... Then came the cross continent Live Aid concert in Britain and America featuring more 80's pop music all stars, and attracting huge sell out crowds. Again the money was for the same charitable proceeds. All of these were unlikely events in the middle of the 80's- the decade of greed and cynicism. ... Read review
Wembley Stadium London & JFK Stadium PhiladelphiaOne Concert - Two Continents'The Day ... more
The Music Changed The World'Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, U2, Queen, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Elton John, The Who, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Beach Boys, St...
Queen Rock Montreal...Queen Rock Montreal, recorded live at Montreal's 18,000 seater Forum ... more
over two nights in November 1981, is a celebration of Queen at the very height of their 80's record breaking achievements. It is also a historic recording of the very last concerts of Queen 'raw'.This was the time when Queen had topped both the US singles and album charts for the first time, had become the first band ever to top the UK singles, albums and video charts simultaneously and on their historic invasion of Latin America had broken the world attendance record for a single paying concert when 131,000 Brazilians saw the band play Sao Paulo's Morumbi stadium. 1981 was, says John Deacon, a year for discovering new audiences we didn't know existed.Queen ended that year of extraordinary events at Montreal's Forum. The dates - November 24 and 25, 1981 - were scheduled specifically to make a full length film of their live show. As would be expected of Queen, they took the form of the concert film to a new level,becoming the first group to shoot an entire show in full cinema format 35mm.Having spent almost two years non-stop touring, and invigorated by their triumphant Latin America experience, Queen hit Montreal in top form.This is the pre the Hot Space album, before keyboards would find a place in the band's touring line up;just four God-gifted musicians in total rapport, delivering live the energy and innovation of their studio recordings.Originally titled We Will Rock You, this film was released in North America in 1984 becoming the first commercially available film of Queen in concert. In this special edition, the 35mm negative was scanned to ensure the highest possible resolution, this was then examined frame by frame where any splices, dirt or damage were removed to enhance the sharpness and quality of the picture. The sound was newly mixed and remastered for DTS Surround Sound and PCM Stereo from the original multi track tapes. 25 tracks and 96 minutes of Queen in peak form.TRACKLISTING:01: Intro.02: We Will Rock You (fast).03: Let Me Entertain You.04: Play The Game.05: Somebody To Love.06: Killer Queen.07: I'm In Love With My Car.08: Get Down Make Love.09: Save Me.10: Now I'm Here.11: Dragon Attack.12: Now I'm Here (reprise).13: Love Of My Life.14: Under Pressure.15: Keep Yourself Alive.16: Drum & Timpani Solo.17: Guitar Solo.18: Crazy Little Thing Called Love.19: Jailhouse Rock.20: Bohemian Rhapsody.21: Tie Your Mother Down.22: Another One Bites The Dust.23: Sheer Heart Attack.24: We Will Rock You.25: We Are The Champions.26: God Save The Queen.27: Live Aid: Bohemian Rhapsody.28: Live Aid: Radio Gaga.29: Live Aid: Hammer To Fall.30: Live Aid: Crazy Little Thing Called...31: Live Aid: We Will Rock You.32: Live Aid: We Are The Champions.33: Live Aid: Is This The World We Created.
