Forty years ago, the world came to a standstill. Millions watched the concerts on television, while countless others attended the events in London and Philadelphia.
“A strange and marvelous crusade” was how BBC journalist Michael Buerk described the project organized by Bob Geldof, Midge Ure, and their musician friends. This concert aimed to raise money to combat famine in Ethiopia.
The events took place at Wembley Stadium in London, United Kingdom, and John F. Kennedy Stadium (JFK) in Philadelphia, United States, and were among the largest global broadcasts, with an audience spanning over 100 countries.
The concerts occurred simultaneously. In Wembley, the event began at 12:00 PM and ended at 10:00 PM. In JFK, it started at 1:51 PM and concluded at 4:05 AM. Together, the shows lasted 16 hours.
Notably, roughly 82,000 people attended Wembley, while about 99,000 were present at John F. Kennedy Stadium.
The events were graced by notable figures, including Charles and Diana, Prince and Princess of Wales, who attended at Wembley Stadium.
Diana and Prince Charles
© Fox/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Which artists performed?
The list of artists was extensive, split between the two venues. At Wembley, Queen received a standing ovation. David Bowie took the stage to sing ‘Heroes,’ dedicating it “to all the children of the world,” and Beatle Paul McCartney concluded with ‘Let It Be.’ Also performing were Phil Collins, U2, among many others.
In the United States, John F. Kennedy Stadium hosted artists including Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Phil Collins—who performed in both countries—and Madonna.
Both concerts concluded with various artists coming together to perform ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ and ‘We Are The World.’
Wembley Stadium
© Dave Hogan/Getty Images
It is notable that concerts also took place in Australia and Japan, although they did not match the duration of the Live Aid events in the UK and US.
The concerts aimed to raise funds to fight famine in Ethiopia, ultimately gathering approximately 177 million euros.
See the gallery above.
