80s Events: Live Aid

Throughout the 80s, there was a massive effort to raise awareness about the struggles people were facing with disease and poverty in Africa. Music-charged 80s events did a great deal to educate the public, raise money, and help people in Africa and in other areas of the world. Live Aid was the biggest event of all.

80s Events and Raising Consciousness

Raising awareness about the harsh struggles throughout the world wasn’t enough. 80s events like Live Aid also raised the public consciousness, instilling a sense of obligation to fellow humans, and raising the bar on what it means to be caring and generous.

It was this new awareness that laid the groundwork for the environmental movement of the 90s, and an even greater movement in recent years, in which a worldwide society has become more knowledgeable about our planet and more compassionate towards those we share it with.

Albums like A Very Special Christmas and recordings like “We Are The World” informed people who were uninformed while simultaneously raising funds to help those in need. The Live Aid concert was an enormous effort, which spanned two continents, included dozens of the most beloved artists and performers, and succeeded both at informing millions of people while raising money to assist millions of others.

Live Aid

It was to be a concert like no other. Some of the biggest names in music would take the stage and perform. They would do so as a charity event to raise money that would help the people of Africa. It was the brainchild of Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, who were also behind the Band-Aid project, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”

Their initial hope was to raise £1 million for famine relief in Ethopia, but as the planning and organizing of the event unfolded, and more acts joined the program, it grew to a whopping £150 million.

It took place on July 13, 1985, in London’s Wembley Stadium and the JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, with several other countries hosting similar concerts that were inspired by the Live Aid initiative. The event was broadcast live on television, and it drew approximately 400 million viewers in over 60 different countries. It was huge.

The 80s Stars Come Out to Give

The roster was impressive, with some of the biggest names in music showing up to play live and help raise money. A few of the performers on the British stage included:

• Elvis Costello
• Sting and Phil Collins (with Branford Marsalis)
• Paul Young
• U2
• Dire Straits
• Queen
• David Bowie
• The Who
• Elton John

The finale at Wembley featured Queen’s Freddie Mercury, Paul McCartney, and Band Aid.

On the other side of the pond, artists included:

• Joan Baez
• The Four Tops
• Black Sabbath
• Run-DMC
• Rick Springfield
• REO Speedwagon
• Judas Priest
• Bryan Adams
• The Beach Boys
• Simple Minds
• The Pretenders
• Madonna
• Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
• Kenny Loggins
• The Cars
• Thompson Twins
• Eric Clapton (with Phil Collins)
• Phil Collins
• Led Zeppelin
• Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• Duran Duran
• Patti LaBelle
• Hall & Oates
• Mick Jagger

The U.S. finale included Bog Dylan, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood, plus featured USA for Africa performing “We Are the World.”

The Concert That Keeps on Giving

In 2004, an official DVD of Live Aid was released, after two decades of bootlegs and file sharing. Finally, fans could purchase a video recording of the concert, legally, and in doing so, contribute to famine relief. Notably, many performances and songs from the original Live Aid concert were not included on the DVD. However, the DVD shows much of the concert in high quality sound, which is nearly impossible to find form other (more illegal) sources.

It’s estimated that each sale of the Live Aid DVD raises £5 for the charity.

Learn more about Live Aid by visiting the Wikipedia Live Aid article, the unofficial Live Aid site, or the official Band Aid site.