Queen Rock Montreal...recorded live at Montreal's 18,000 seater over two nights in ... more
November 1981, is a celebration of Queen at the very height of their 80's record breaking achievements. It is also a historic recording of the very latest concerts of Queen 'raw''.This was the time when Queen had topped both the US singles and album charts for the first time, had become the first band ever to top the UK singles and album charts for the first time, had become the first band ever to top the UK singles, albums and video charts simultaneously and on their historic invasion of Latin America had broken the world attendance record for a single paying concert when 131,000 Brazilians saw the band play Sao Paulo's Morumbi stadium. Queen ended that year of extraordinary events at Montreal's Forum. The dates - November 24 and 25, 1981 - were scheduled specifically to make a full length film of their live show. As would be expected of Queen, they took the form of the concert film to a new level, becoming the first group to shoot an entire show in full cinema format 35mm.Having spent almost two years non-stop touring, and invigorated by their triumphant Latin America experience, Queen hit Montreal in top form.This is the pre the Hot Space album, before keyboards would finds place in the band's touring like up: just four God-gifted musicians in total rapport, delivering live the energy and innovation of their studio recordings.Originally titled We Will Rock You, this film was released in North America in 1984 becoming the first commercially available film of Queen in concert. In this special edition, the 35mm negative was scanned to ensure the highest possible resolution, this was then examined frame by frame where any splices, dirt or damage were removed to enhance the sharpness and quality of the picture. The sound was a newly mixed and remastered for DTS Surround Sound and PCM Stereo from the original multi track tapes. 25 tracks and 96 minutes of Queen in peak form.TRACKLISTING01: Intro.02: we Will Rock You (fast).03: Let Me Entertain You.04: Play The Game.05: Somebody To Love.06: Killer Queen.07: I'm In Love With My Car.08: Get Down Make Love.09: Save Me.10: Now I'm Here11: Dragon Attack.12: Now I'm Here (reprise).13: Love Of My Life.14: Under Pressure.15: Keep Yourself Alive.16: Drum & Timpani Solo.17: Guitar Solo.18: Crazy Little Thing Called Love.19: Jailhouse Rock.20: Bohemian Rhapsody.21: Tie Your Mother Down.22: Another One Bites The Dust.23: Sheer Heart Attack.24: We Will Rock You.25: We Are The Champions.26: God Save The Queen.27: Live Aid: Bohemian Rhapsody.28: Live Aid: Radio Gaga.29: Live Aid: Hammer To Fall.30: Live Aid: Crazy Little Thing Called...31: Live Aid: We Will Rock You.32: Live Aid: We Are The Champions.33: Live Aid: Is This The World We Crea...
On Tuesday 22nd February 2005, over 30 of the UK's biggest comedians made history by ... more
teaming up for Comic Aid.Tickets to this unique benefit gig in Aid of the Tsunami victims sold out within three and a half minutes. Live, uncut and never to be repeated, this incredible show is the greatest comedy event ever.
Production Year: 1999 - Music / Performing Arts - Original Language: English - Classification: Exempt - Starring: Donny Osmond, Joan Collins, Richard Attenborough
...Then came the cross continent Live Aid concert in Britain and America featuring more 80's pop music all stars, and attracting huge sell out crowds. Again the money was for the same charitable proceeds. All of these were unlikely events in the middle of the 80's- the decade of greed and cynicism.
Now the recordings of the 1985 concert have been released on DVD in a four disc set, comprising ten hours of near complete footage (one or ... ...and rugged and much more live wired version. And then Sade is up next (looking great and sparkling, as always) and performs perhaps an outstanding version of "Your Love is King". The performance is perfect and ultra smooth and hypnotic and angelic.
We then get the ballads of Sting's "Roxanne" and Phil Collins' "Against All Odds" and the two of them perform "Every Breath You Take", From that ... more
Bob Geldof was deeply moved by images of Third World famine and decided to use his music for charity. He gathered together a huge list of contemporary pop singers and formed Band Aid and together they recorded and released the 1984 Christmas single "Do They Know its Christmas", with the aim that all proceeds would go to the Third World charities. After Band Aid's single became the Christmas number one, the American group USA For Africa released "We Are The World", which is recorded to be near the biggest hit single ever. Then came the cross continent Live Aid concert in Britain and America featuring more 80's pop music all stars, and attracting huge sell out crowds. Again the money was for the same charitable proceeds. All of these were unlikely events in the middle of the 80's- the decade of greed and cynicism.
Now the recordings of the 1985 concert have been released on DVD in a four disc set, comprising ten hours of near complete footage (one or two of the American bands couldn't be put on, either because of lost footage or by the band's request). Fairly pricey at £32.99, but again all proceeds go to charity, and spending some money on charity during Christmas is me the great priviledge of having a heart of stone for the rest of the year.
The design of the DVD box itself is really beautiful in all masterwork terms. It opens out to the four case holder plates, making a complete picture of the huge Band Aid crowd on the left half of the picture and the crowds of starving Ethipoians on the right half with a brilliant dissolve effect to make them one crowd. Each disc is remarkably easy to pop in and out, and has its own performing artists and curved photographs of each singer on that disc circle the disc's outer surface, all revolving around the sphere of the world. All these singers are joival and caught mid performance. It's a great representation of the song's line.
