Live Aid memories

[sedra]

Anyone watching BBC2 Live Aid doc? I have all the tv coverage on old VHS in the loft somewhere as I recorded it  from the children’s home I was working in at the time in Wilts - can’t believe it was 35 years ago this weekend! Had been to Wembley the week before to see Bruce Springsteen but couldn’t get tickets for Live Aid too. Almost like a Glastonbury in 1 day ! 

[Ayrshire Chris]

An incredible emotional rollercoaster of a day watching it on tv. From the high of listening to the great music to seeing the harrowing images on screen was unforgettable. I remember looking at our newly born and thinking how lucky we were. 

[Hugh Jass]

I was at Live8 but don’t have too many memories of it.

[parsonjack]

I had a ticket and didn't go...long story.  Regretted it ever since 😔

[stuartbert two hats]

That Queen gig looked good.

[BlueDaze]

7 hours ago, parsonjack said:

I had a ticket and didn't go...long story.  Regretted it ever since 😔

😲

It was good to see it again... As Macca said on there, it was a baking hot day and everyone had windows open with Live Aid blaring out...

Marvellous to see some of the egos on show too... (Midge isnt bitter... )

[henry bear]

17 minutes ago, parsonjack said:

I had a ticket and didn't go...long story.  Regretted it ever since 😔

Oh my...

I was gutted not to get tickets, to the point where, come the day it almost made me not enjoy the coverage, but of course I did. I’d seen Queen a couple of times by then and knew they’d slay it, but was more disappointed to miss out on a few others, noticeably Bowie, who I’d not seen live at that point. And Macca playing in public for the first time in years. Of course, it was a fantastic day, and one that changed the course of live music. Looking back at it now, some of the music hasn’t dated that well, but that’s to be expected. I saw a few of the acts two weeks prior to Live Aid at Glastonbury - The Style Council and The Boomtown Rats.

Did manage tickets for Live 8, Golden Circle too, and whilst it was not as iconic as the original gig, it had it’s moments too. 

[Rumblestripe]

Didn't get tickets but was glued to the TV all day. There had never been anything like it before, very emotional.

The only thing I regularly revisit is the Queen set. I maintain it is the best short set of rock/pop ever

1. Queen - Live Aid

2. Prince - Super Bowl XLI

3. Pink Floyd - Live 8

Not sure who you put in 4 -- 10 which I maintain should be empty as no one else has come close.

I recently watched the Fred flick "Bohemian Rhapsody" and hated it as they tried to reproduce that set and there was so much wrong with it (and the rest of the film). Grrrrr.

[parsonjack]

21 minutes ago, henry bear said:

Oh my...

Yup.  I was working for Revolver records as a buyer in Birmingham/Worcester at the time.  Got quite pally with a West Midlands EMI rep who we used to buy from and take the odd freebie, tshirt, ticket etc for a few extra 7"'s or a few numbers in the Gallup machine that went towards chart positions.  I forget what 'favour' I did him on that occasion but he calls up Friday saying if I can get to Wembley and meet him I'm in on a pass.  I was working the Saturday but said yes and made plans to get off early and hit London as soon as I could get there.  Saturday was hellish busy, and my manager called time on the early finish so I didn't get away as planned.  By the time I got away I was knackered and went home instead of a drive to London.  Watched the evening show on telly at gf's instead. 

What a doofus ☹

Edited July 12, 2020 by parsonjack

[henry bear]

2 hours ago, parsonjack said:

Yup.  I was working for Revolver records as a buyer in Birmingham/Worcester at the time.  Got quite pally with a West Midlands EMI rep who we used to buy from and take the odd freebie, tshirt, ticket etc for a few extra 7"'s or a few numbers in the Gallup machine that went towards chart positions.  I forget what 'favour' I did him on that occasion but he calls up Friday saying if I can get to Wembley and meet him I'm in on a pass.  I was working the Saturday but said yes and made plans to get off early and hit London as soon as I could get there.  Saturday was hellish busy, and my manager called time on the early finish so I didn't get away as planned.  By the time I got away I was knackered and went home instead of a drive to London.  Watched the evening show on telly at gf's instead. 

What a doofus ☹

I considered going and seeing what I could get off touts, but deemed it pointless - demand would be high as would the prices. From reports I read hardly anyone turned up on spec, and the touts were practically giving them away. 

[Homer]

15 hours ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

seeing the harrowing images on screen was unforgettable

 

That's booking Status Quo for you.

Edited July 12, 2020 by Homer

[Homer]

5 hours ago, stuartbert two hats said:

That Queen gig looked good.

Not a huge Queen fan - but this is a decent watch.
 

 

[fred quimby]

Well here is my story

So friend and I decided to go. He was working and me at 6th form. He gave me a cheque to buy the tickets. Queue up and then bottled it when they asked me to sign the back of the cheque. Phoned mate who came over but they just sold out. Ah well.

Then in the local paper I see someone selling 2 tickets face value on the Thursday before. Phone him up and arrange to met him off a junction on the m4 near Bath. Mad I know. Still went and got two tickets on the Friday. Over the moon. Next we now had to work out how to get from Bath to Wembley the next day. We decided to hitch hike down. Then (and I have no idea why we were hanging out with him as we normally didn't) a kid at school mentions his dad (my chemistry teacher)  was going to a union meeting in London on Saturday. So he phones him and we get a lift down. Nice.

