This year, we celebrate 40 years of Live Aid. The legendary two-venue set of concerts organised by Bob Geldof to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia.
On the 13th July 1985, over 70 musicians were getting ready to perform to live audiences at London’s Wembley Stadium and Philadelphia’s JFK Stadium, as well as a TV audience.
Each stadium saw crowds of 72,000 and 90,000, respectively. A massive number of people.
Even more astounding was the estimated 1.9 billion TV viewers the broadcast brought in (close to 40% of the world’s population at the time!).
It was a breathtaking show of solidarity, the most legendary concert at the time and arguably one of the greatest moments in music history. Humans supporting humans through the uniting forces of music.
It’s amazing to think it was all those years ago. For some, it would seem like only yesterday that they saw Freddie Mercury strutting across the stage in that captivating 21-minute Queen set.
One concert-goer recently commented under a YouTube video of the performances: “I was there, an incredible day, I turned 21 on my way home from the show, yesterday I turned 60, doesn’t seem possible … a memory I’ll never forget….”
To continue the memory and relive that iconic day, we take a look back at some of the most memorable moments from the two shows.
Status Quo opening the show (Wembley, London)
What better way to open the event than with Status Quo singing ‘Rockin’ All Over the World’? Even through the screen, you can feel the good vibes.
Their high-energy performance got the Wembley crowd going and set the tone for the rest of the night in London - and for the second concert soon to start in Philadelphia (which started 2 hours after its British counterpart).
Dynamic duo: Mick Jagger and Tina Turner (JFK, Philadelphia)
Mick Jagger and Tina Turner’s duet was nothing short of thrilling. The crowd saw a display of electric chemistry between two larger-than-life characters that was perhaps slightly provocative, but undoubtedly iconic.
Class act from fresh talent Sade (Wembley, London)
At just 26 years old, Sade was one of the younger performers who took to the Live Aid stage. She was also somewhat of a newcomer to the limelight, having released her debut album with her band just one year prior.
Amidst a lineup of mostly rock artists and energy-fuelled performances, Sade brought a cool, understated sophistication. It showed her class and poise, and she received strong praise for it.
As written by one YouTuber: “Sade and her band made that gigantic stadium in the middle of the day feel like an intimate nightclub. Amazing.”
Led Zeppelin reunion (JFK, Philadelphia)
Led Zeppelin had split five years before Live Aid, after the death of drummer John Bonham, and they hadn't played in North America since 1977.
So it’s safe to say the crowd awaited this moment with much anticipation, disappointing then that the resulting performance was a notorious flop.
However, it must be said, it was still iconic in the fact that it was a Zeppelin reunion. And in the moment, it would have felt bloody awesome to witness.
“I was there that day in Philly, from start to finish. Nobody cared about the quality of the performances. It was all about the moment, and it was amazing,” wrote one fan.
Other notable reunion moments include Black Sabbath, who hadn’t played together since 1978, and The Who, who had said their 1982 tour would be their last.
Classic rock superstars Bowie, Elton John, and Eric Clapton (Wembley and JFK)
A shoutout to three classic rock superstars (out of many) who each delivered standout sets that reflected their unique styles.
David Bowie’s Wembley performance was bold and emotional, ending with a powerful ‘Heroes’ that became one of the event’s defining moments. Elton John followed with a hit-packed set including ‘Rocket Man’ and ‘I’m Still Standing,’ plus memorable duets with Kiki Dee and George Michael.
Over in Philadelphia, Eric Clapton brought bluesy precision with ‘White Room’ and a searing ‘Layla’, showing why he was one of rock’s most respected guitarists.
Dire Straits & Sting world premiere of ‘Money for Nothing’ (Wembley, London)
There’s not much to say about this except wow. Those intro vocals followed by those great drum and guitar solos just send chills down your spine.
Phil Collins performs at both locations (Wembley, London and JFK, Philadelphia).
Phil Collins really should’ve been given a medal for his Live Aid efforts. On that day, he was the only artist who performed at both locations, London and Philadelphia, catching the infamous Concorde to New York after his set with Sting at Wembley.
After a quick 3-hour flight and a helicopter ride, he found himself at the JFK Stadium and continued his day of performances with Eric Clapton, then solo, and then concluded by filling in as drummer for the Zeppelin reunion.
Paul McCartney singing ‘Let It Be’ (Wembley, London)
Visibly nervous and singing almost inaudibly at first (although the official recording has since been altered with working audio), the crowd quickly picked up the lyrics and carried him through until the sound returned.
Backed by stars like David Bowie, Alison Moyet, and Pete Townshend, the moment turned into a powerful, unplanned sing-along that perfectly captured the day’s spirit.
U2’s Bono jumps into the crowd (Wembley, London)
U2’s performance of ‘Bad’ has become one of the most unforgettable moments of the day. Stretching the song to nearly 12 minutes, Bono famously jumped off the stage and into the crowd to dance with fans.
It was a spontaneous and emotion-fuelled act that added even more of a touch of humanity to such a massive stadium show.
Queen’s 20-minute masterclass (Wembley, London)
Queen’s emotion-packed yet high-energy performance stole the show with Freddie Mercury at the forefront of it all.
It’s impossible not to be in awe watching the band together and seeing Freddie command the stage and be the showman that he was.
21 minutes of pure talent, entertainment, and top-quality music.
Overall, the event was a true display of solidarity, and all the performers did the cause justice.
It’s hard to say whether there’ll ever be anything like it, but what is for sure is that Live Aid will forever be remembered in music history.