"In our world of plenty, we can spread a smile of joy put your arms around the world, at Christmas time."
There is a beautiful written note by Bob Geldof on the inner sleeve sleeve, and a 20 page pamphlet with some of his writings, reminding the purchaser of the great Band Aid event- remember the tragedy and the hope of that day, that everyone who contributes through purchasing is doing their small part to save lives. He also couldn't have said it any better when he describes the situation- "to die of want in a world of surplus is not only intellectually absurd, it is morally repulsive" Like the song, it's all about reminding you that there is a world out there and putting yourself in their shoes. It's every me and every you and about removing all these comfortable notions that it's out of sight, out of mind and doesn't concern us, and perhaps the biggest obstacle/convenience of all is the thought that there's nothing you can do about it anyway.
Still I think its a shame there isn't a list of "in memory of" dedications since more than a fair share of those artists involved have passed on in recent times.
Fullscreen 1.33:1 Main Feature: Dolby Digital 5.1 / Dolby Digital DTS 5.1 / Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Extras - Dolby Digital 2.0 Languages - English Subtitles - English, French, Dutch, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese Regions 2/3/4/5/6/PAL/Colour Total Running Time 10 Hours
Disc One Tracklisting BBC Television New Report Do They Know It's Christmas (Video)-Band Aid We Are The World-USA For Africa (Video) Royal Salute-Coldstream Guards Rockin' All Over The World-Status Quo Caroline-Status Quo Internationalists-The Style Council Walls Come Tumbling Down-The Style Council I Don't Like Mondays-The Boomtown Rats Drag Me Down-The Boomtown Rats Vive Le Rock-Adam Ant Dancing With Tears In My Eyes-Ultravox Vienna-Ultravox Only When You Leave-Spandau Ballet True-Spandau Ballet All You Need Is Love-Elvis Cotello Wouldn't It Be Good-Nik Kershaw You Love Is King-Sade Roxanne-Sting Against All Odds-Phil Collins Every Breath You Take-Sting & Phil Collins Hide And Seek-Howard Jones Slave To Love-Bryan Ferry Jealous Guy-Bryan Ferry Do They Know It's Christmas?-Paul Young Come Back And Stay-Paul Young Every Time You Go Away-Paul Young That's The Way Love Is-Paul Young & Alison Moyet Kids Wanna Rock-Bryan Adams Summer Of '69-Bryan Adams Sunday Blood Sunday-U2 Bad-U2 We begin with a fairly lengthy BBC news coverage of the Ethiopia famine. It's long and explicit and harrowing and really makes you feel unpleasant and feel angry and helpless. It holds no bars in showing the grisly images of malnourished bodies, malnourished children, the dying and the dead. It shows you the massive food waiting lines and the desperation and really places you there in the starving crowd, in their life or death situation. It then counts up the bodies of who died that day and estimates alarming figures. As usual the newscasters use melodramatic terms, but their description of "a famine of biblical proportions, but here in the 20th century" is very appropriate.
We then get the Band Aid "Do They Know Its Christmas Time" music video, and its perfectly placed afterwards. It is hopeful, it is compassion in action, a promise of dedication to change.
It would be no exaggeration to suggest that "Do They Know its Christmas" could possibly be the best song ever written. It goes through several motions perfectly, from the opening tolling bell beautifully conveying a sense of mortality, through the first verse of joival Christmas togetherness and hope, to heart bleeding, pleading tales of "the other ones" you should give a thought for, and just when you think this is going to be Sunday School cliche, it suddenly dares to point the finger and slap you in the face with the lines:
"And the Christmas spells that ringing, of the clanging chimes of doom Well tonight thank God it's them, instead of you!"
After that it has you! It's under your skin and your hairs are tingling. It's a very powerful song. It's picturesque, haunting and periodic with the magic of Christmas spirit. It's lyrics are collectivising, tragic, topical, optimistic, compassionate, vindictive, guilt-mongering and dareing all at once. An 80's classic doesn't cover it, it's an 80's masterpiece! Plus it was written completely from the heart and gut of the artist's beliefs.
