bad," Bono jumping into the crowd and danced with a girl, then got back on stage and hugged two more fans waiting for him. They became the people's band at that moment.

I think the Sting/Phil Collins set was pretty great in its own way. Seven songs total, solo and duets, and Sade was basically their opening act. Of course, you can't dismiss the Bowie and Elton sets.

But despite those, I still think the U.S. side sorta stole the act with mixing folks up and having crossovers. Sting & Phil Collins was cute and all, but Tina & Mick, Holland Oates with The Temptations, Madonna, Thompson Twins, and Nile Rodgers playing together two different times... all that shit was epic.

Worst moment: Led Zeppelin's set. It wasn't included on the DVD set, and LZ has done everything they can to prevent it from ever being seen. But the YouTubes has it, of course. It's DISMAL.

[Edited 7/14/20 0:07am]

luv4u said:

Watched it on tv live!! This was done via satelite long before live streaming happened.

Yes, I remember this day well. What an awesome day of music.

TrivialPursuit said:

Two UK performances changed the lives of the band and the world.

The first being Queen, obviously. I can't add anything to what's been heralded about that performance.

The other was U2. Despite Bono's pre-Achy-Breaky-mullet, that performance really put them in a new place with the public. It was a career defining moment. One wonders if Joshua Tree would've been as popular or made at all had it not been for that exposure and a little clout that came with it. I remember U2 before that, seeing a video for "Pride," but it never clicked with me. I hated "Sunday Bloody Sunday" when I first heard it. But a gal that worked on the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard grounds, MaryBeth, loved U2. She got me into Joshua Tree and I started to s-l-o-w-l-y explore their catalog. And OMG, during "Bad," Bono jumping into the crowd and danced with a girl, then got back on stage and hugged two more fans waiting for him. They became the people's band at that moment.

I think the Sting/Phil Collins set was pretty great in its own way. Seven songs total, solo and duets, and Sade was basically their opening act. Of course, you can't dismiss the Bowie and Elton sets.

But despite those, I still think the U.S. side sorta stole the act with mixing folks up and having crossovers. Sting & Phil Collins was cute and all, but Tina & Mick, Holland Oates with The Temptations, Madonna, Thompson Twins, and Nile Rodgers playing together two different times... all that shit was epic.

Worst moment: Led Zeppelin's set. It wasn't included on the DVD set, and LZ has done everything they can to prevent it from ever being seen. But the YouTubes has it, of course. It's DISMAL.

[Edited 7/14/20 0:07am]

I remember a lot stuff about Led Zeppelin leading up to that and interviews later, that they were not in a good place by this time, and Phil Colins drumming for them,

[Race bait. Off topic snip - luv4u]

TrivialPursuit said:

Two UK performances changed the lives of the band and the world.

The first being Queen, obviously. I can't add anything to what's been heralded about that performance.

The other was U2. Despite Bono's pre-Achy-Breaky-mullet, that performance really put them in a new place with the public. It was a career defining moment. One wonders if Joshua Tree would've been as popular or made at all had it not been for that exposure and a little clout that came with it. I remember U2 before that, seeing a video for "Pride," but it never clicked with me. I hated "Sunday Bloody Sunday" when I first heard it. But a gal that worked on the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard grounds, MaryBeth, loved U2. She got me into Joshua Tree and I started to s-l-o-w-l-y explore their catalog. And OMG, during "Bad," Bono jumping into the crowd and danced with a girl, then got back on stage and hugged two more fans waiting for him. They became the people's band at that moment.

I think the Sting/Phil Collins set was pretty great in its own way. Seven songs total, solo and duets, and Sade was basically their opening act. Of course, you can't dismiss the Bowie and Elton sets.

But despite those, I still think the U.S. side sorta stole the act with mixing folks up and having crossovers. Sting & Phil Collins was cute and all, but Tina & Mick, Holland Oates with The Temptations, Madonna, Thompson Twins, and Nile Rodgers playing together two different times... all that shit was epic.

Worst moment: Led Zeppelin's set. It wasn't included on the DVD set, and LZ has done everything they can to prevent it from ever being seen. But the YouTubes has it, of course. It's DISMAL.

[Edited 7/14/20 0:07am]

I found U2's set great musically, but that moment when Bono went and hugged a random fan for what seemed like forever was so maudlin and fake ... I can't stand it when Bono tries to be all earnest on stage like that. Oooo he's so caring!

I''ve heard Larry, Adam and Edge say in interviews that they were p*ssed off with him for disappearing as they couldn't see what the hell was going on and had no idea whether to keep playing or not, so he dropped the band in it to just to go off and have his "moment".

