It was the first and still the greatest fundraising effort in rock history. On July 13, 1985, over fifty artists hit the stage in London and Philadelphia to raise money for famine relief in Africa.
The shows were organized by Bob Geldof, then known mainly as the frontman for the Boomtown Rats, and Midge Ure of Ultravox. The year before, Geldof and Ure had written and organized the recording of the single Do They Know It’s Christmas? which was credited to Band Aid but included vocals by a host of the greatest artists of the day in Britain. The single went on to 3.75 million copies, the second biggest single in U.K. history. After the release and overwhelming reaction, Boy George, who had participated on the recording, suggested that they put together a charity concert.
The performances were shown around the world with the U.S. feed being handled by MTV during the day and ABC at night. Among the many highlights:
– Queen’s twenty minutes set was later voted the greatest live performance of all-time in the U.K.
– U2 established themselves as one of the great live acts ever with just a two-song set.
– Phil Collins performed in London and then flew on the Concord to Philadelphia where he performed again along with sitting in with Eric Clapton and Led Zeppelin.
– The Who reformed for an electrifying performance of some of their classics.
– Led Zeppelin reformed for the first time since the death of John Bonham although they would later say that it was one of the worst performances ever and refused to let their set be included on the home video release.
– Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young reunited after each had performed their own sets earlier in the day.
– Ozzy Osbourne joined with Black Sabbath for a set early in the day in Philadelphia, the last time they would play together for twelve years.
– Appearances of Bo Diddley and Albert Collins with George Thorogood and the Destroyers.
= Paul McCartney was the final performer in London before many of the artists retook the stage for Do They Know It’s Christmas?
= Bob Dylan closed the Philadelphia show before the cast sang the recent charity song We Are the World.
Original reports had the money raised between £40 and £50 million ($62 to $77 million) but later estimates showed the real amount closer to £150 million ($232 million).
The set lists
London
Coldstream Guards
Royal Salute
God Save the Queen
Status Quo
Rockin’ All Over the World
Caroline
Don’t Waste My Time
The Style Council
You’re the Best Thing
Big Boss Groove
Internationalists
Walls Come Tumbling Down
The Boomtown Rats
I Don’t Like Mondays
Drag Me Down
Rat Trap
For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow
Adam Ant
Vive Le Rock
Ultravox
Reap the Wild Wind
Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
One Small Day
Vienna
Spandau Ballet
Only When You Leave
Virgin
True
Gold
Elvis Costello
All You Need Is Love
Oliver’s Army
Pump It Up
Nik Kershaw
Wide Boy
Don Quixote
The Riddle
Wouldn’t It Be Good
Sade
Why Can’t We Live Together
Your Love Is King
Is It a Crime
Sting, Phil Collins & Branford Marsalis
Roxanne
Driven to Tears
Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)
Message in a Bottle
In the Air Tonight
Long Long Way to Go
Every Breath You Take
Howard Jones
Hide and Seek
Bryan Ferry, David Gilmour (on guitar) & Roxy Music
Sensation
Boys And Girls
Slave to Love
Jealous Guy
Paul Young
Do They Know It’s Christmas? (intro)
Come Back and Stay
That’s the Way Love Is (with Alison Moyet)
Every Time You Go Away
U2
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bad
Dire Straits
Money for Nothing (with Sting)
Sultans of Swing
Queen
Bohemian Rhapsody/Radio Ga Ga
Hammer to Fall
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions
David Bowie & Thomas Dolby (on keyboards)
TVC 15
Rebel Rebel
Modern Love
Heroes
The Who
My Generation/Pinball Wizard
Love, Reign o’er Me
Won’t Get Fooled Again
Elton John
I’m Still Standing
Bennie and the Jets
Rocket Man
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki Dee)
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (with George Michael)
Can I Get a Witness
Freddie Mercury & Brian May
Is This the World We Created?
Paul McCartney
Let It Be (with backing vocals for the ending by Bob Geldof, David Bowie, Pete Townshend & Alison Moyet)
Band Aid
Do They Know It’s Christmas?
Philadelphia
Bernard Watson
All I Really Want to Do
Interview
Joan Baez
Amazing Grace/We Are the World
The Hooters
And We Danced
All You Zombies
Four Tops
Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over)
Bernadette
It’s the Same Old Song
Reach Out I’ll Be There
I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
Billy Ocean
Caribbean Queen
Loverboy
Black Sabbath
Children of the Grave
Iron Man
Paranoid
Run–D.M.C.
Jam Master Jay
King Of Rock
Rick Springfield
Love Somebody
State of the Heart
Human Touch
REO Speedwagon
Can’t Fight This Feeling
Roll With the Changes
Crosby, Stills and Nash
Southern Cross
Teach Your Children
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
Judas Priest
Living After Midnight
The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
Bryan Adams
Kids Wanna Rock
Summer of ’69
Tears Are Not Enough
Cuts Like a Knife
The Beach Boys
California Girls
Help Me, Rhonda
Wouldn’t It Be Nice
Good Vibrations
Surfin’ U.S.A.
George Thorogood and the Destroyers
Who Do You Love? (with Bo Diddley)
The Sky Is Crying
Madison Blues (with Albert Collins)
Simple Minds
Ghost Dancing
Don’t You (Forget About Me)
Promised You a Miracle
The Pretenders
Time the Avenger
Message of Love
Stop Your Sobbing
Back on the Chain Gang
Middle of the Road
Santana & Pat Metheny
Brotherhood
Primera Invasion
Open Invitation
By the Pool/Right Now
Ashford & Simpson
Solid
Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand) (with Teddy Pendergrass)
Madonna
Holiday
Into the Groove
Love Makes The World Go Round
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
American Girl
The Waiting
Rebels
Refugee
Kenny Loggins
Footloose
The Cars
You Might Think
Drive
Just What I Needed
Heartbeat City
Neil Young
Sugar Mountain
The Needle and the Damage Done
Helpless
Nothing Is Perfect (In God’s Perfect Plan)
Powderfinger
The Power Station
Murderess
Get It On
Thompson Twins
Hold Me Now
Revolution (with Madonna, Steve Stevens & Nile Rodgers)
Eric Clapton & Phil Collins (on drums)
White Room
She’s Waiting
Layla
Phil Collins
Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)
In the Air Tonight
Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, Tony Thompson (on drums), Paul Martinez (on bass), Phil Collins (on drums)
Rock and Roll
Whole Lotta Love
Stairway To Heaven
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Daylight Again/Find The Cost of Freedom
Duran Duran
A View to a Kill
Union of the Snake
Save a Prayer
The Reflex
Patti LaBelle
New Attitude
Imagine
Forever Young
Stir It Up
Over the Rainbow
Why Can’t I Get It Over
Hall & Oates
Out of Touch
Maneater
Get Ready / Ain’t Too Proud to Beg / The Way You Do the Things You Do / My Girl (with Eddie Kendricks & David Ruffin)
Mick Jagger, Hall & Oates, Eddie Kendricks, David Ruffin
Lonely At the Top
Just Another Night
Miss You
State Of Shock/It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It) (with Tina Turner)
Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood
Ballad of Hollis Brown
When the Ship Comes In
Blowin’ in the Wind
USA for Africa
We Are the World
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