We then get the USA For Africa video for "We Are The World", which I've always thought of as too long, too twee and too melodramatic. Even so it is an interesting mirror image of Band Aid and a snapshot of 1980's musical new age positivity and unprejudiced love- and it comes off as noting if not sincere. Plus the vocals of Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen make the song.
The concert then begins. Status Quo does the opening numbers. I've always found Status Quo very bland as Rock bands go, and most of their lyrics are obscured by the music, but still they have good stage presence and movement. They do two numbers and then its Style Council, adding a bit of brass and SKA to the affair and dressed very colourfully. Paul Weller sweats into his aggressive performance here and it alleviates a lot of the angst.
The camera movememnts are wide and tracking and never stay still. On one level it captures the sense of the concert crowd, the intimacy, the wildness, but in a sense its also like someone in the concert being annoying and keeps moving places and distracting you.
When Bob Geldof arrives with his Boomtown Rats, as the king of the event he gets the facial close-up as the music becomes more mellow. the singing becomes more precise and on beat rather than sung with the typical rushed aggressive panic that you often get at the beginning of concerts. Adam Ant arrives next and delivers more loud rock music and loud fashion and spontaneous stage presence, and then Ultravox give the best vocal performance so far, as Midge Ure manages to maintain perfect, on beat delivery, whilst his band do well to perform both "Dancing With Tears in my Eyes" and a very crackling version of "Vienna". Spandau Ballet also arrive in bold, New Romantic chocholate colours (think mint green and red and blue ribbon), and seamlessly perform "Only When You Leave" and "True".
At this point I take a pause. I find it difficult to sit through a single disc, let alone all 10 hours in one go. I then resume, and then Eric Clapton performs a very mellow, swing and sway version of All you need is Love, and he sings it with precision and potency. The camera is more disciplined at this point, more containing, makes use of fading and dissolving and slow, careful tracking and beautifully melds the intimacy between the performer and the crowd, with the same smoothness of the song. At this point in the viewing I stood up and started dancing and swinging too by the sheer effect of it.
Then Nik Kershaw arrived to perform “Wouldn’t it Be Good”. An appropriate, deadpan yet comical look at underpriviledged envy. A new romantic song that most children of the 80's know well. But here he performs a really raw and rugged and much more live wired version. And then Sade is up next (looking great and sparkling, as always) and performs perhaps an outstanding version of "Your Love is King". The performance is perfect and ultra smooth and hypnotic and angelic.
We then get the ballads of Sting's "Roxanne" and Phil Collins' "Against All Odds" and the two of them perform "Every Breath You Take", From that point on, the camera doesn't stray away from the artist to the audience, in-fact the audience is so quiet, you can almost hear the singer's echo. No-one touches a drum or cymbil and its simply the vocals and either the guitar or the clarinet or the piano, the camera doing well to show the precision involved in hitting the right keys and notes. It makes the ballads more fleshy and momentary, apart from "Every Breath you Take" which is rushed through, but no big con.
And then Howard Jones performs "Hide and Seek", like Phil Collins, he relies on the ebony and ivory as he sings one of the more inspirational songs of the event so far. A song about the beginning of time, the desolation and loneliness of the world and the current search for purpose and emotional bridges we all take on. It sounds very appropriate to the humanity of the event.
After which we get Bryan Ferry and Paul Young to bring back the rhythm and the rock, from then on its again about bringing the audience back into the picture, its about loud suave suits, strangling guitar rifts and a lot of onstage dancing and movement. There’s a great charm in watching Bryan Ferry’s amusing facial contractions and Paul Young’s flamboyant dancing. Paul’s own songs “Come Back and Stay” and “Everytime You Go” are played as New Wave Rock, but then when he sings the opening verse of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” he brings along backing soul singers and then duets with Alison Moyet who really belts it out for “That’s the Way Love is” to make it all very Gospel, and its perfectly on form.