The LZ Stairway performance is so bad it really needs to be seen (thank you YouTube!). Always cheesed me off that they blamed Phil Collins for the whole thing when he was one of the few on stage who was actually with it.

That and the fact they couldn't hold off just a couple of hours to get loaded in order to perform properly for the cause. Real professional. And they still blame Collins to this day apparently ... f*ck those LZ guys.

I have fond television memories of this as a wee lad. I ordered the DVD set last munt and it was supposed to arrive on the anniversary. I will be binging on this as soon as it arrives!

DaveT said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Worst moment: Led Zeppelin's set. It wasn't included on the DVD set, and LZ has done everything they can to prevent it from ever being seen. But the YouTubes has it, of course. It's DISMAL.

[Edited 7/14/20 0:07am]

I found U2's set great musically, but that moment when Bono went and hugged a random fan for what seemed like forever was so maudlin and fake ... I can't stand it when Bono tries to be all earnest on stage like that. Oooo he's so caring!

I''ve heard Larry, Adam and Edge say in interviews that they were p*ssed off with him for disappearing as they couldn't see what the hell was going on and had no idea whether to keep playing or not, so he dropped the band in it to just to go off and have his "moment".

The LZ Stairway performance is so bad it really needs to be seen (thank you YouTube!). Always cheesed me off that they blamed Phil Collins for the whole thing when he was one of the few on stage who was actually with it.

That and the fact they couldn't hold off just a couple of hours to get loaded in order to perform properly for the cause. Real professional. And they still blame Collins to this day apparently ... f*ck those LZ guys.

I'm sure U2 has plenty of moments where Bono is working their last nerve. But back then, the "ohh, he's so caring" was new, so it was interesting to some extent. Hindsight has given us a different filter for it. It did go on a bit too long.

Phil Collins gets blamed for a lot of shit he never did. I don't know why people hate him so much. I fucking love Phil Collins's music. He's a great musician and a great songwriter. His recent tour had him old and fragile. He's not aged well, especially with his health issues (carpel tunnel, etc). His son is a great drummer, though.

LZ suffered from no great rehearsals and - like most of the sets - was thrown together at the last minute. Fight or flight.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Live Aid was the brainchild of Bob Geldof, the singer of the Irish rock group the Boomtown Rats. In 1984, Geldof traveled to Ethiopia after hearing news reports of a horrific famine that had killed hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians and threatened to kill millions more. After returning to London, he called Britain’s and Ireland’s top pop artists together to record a single to benefit Ethiopian famine relief. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” was written by Geldof and Ultravox singer Midge Ure and performed by “Band Aid,” an ensemble that featured Culture Club, Duran Duran, Phil Collins, U2, Wham!, and others. It was the best-selling single in Britain to that date and raised more than $10 million.

On July 13, 1985, at Wembley Stadium in London, Prince Charles and Princess Diana officially open Live Aid, a worldwide rock concert organized to raise money for the relief of famine-stricken Africans.

https://www.thatericalper...um-london/

Fans Photos from the 1985 Live Aid Concert at Wembley Stadium, London

U2 performing at Live Aid in front of 72,000 people in Wembley Stadium, London on the 13th July, 1985. The event was organised by Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for the Ethiopian famine disaster. Broadcast across the world via one of the largest satellite link-ups of all time, the concerts were seen by around 40% of the global population.

I can see myself in the Bono picture. I was 15. Great day.

British and Irish singers perform on stage at the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium, London, England, on July 13, 1985. From left are George Michael of Wham, Bob Geldolf, Bono of U2, Freddie Mercury of Queen, Andrew Ridgley of Wham! and Howard Jones. It may be hard for next month's Live 8 concert to be as historic or even heart-warming as the 1985 Live Aid show, one of the greatest rock concerts of all time. (AP Photo) PA-2443361

Paul McCartney,center with arm raised, joins in the finale of the London Live Aid Famine Relief Concert in London on July 13, 1985. Others, from left, are George Michael of Wham; Harvey Goldsmith, concert promoter; Bono of U2 (face obscured); McCartney; Bob Galdof, organizer; Freddie Mercury of Queen; and unidentified backing singer. (AP Photo/Joe Schaber)

SquirrelMeat said:

I can see myself in the Bono picture. I was 15. Great day.

Lucky you. I was 12 and had numerous arguments with my parents who didn't want to watch it (we only had one telly). Except Queen; Queen was the exception, that was allowed.

SquirrelMeat said:

I can see myself in the Bono picture. I was 15. Great day.

Where! where! circle it!!

[Spambot spam - ]

luv4u said:

SquirrelMeat said:

I can see myself in the Bono picture. I was 15. Great day.

Where! where! circle it!!

I'm just in front of Bono's fingers, but the persepctive flatters and I was about 75 feet back.

I'm the white guy.