The Live Aid Concert (Ep16)

On Monday, June 10, 1985, at press conferences in London and New York City, it was announced that in just one month’s time there would be a 17-hour, two-stadium, bicontinental benefit concert for famine relief in Ethiopia, to be called Live Aid. It was organized by Irish musician Bob Geldof of the Boomtown Rats and would feature a “global jukebox” of over 40 of the top stars and groups in British and American music, from Mick Jagger, Elton John, Freddie Mercury and Queen, David Bowie and Phil Collins, to The Cars, Hall & Oates, Eric Clapton, Sting, Dire Straits, and Duran Duran. Not only were the suddenness and scale of the event a shock, but the choice of American venue was as well. The American Live Aid concert was to be held in JFK Stadium in South Philadelphia – a space that could hold 100,000 people. Live Aid became the most famous and most watched concert in history, and half of it happened in Pennsylvania. Timestamps for major events/discussions: [03:26] – The BBC broadcasts a program on a famine in Ethiopia [05:08] – “Do They Know It’s Christmas” written and recorded in London [07:00] – “We are the World” written and recorded in Hollywood [10:48] – Why Philadelphia was picked as the host for the Live Aid Concert [13:39] – The challenge getting American performers, black and white [20:56] – The day before the concert [23:42] – Saturday, July 13th, concert day [28:01] – The full line-up of performers at JFK Stadium [36:02] – Immediate aftermath of the concert [38:39] – Legacy of Live Aid Calls to action: • Follow us on Instagram to learn when new episodes drop or to be a part of our chat community IG: pennsylmaniapod • Join our email list to receive news on the podcast by signing up at our website www.pennsylmania.com • Provide feedback on this episode, or give us ideas for new episodes, by emailing us at producer@pennsylmania.com • Watch the broadcast of Live Aid, available on DVD and in clips on YouTube, and/or one of many subsequent documentaries about the concert. Link to website: www.pennsylmania.com