Then we actually see the synchronised concert over in America, hosted by Jack Nicholsen! He introduces Bryan Adams and we immediately get the sense of it being far more Rock N’ Roll over there. He gives a great, sweaty and channelled performance of "The Kids Won't Rock" and "Summer of '69" and then come U2 to pick up the reins, and they perform the last two songs of the first disc- "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Bad".
You'll probably notice that a lot of the performed songs don't really connect with the Band Aid theme. Most of them are performed for familiarity. It makes sense- the crowd only comes to be partially preached at, they mainly come for the entertainment. But still I'm charmed by some of the song choices that in some way hit the nail on the head about the situation. And U2's excellent "Sunday Blood Sunday" may be all about the troubles in Northern Ireland, but its superb commentary on society's apathy to tragic and ongoing world events are especially potent here- with lines like "The trench is dug within our hearts" and "It's true we are immune, when fact is fiction, reality", words and philosophies which are perhaps ahead of their time. The song is at its core about humanity, about feeling how you should feel, being outraged, being disgusted and spreading the message. There is power in the anger, so don't turn your back on moral outrage otherwise things won't change.
"I can't close my eyes and make it go away How long? How long must we sing this song?"
They then perform “Bad” superbly, it’s an extremely disciplined build-up from mild, contemplative vocals to really rocking out and it is totally energising and unending as he moves along the stage, greeting crowd surfers and women with kisses and dances and sways with them. It’s a brilliant song to go out on, and just when you think it couldn’t get any better, we’re greeted with a wonderful surprise back in Britain. I won’t say what it is- you’ll have to watch the DVD but it is so tickling and incredible a moment.
And so ends the first DVD, just when I started to feel I could watch the whole thing in one go- but of course I have a busy day. But this has been really jovial and entertaining and invigorating indeed in a way I haven’t experienced in quite a while. In-fact I feel I can recommend the whole collection now based on the quarter of it I have seen so far which seems to be worth the price of admission alone.
I do not wish to write over form so from now I shall write no more than three paragraphs on each of the other three discs.
Disc Two Tracklisting Wouldn't It Be Nice-Beach Boys Good Vibrations-Beach Boys Surfin' USA-Beach Boys Money For Nothing-Dire Straits & Sting Sultans Of Swing-Dire Straits Madison Blues-George Thorogood & The Destroyers Bohemian Rhapsody-Queen Radio Gaga-Queen Hammer To Fall-Queen Crazy Little Thing Called Love-Queen We Will Rock You-Queen We Are The Champions-Queen Ghost Dancing-Simple Minds (Don't You) Forget About Me-Simple Minds TVC15-David Bowie Rebel Rebel-David Bowie Modern Love-David Bowie Heroes-David Bowie Ethiopian Famine Film Amazing Grace-Joan Baez Stop Your Sobbing-Pretenders Chain Gang-Pretenders Middle Of The Road-Pretenders Love Reign O'er Me-The Who Won't Get Fooled Again-The Who Footloose-Kenny Loggins Bennie And The Jets-Elton John Rocket Man-Elton John Don't Go Breaking My Heart-Elton John & Kiki Dee Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me-Elton John & George Michael
Disc 2 launches us breathlessly into the beginning of the Beach Boys, giving a three-set performance which reminds us that despite being easily labelled and lambasted as "pop", they're actually very good musicians with charisma and a fine ear for melody and instrumental shift. I found Disc 2 immensely entertaining, and actually introduced me to great songs I'd never heard before, which immediately hit all my pleasure sensors with rhythm, sheer instrumental dynamism and smooth variance, striking lyrics and epic length, such as Dire Strait's "Sultans of Swing", The Destroyers' "Madison Blues", Queen "Hammer to Fall", The Who "Love Reign O'er Me" and each of the Pretender's three set numbers. Incidentally in the British concert it begins to turn evening, and so they make more use of stage lighting- and The Who are treated to the best lighting however David Bowie suffers to overexposed lighting.
