On July 13, 1985, Queen delivered what is widely regarded as the greatest live rock performance of all time at Live Aid, a global benefit concert held simultaneously at London’s Wembley Stadium and Philadelphia’s John F. Kennedy Stadium. In just 20 minutes, Queen captivated a worldwide audience of over 1.9 billion viewers across 150 countries, redefining what a live music performance could achieve. But what made this performance so legendary? Let’s break it down.
A Setlist and Performance Built for Glory
The British band played only five songs that were great hits (but it would be difficult to choose a playlist that did not have hits), namely: Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga, Hammer to Fall, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions. All of these songs are perfect for stadium concerts, and with Freddie Mercury leading, nothing could go wrong.
One of the most striking moments of this show—one that will remain in everyone’s memory and was well illustrated in the recent Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody—was the intonation of ‘Ay-Oh.“ This exchange of enticements with the public showed the great confidence and charisma of this true monster on stage, without doubt, one of the best frontmen ever.
Although it can be said, and with logic, that this was a Freddie Mercury show, it cannot fail to note that despite Queen not being at the peak of the form they had with their best albums of the 70s, all the band members were tight: the powerful tone of Brian May’s guitar, the energetic beat of Roger Taylor’s drums and the prominent bass of the super underrated John Deacon.
Live Aid: A Global Cause
Of course, Live Aid was much more than the Queen concert. It was a noble cause that drew with it the biggest names in music at the time: Led Zeppelin, U2, David Bowie, The Who, and Elton John, to name some of the most sonorous names.
But to truly evaluate Queen’s performance, the aforementioned artists were light-years behind Queen’s level. The Led Zeppelin reunion was plagued by technical problems (Phil Collins on drums didn’t go well), U2’s performance fell short and Bowie and Elton failed to convey the magnetism of Freddie Mercury.
In the end is true that Live Aid was marked by something more significant than rock songs: the event was a money fundraiser to fight hunger in Ethiopia, and of course, incredible performances like Queen’s catapulted the event across the globe. Forty years later, this concert is a case study for any band that thinks they can or want to someday deliver great live performances: the engagement with the fans, the right playlist choice, and the cohesive and charismatic stage presence.
The energy and excitement of Queen’s Live Aid performance can be compared to the thrill of live entertainment today, including online gaming. Just as Queen engaged millions of fans, platforms like GameZone bring players together through competitive and immersive gaming experiences.
FAQ – Live Aid
1. What was Live Aid?
Live Aid was a benefit concert held on July 13, 1985, organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds against famine in Ethiopia. The event took place simultaneously at Wembley Stadium (London) and John F. Kennedy Stadium (Philadelphia), reaching a global audience of 1.9 billion people.
2. Did Live Aid achieve its goal?
The event raised millions to fight famine, increasing global awareness of the problem. However, there were controversies about the destination of part of the funds, with accusations that money had been diverted to the Ethiopian government. Later investigations found no concrete evidence of these allegations.
3. What was the lasting impact of Live Aid?
Live Aid redefined benefit concerts and influenced humanitarian policies. Additionally, it inspired later events, such as Live 8.
