The Greatest Show on Earth

Twenty years on, Live Aid is finally released on DVD - catch U2's spine-tingling set in our video clip.

Staged simultaneously on three continents with a galactic line up of major Rock & Pop acts, performing to a billion and a half people, Live Aid was rock'n'roll history.

Billed as 'The Global Jukebox', the simultaneous concerts at London's Wembley and Philadelphia's JFK Stadiums on July 13th 1985, were billed as 'The greatest show on earth'

On Monday they are released on DVD for the first time - and set to add to the original $140m raised by the concerts to fight poverty in Africa.

It was the indefatigable Bob Geldof who pulled it all together and the line up of stars playing for more than ten hours remains a 'Who's Who' of contemporary music.

Twenty years ago they not only played "real good for free", recalls Geldof "They took an issue that was nowhere on the agenda of the political world and placed it at the very top. They also kept, directly or indirectly, millions of people alive and in so doing they reminded 1.5 billion people that individuals are not powerless in the face of monstrous human tragedy."

The line-up includes: U2, Sting, David Bowie, Elton John, George Michael, The Who, Madonna, Queen, Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, Duran Duran, Neil Young, Ozzy Osbourne & Black Sabbath, Spandau Ballet, Dire Straits, Paul Weller, Sade, Paul Young, Adam Ant, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, The Boomtown Rats, The Cars, Bryan Ferry, Bryan Adams, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Ultravox, Run DMC, BB King, INXS, Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, Joan Baez, Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin, Crosby Stills & Nash, The Beach Boys, Judas Priest, Nik Kershaw, The Style Council, Simple Minds, Thompson Twins, Nile Rodgers, Hall & Oates, Status Quo, The Pretenders, Elvis Costello, Howard Jones, Teddy Pendergrass, Alison Moyet, and Kenny Loggins.

Watch U2's memorable rendition of 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' here..

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This article is tagged to:
Band Videos, Hearts + Minds