Queen was treated to the longest set of five songs- obviously some shortening was needed and with "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Will Rock You" they had to sing only the opening verses of both. Freddie's performance was the most raunchy of all -and why not? he was a good looking bloke- but some of his brief lewd gestures were quite offputting to me actually, but still they played very well. But for me I'd say either Dire Straits or Simple Minds and even Kenny Loggins one set performance of "Footloose" were my favourite, performing their songs that have honestly never sounded better than at this event. To be honest I found David Bowie's set quite dragging, initially. But then he performed "Modern Love" and really lifted the mood again, and then in closing he performed the best performance of "Heroes" I've ever heard.
David then introduced a CBC Ethiopia Fammine Film. I expected a documentary and narrated details, but it wasn't like that- it was pieces of footage of the Ethiopia famine with "Drive" by The Cars played over. Images of children struggling to walk upright, either besause of weak legs or failing motor functions, malnourished children with families, dead children. It's unpleasant and sad and its impossible to not be upset by it all- it is really overwhelming and distressing- even for me, and I thought I was desensitised, I actually feel choked up and want to cry after seeing it and I am being sincere when I say that. It makes you realise how easy a life we've had compared to them. And followed by Joan Baez singing "Amazing Grace" couldn't have been a finer emotional unwind, followed by the Pretenders (dressed to impress- 80's style) who thoroughly cheer me up again. The second disc ends with Elton John (who appropriately gets bathed in pink light), doing a four set with his photogenic guests George Michael and Kiki Dee (a real spunky delight) and ends on "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and even though I was only half listening, I must say I picked up on some striking and sincere lyrics indeed.
Disc Three Tracklisting Holiday-Madonna Get Into The Groove-Madonna Is This The World We Created?-Freddie Mercury & Brian May Let It Be-Paul McCartney Do They Know It's Christmas?-Band Aid Finale American Girl-Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Refugee-Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Paranoid-Black Sabbath Featuring Ozzy Osbourne Can't Fight This Feeling-REO Speedwagon Roll With The Changes-REO Speedwagon Teach Your Children-Crosby, Stills & Nash Living After Midnight-Judas Priest Green Manalishi-Judas Priest Just What I Need-The Cars Heartbreak City-The Cars The Needle And The Damage Done-Neil Young Nothing Is Perfect (In God's Perfect Plan)-Neil Young Revolution-Thompson Twins, Steve Stevens, Nile Rogers & Madonna White Room-Eric Clapton She's Waiting-Eric Clapton Layla-Eric Clapton In The Air Tonight-Phil Collins (In Philadelphia) Union Of The Snake-Duran Duran Save A Prayer-Duran Duran The Reflex-Duran Duran Imagine-Patti Labelle Forever Young-Patti Labelle
Disc 3 begins with Bette Midler presenting Madonna in her spunky youth, as she performs the opening numbers "Holiday" and "Into The Groove", backed by two male dancers giving a brilliant synchronised dance routine, and despite Elton John's recent inane criticisms, I can guarantee she does not lip-synch (however she might have snogged Tiffany and Debbie Gibson if this had been performed three years later). Her opening numbers are all about carefree joy and forgetting the world's problems. However a fair ammount of the songs on this disc are actually the most relevant to the situation. Queen's quiet ballad "Is This the World that We Created" in its context here has never been so moving and sad, the Band Aid finale (closing the British concert) of "Do They Know its Christmas Time" is ten times more passionate, more angry and sonically powerful than the original single.
Then we switch over to America (where it is still sunny daytime) where we are 'treated' to the massively corny "Teach Your Children" by Crosby Stills and Nash. We also get the ever topical Neil Young who's "Nothing is Perfect (in God's perfect Plan)" is a traditional rock n' roll blues song about the fortunes we take for granted. It's a shame he hadn't written "Keep on Rocking in the Free World" yet (not till '89) as that would have fit the event like a glove. We then get various acts performing a cover of "Revolution" -originally by the Beatles. A fairly abrasive, chaotic performance but its still a fantastic song of hope- possibly my favourite Beatle's song.
Then Duran Duran (dressed to kill, as always) perform "Save a Prayer", a song of living the extremes of religion, hedonism and highs and lows, which they dedicate to a message of living by peace and respect to one another, regardless of judgements. And Patti Labelle closes the evening melodramatically with covers of John Lennon's (who was murdered in 1980) "Imagine" (another one of the best songs ever written) and "Forever Young" (which suffers slightly to poor sound reception at the closing moments). Both songs about shareing, unity, and Christmas and New Year themes of family and holding onto your values and making resolutions and upholding them for the future.
