Live Aid 1985

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Discussion

bitchstewie

Original Poster:

50,782 posts

209 months

Tuesday 7th July 2020
quotequote all
I was just randomly listening to some Ultravox and found myself watching the live performance of Dancing with Tears in My Eyes that they did for Live Aid.

I was a kid at the time and probably didn't pay the attention that I do now.

https://youtu.be/Eg6SaWUwDXM

The size of that fking crowd yikes

Random I know biggrin

Simes205

4,528 posts

227 months

Tuesday 7th July 2020
quotequote all
An ex-colleague of mine designed the stage and set.
Long time ago now though as you say.

TwigtheWonderkid

43,248 posts

149 months

Tuesday 7th July 2020
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35 years ago next week yikes

craig1912

3,273 posts

111 months

Tuesday 7th July 2020
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Still got the VHS tapes of it on the shelf- But did buy the DVD.

abzmike

8,242 posts

105 months

Tuesday 7th July 2020
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Simes205 said:
An ex-colleague of mine designed the stage and set.
Long time ago now though as you say.
He did a grand job.... the rotating stage was key in enabling the quick changeover of artists.

The old Wembley was a great venue to be sure.

vixen1700

22,669 posts

269 months

Tuesday 7th July 2020
quotequote all
Remamber the day well, hearing Adam Ant at lunchtime at home, going to girlfriend's house in the afternonn then onto Hampstead Fair in the evening.

Got pulled over for being six up in an MGB GT on the way to the fair. hehe

Turn7

23,502 posts

220 months

Tuesday 7th July 2020
quotequote all
vixen1700 said:
Remamber the day well, hearing Adam Ant at lunchtime at home, going to girlfriend's house in the afternonn then onto Hampstead Fair in the evening.

Got pulled over for being six up in an MGB GT on the way to the fair. hehe
H.T.F........6? in a BGT ?

emperorburger

1,484 posts

65 months

Tuesday 7th July 2020
quotequote all
Turn7 said:
H.T.F........6? in a BGT ?
Perhaps it was a Midget...

vixen1700

22,669 posts

269 months

Tuesday 7th July 2020
quotequote all
Turn7 said:
H.T.F........6? in a BGT ?
2
2
2 In the tailgate

The girls were short. hehe

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Wednesday 8th July 2020
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I still remember it so clearly (despite my age)!

Spent the weekend staying at my girlfriend's home near Brighton and she, her 2 brothers and I watched the whole thing.

Highlight for me was the Bowie/Jagger version of Dancing in the Street live from 2 cities.

cheddar

4,637 posts

173 months

Wednesday 8th July 2020
quotequote all
bhstewie said:
The size of that fking crowd yikes
Attendance 82000.

Queen absolutely stole the show, Freddie was magic, I felt sorry for any band following them.

Queen at Knebworth, one year later, their last ever performance, unofficial attendance 160,000 - twice that of Wembley.

croyde

22,702 posts

229 months

Wednesday 8th July 2020
quotequote all
I was there.

When Bono pulls that girl on to the stage you can see me behind her in the crowd smile

A mate called me in the morning who worked for a lighting company, said he had free tickets for a gig at Wembley.

We got in, bought some beers and managed to get to the front. Good job it was hot so we didn't need a pee, as we were stuck there all day and night.

Off the back of that it got me into seeing the likes of Quo, Queen and U2 elsewhere.

I got back home and my mum was watching the American bit on the telly.

'Where have you been all day, you've missed this, it's amazing" she said

hehe

cheddar

4,637 posts

173 months

Wednesday 8th July 2020
quotequote all
croyde said:
Off the back of that it got me into seeing the likes of Quo.
Status Quo were of their time (and I was into them) but that 'Ker Chang Ker Chang Ker Chang' vibe was repetitive rubbish compared other bands, I nearly left Knebworth through boredom (and needing to pee SO badly) while they were playing and then.......

Queen came on stage and my bladder capacity grew by two litres.


croyde

22,702 posts

229 months

Wednesday 8th July 2020
quotequote all
cheddar said:
Status Quo were of their time (and I was into them) but that 'Ker Chang Ker Chang Ker Chang' vibe was repetitive rubbish compared other bands, I nearly left Knebworth through boredom (and needing to pee SO badly) while they were playing and then.......

Queen came on stage and my bladder capacity grew by two litres.
I was at that gig too. Spent hours working my way to the front ready for Queen but then the plastic bottles started flying.

I got hit by a glass one, came to and a security guard was trying to pull me out.

I was hang on, I'm at the front, I'm not giving this up.