What a day, real rollercoaster of emotions that day. Admit I don't remember all of It, all a bit hazy.  About 3 quarters of the way through ended up chatting and dancing with this couple. Show ends and we are heading off to hitch back home. Say our goodbyes to this couple and wondering how the fuck we get back to the M4 when a tap on the shoulder and this couple offer to drive us to Swindon where they live (think it was there) anyway part way there he chips up that he is going to drive back to Bath. Which he kindly did. Absolute amazing of them. So I get home to watch the end of the American leg on telly.

Just all fell into place. The weather was glorious most of the acts were brilliant and Queen just slayed it

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I recall the day Live Aid was on quite vividly. Up to that day me my brothers and my dad had been building a house, which was to be our future home. Now it would be fair to say that my dad drove me and my brothers like dogs when we were young. Anyway, I can't quite recall who out of my brothers approached my dad with the notion that we could all have a day off to watch Live Aid. The response was something along the lines of 'Live what? You'll get no fucking day off for any live anything'. So, that was that ie we couldn't even watch it live on telly. 

[BlueDaze]

55 minutes ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

I recall the day Live Aid was on quite vividly. Up to that day me my brothers and my dad had been building a house, which was to be our future home. Now it would be fair to say that my dad drove me and my brothers like dogs when we were young. Anyway, I can't quite recall who out of my brothers approached my dad with the notion that we could all have a day off to watch Live Aid. The response was something along the lines of 'Live what? You'll get no fucking day off for any live anything'. So, that was that ie we couldn't even watch it live on telly. 

 

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

44 minutes ago, BlueDaze said:

 

Yes, it was exactly like that - only totally different. I didn't notice in that film a wild mad Irishman screaming every obscenity under the sun at his free workforce / sons.

[funkychick2007]

I remember sitting in the back of my mum and dads car listening to it on the radio thinking wow! Listening to all the people cheering thinking I’m going to go to something like tht one day! Oh and fell in love with Bono’s voice! 
Years later I was lucky to get tickets for the 2nd Live Aid!! 

[deebeedoobee]

I was on tour with an opera,  at the Cambridge theatre. So we had a TV in the green room where we all caught bits and pieces in between acts / setup etc. Then after the show we piled on back to our shonky b&b into one room and watched it on a tiny TV whilst eating our take aways. Kinda lost our appetites when the film from Africa came on.

[hfuhruhurr]

I have a fab memory - just got back home from college, went to a street party the night before with my mates who were all paired up and me single. At that party, an old school friend and brought along her utterly stunning friend. My mates dared me to ask her for a dance and to my amazement, she accepted, not only that she made a note of my phone number. I'm not the sort of guy who can pull, never, all my mates yes, me no. Anyway following day, LiveAid day, phone goes, I pick her up, we go to my mates place - 3 other couples and me with this girl. The look on their faces... And most fantastic afternoon, evening, night, following day. Bittersweet though, I was due back at college, we both scared ourselves daft on how well we'd got on and so that was it, just 48hrs but a memory forever. I kind of wonder what could have been but am so happy that it didn't - since I met my wife of 32 years just 5 months later and could not be happier.

[grumpyhack]

I think this is one of the most powerful four minutes of film I've ever seen.  Brought me to tears on the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ns6142RZ5c

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by grumpyhack

[dondo]

I remember I was driving with my parents down from Scotland to Staffordshire to visit family and we stopped just outside Penrith for lunch.  Live Aid was just about to start and (sorry Homer) at the time I was a big Status Quo fan so wanted to hear them on the radio so was going to stay in the car to listen until they were done whilst my parents ordered my lunch.  Couple minutes later mum or dad comes out and says they've got it on in the pub on a big screen so managed to see Quo on the TV.

[fred quimby]

25 minutes ago, grumpyhack said:

I think this is one of the most powerful four minutes of film I've ever seen.  Brought me to tears on the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ns6142RZ5c

 

Man I can't listen to the Cars song even now without a tears.

I remember when that came on, and I have been to emotional gigs before, but looking around Wembley and everyone it seemed was in floods of tears

[Crazyfool01]

For live aid ... think I watched it on a black and white tv with my parents ... live 8 I was lucky to get tickets weren’t they a text in draw ?  I’ve had this in my bedroom ever since ... really need to sort that stray photo now !! 

[fatyeti24]

It resurrected the careers of some has-been rock stars and enriched one of Africa's worst dictators. 

I'm not sure which was worse. 

[Mackem]

It was exactly a week before our wedding and I'd been so tied up in Wedmin that I barely took any notice of the concert coming up. It was the day after my stag and I was wandering round the West End looking for a going away suit and accessories. Every shop had it on the telly or the radio. It got as far as Sting when I suddenly thought 'what the f*** am I doing shopping on this day of all days. Went home and slumped in front of telly til about 4am. Suit was OK but the accessories were all bought from Tie Rack on the Monday.