What's interesting is the other musical choices of the concert which contradict those compassionate values, such as the ruthless apathy of Phil Collin's performance of his soulfelt and vengeful classic ballad "In the Air Tonight", and to a less noticeable extent, the cold blooded sexual hedonism of Judas Priest's "Living After Midnight". As for the rest, the concert again highlights the incredible, precise musical talents of bands I'd previously taken little interest in, as Black Sabbath and REO Speedwagon both give excellent performances that truly blow me away. After that point, the second half all becomes more mellow, for the most part smooth and nothing too abrasive, but nothing that incredible either. It's a comfortable unwind.
Disc Four Tracklisting Maneater-Hall & Oates Get Ready (Cos Here I Come)-Hall & Oates With Eddie Kendricks Ain't Too Proud To Beg-Hall & Oates With Eddie Kendricks & David Ruffin My Girl-Hall & Oates With Edd Kendricks & David Ruffin Just Another Night-Mick Jagger Miss You-Mick Jagger State Of Shock-Mick Jagger & Tina Turner It's Only Rock 'n' Roll-Mick Jagger & Tina Turner Blowing In The Wind-Bob Dylan With Keith Richards & Ron Wood We Are The World-USA For Africa Finale
By this point it is nighttime in America too and the opening song "Maneater" by Halls and Oats actually blends well into the night time with its cautionary (and yes, obnoxious and probably sexist) lyrics about the monetary predator woman of the nightbars. It opens the fourth disc immediately on beat. They then introduce and perform with Motown Kings Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin, both formerly of The Temptations, and whether its the mojo-boosting player's anthem "Get Ready 'Cos Here I Come" or the sweet, sincere romantic plattitudes of "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", their vocals are as robust and golden as ever. The fourth disc is mainly about catering to the older crowd and resurrecting those golden oldies for them.
So we then get Rolling Stone's, Mick Jagger dominating with a four-set, delivering some good old pub performance rock n' roll and is still as wild and fire spirited as ever and fills the stage well with movement and great humour, and energises the event some more. He is joined for his last two songs by Tina Turner and the two have great chemistry and flirt brilliantly together to the point of a "wardrobe malfunction". And then we get the legendary Bob Dylan with guitarists Ron Wood and Keith Richardson performing alone the penultimate song, the tender and soul searching "Blowing in the Wind" performed accoustic and very traditional and mellow. Then we end on the obligatory "We are the World" finale, and it actually comes off really well and performed live, it sounds far more human.
The DVD image quality is overall pretty good- mostly extremely clear and bright, occasionally film is quite grainy, and particularly the crowd shots are a bit blurry sometimes. There is also occasionally the overexposed marks on the camera from heavy lighting and the runny lines effect shows up now and again. Most of the sound quality is good, apart from some of the moments in "Forever Young" and the "We Are the World" Finale. Most of it is unnoticeable however and does little to really spoil. Besides it marks the period nostalgically, and this is a great piece of history.
Disc Four Bonus Tracks What You Need-INXS Don't Change-INXS Why I Sing The Blues-B.B. King Don't Answer The Door-B.B. King Rock Me Baby-B.B. King Reach Out And Touch-Ashford & Simpson With Teddy Pendergrass King Of Rock-Run DMC A World Of Difference-Cliff Richard Various-Overseas Contributors Dancing In The Streets-David Bowie & Mick Jagger Food & Trucks & Rock 'n' Roll - Documentary (65 Minutes)
In the extras, we get footage of some performances in America that were never transmitted originally and some of the international performances for the charity.
At the Australia concert INXS appear and give a rock sensuous performance of "What You Need" amidst a fluorescent and lazer light show by night. However these scenes lack the same arena feel and the audience is hardly ever glimpsed, obscured by the dark or ignored by the camera.
The North Seas Jazz Festival performance, dominated by BB King is excellent and classy and chic and all the things Jazz is. BB King brilliantly fills the camera with his sweaty and robust performance where he truly gives it all. And the mellowed out, kaleidoscopic Jazz music is unendingly sastisfying and infectiously danceable.