A girl next to me wrapped toilet paper around my head. I must have looked a right sight during Radio GaGa.

Blood stained t-shirt, bloodied face, hands held high.

Bloody brilliant gig.

I went to A&E the next day and got about 7 stitches in my forehead.

Dashnine

1,287 posts

49 months

Wednesday 8th July 2020
quotequote all
cheddar said:
Attendance 82000.

Queen absolutely stole the show, Freddie was magic, I felt sorry for any band following them.

Queen at Knebworth, one year later, their last ever performance, unofficial attendance 160,000 - twice that of Wembley.
The part in Bohemian Rhapsody (the film) where their manager pushed the volume levels up is mainly true - except it was Queens sound engineer Trip Khalef doing the sound for the whole gig so he knew exactly how far he could push the volume up from experience.

Queen had practiced for weeks (as per the film) and had the 17 minutes or so down to the second using large clocks by their gear whereas other bands weren't as well prepared. I'm not denying they were fab anyway, but definitely well rehearsed and louder!

At the start when Charles and Diana arrive in the stand Queen (May and Taylor I think) are in the row behind, Deacon and Mercury didn't want to go, so the two other guys are Queen roadies!

StevieBee

12,795 posts

254 months

Wednesday 8th July 2020
quotequote all
What is often forgotten about the whole Live Aid thing is the profound impact it had and still has on international aid.... despite it not working as well as was hoped.

Although many many lives were saved in Ethiopia as a result of the money that was raised, it was never the transformative initiative that had been imagined. In fairness to Geldof, it was never pitched as being this. He always said that it was about raising awareness of the plight and raising some money to help. The world saw the millions being donated and just assumed that this was enough but in reality, it barely scratched the surface.

However, what Live Aid did that was arguably more effective and more important was to place humanitarian concern at the heart of western government's foreign policies which prior to this were focused purely on economic foreign policy with 'aid' being the channeling of charitable giving through numerous aid agencies. Live Aid triggered the chain of actions that resulted in the reformation of institutions like DFID and the global commitment of wealthy nations to apply 0.7% of GDP to international development and aid. This has had a profound impact on reducing global poverty - not enough by any stretch but where things are now globally in developing nations is far better than it would have been without that initial kick start at Wembley in 1985.

Ethiopia did and still benefits directly from Live Aid. The NGO that Live Aid set up to administer the aid the money funded still exists. The logo can still be seen on 4x4s and boxes and elsewhere. The country is still poor but developing fast and likely to emerge into the 'developing nation' category over the next decade or so.

All this from a few bands playing some songs!

dandarez

13,246 posts

282 months

Wednesday 8th July 2020
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cheddar said:
bhstewie said:
The size of that fking crowd yikes
Attendance 82000.

Queen absolutely stole the show, Freddie was magic, I felt sorry for any band following them.

Queen at Knebworth, one year later, their last ever performance, unofficial attendance 160,000 - twice that of Wembley.
You youngsters!

That's not a 'crowd' at a concert.
THIS is a crowd at a concert!

Largest concert gathering in the UK - ever.
Crowd estimates go as high as 700,000!
I'm in there... somewhere

(snap is just a small clip of the whole area).


Still remember getting sunburnt.
50 yrs ago this August.

Naturally, an Act of Parliament was brought in to try and prevent it ever happening again.

cheddar

4,637 posts

173 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
quotequote all
dandarez said:
You youngsters!

That's not a 'crowd' at a concert.
THIS is a crowd at a concert!

Largest concert gathering in the UK - ever.
Crowd estimates go as high as 700,000!
I'm in there... somewhere

(snap is just a small clip of the whole area).


Still remember getting sunburnt.
50 yrs ago this August.

Naturally, an Act of Parliament was brought in to try and prevent it ever happening again.
Looks great Dandarez but we're comparing one year with the next not the 17th century vs today wavey

Actually, we're comparing nothing, so my mistake also. The OP is pointing out what is possibly the greatest single appearance of any band at any time. And I agree, an astonishing performance clap

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 11th July 2020
quotequote all
I might be a bit cynical but did anyone else think Geldof's concern for Ethiopia was more to do getting himself back in the limelight?
By 85 he was residing in the 'Where is he now?' file.

Simes205

4,528 posts

227 months

Saturday 11th July 2020
quotequote all
Raygun said:
I might be a bit cynical but did anyone else think Geldof's concern for Ethiopia was more to do getting himself back in the limelight?
By 85 he was residing in the 'Where is he now?' file.
Funnily enough there was a programme on bbc4 last night all about Live aid and Geldof.