Live Aid at 40
/I didn’t get to see much of Live Aid back in 1985. I was working in Paris for a couple of weeks, teaching American students how to program the BBC Micro. Skills which I’m sure they found useful when they got back to the ‘states. The flat I was staying in didn’t have a telly, so I only saw bits and bobs in bars and whatnot when we went out. We watched some of the concert last night, when the BBC reprised the show. I really enjoyed it. Random observations:
Leather trousers were big in 1985, which must have been lovely in the heat of Wembley stadium in July.
It was interesting to watch the camera operators waving around enormous broadcast cameras to get close ups of the performers. This must have been quite ground (and back) breaking for the time.
Apparently Queen spent three days honing their 16 minute set. It really showed. Freddy Mercury was a genius.
You could pay your donations in a Giro bank account at you local post office. Imagine that.
The had the famous actor (and Hull University Honorary Doctor) John Hurt on and asked him his favourite band. He gave a very diplomatic answer which was fortuitously (for him) cut short by the next band starting up. America had Jack Nicholson. And Bette Midler.
Nobody in the crowd was holding up a phone to record the show. I wonder why that was?
