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  • Writer's pictureClaret M.

The famous benefit concert Live Aid was 34 years ago today


It was on a Saturday on the 13th of July, 1985 when the famous music fundraiser concert was held at the Wembley Stadium in London and simuntaniously at the John F. Keneddy in Philadelphia.

The idea started when the lead singer of Culture Club, Boy George wanted to raise more funds for Ethiopia since the BBC News made a report in 1984 showing the devastating crisis the country was going through Bob Geldof and Midge Ure decided to found "Band Aid" in which Boy George participated.

This charity group consisted of 40 UK and Irish artists, together they recorded "Do they know its Christmas?" which topped the charts.

After some of the artists from Band Aid joind the group Culture Club for one of their last tour concerts , George pitched the idea of organizing a charity concert.


At the Wembley Stadium the first band to appear was the Coldstream Guards which opened with "Royal Salute", amongst some of the most famous appearances are Queen singing a short version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We are the Champions", U2, David Bowie, and although experiencing some technical dificulties with the sound Paul McCartney as well.


The John F. Kennedy stadium gave an amazing concert as well opening with Joan Baez while singing "Amazing grace" and "We are the world", the concert also featured Bob Dylan playing with some of the members of the Rolling Stones and who could forget Mick Jagger singing "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll" with Tina Turner.

Some other great artists such as Ozzy Osborne, Black Sabbath, Beach Boys, Madonna and much more were part of this historic event.


Without a doubt this were some of the most important concerts in history not only because of the all the colaborations between artists and the big number of audience that it generated, but because a something as important as world hunger was being finally addressed and fought for in such a big extent, the event eventually raised $127 million for the African Nations.




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