Then we get the JFK Stadium performance of the legendary crooner Teddy Pendergrass, he is wheelchair bound but sincerely dedicated and moved by the concert, and gives a truly soothing performance of "Reach Out and Touch" which could qualify as the most heart on sleeve, beautiful moment of the collection.
Then we get the untransmitted performance of Rap act Run-DMC at the concert. DJ Jam Master Jay introduces with some superb scratching and flipbacks. The rapper duo Daryl and Run then arrive and flawlessly perform the Rock tinged "King of Rock" which is brilliant Arena Rap. It's a short bit but from beginning to end it's all loud and solar plexus punching and you cannot resist nodding your head to it all.
Cliff Richard also has a three minute recorded segment, performed in a small studio. He's on accoustic guitar and plays "A World of Difference" and he's actually fairly good, somewhat bland but still the lyrics are potent and appropriate.
In the next clip we go to several spots in the world and are launched into a limbo rhythm and although its Austrian language and subtitled you do pick up on some pretty potent lyrics "Ethipoia, you were once a princess, now you are a beggar". Then we go to Germany and lyrically their little piece is even more poetic: "Here the sins of our forefathers/ and our indifference take their toll/ and the motto is take no prisoners/ flesh and blood must pay the bill". Then in Japan we are treated to some 80's J-Pop and some J-Metal, but no subs for either. Its quickly on to the USSR where we still get no subs but some fine dynamic guitarism. We also see clips from Yugoslavia, where the subs return for the corniest of all the aid songs, followed by and ending on the nearly as corny but English sung Norwegian single, which has its own quaint charm.
We then get a three minute music video of David Bowie and Mick Jagger's "Dancing in the Streets" duet. It's set simply in a derelict house and a nighttime street and the two perform alone, and yet in terms of directing and dance choreography and screen presence of the two, the video is truly mind blowing.
And now for the final piece- the hour long documentary "Food and Trucks and Rock 'n' Roll". Covering the recent history of the famine and drought in Africa, the plight of the population, and Bob's involvement and his forming of Band Aid, from the Christmas single to the concert and beyond. It's a very educational and historic film, full of all the dimensions and facts- the methods of aid distribution, the obstacles they faced- in politics, transport and the stranglehold of world bank debts. It also picks up a lot of public viewpoints and most importantly presents Bob Geldof's explicit opinions on the plight and the disgrace it marks on modern times that this could happen. There's a brief moment where he gets confrontational with the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. It brilliantly blends the harrowing images of poverty with the optimistic images of aid and public support, but at the same time reminds you that the famine still hasn't gone away and that long term aid is constantly needed.
I cannot recommend this set for Christmas more- its thoroughly entertaining, historic, educational and does its little bit to finance the aid work.
Advantages: Pure pop all in one concert, great nostalgia trip Disadvantages: Will be lost on a lot of young people
...which led up to the Live Aid concerts.) Band Aid Video (Do They Know It's Christmas?)
USA For Africa Video (We Are The World)
Coldstream Guards (Royal Salute)
Status Quo (Rockin' All Over The World; Caroline) The Style Council (Internationalists; Walls Come Tumbling Down)
The Boomtown Rats (I Don't Like Mondays; Drag Me Down)
Adam Ant (Vive Le Rock)
Ultravox (Dancing With Tears In My Eyes; Vienna)
Spandau Ballet (Only When You Leave; True)
... ...is that of Queen. Live Aid was one of the last few stage performances that Freddie Mercury did before he became ill and passed away from Aids in 1991. Queen performed the longest set on stage and there was not a note off key. A poignant moment was when Bob Geldof, performing with his Boomtown Rats, sang "I don't like Mondays". The crowd applauded when he sang the line "…and the lesson today is how to die".
Watching Madonna perform 'Holiday' and ...
matthewsmum 01.12.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Live Aid (Various Artists) (Box Set) (DVD)
Advantages: Too many to mention Just ENJOY Disadvantages: Hours spent watching 10
...have been to many many live gigs but this one comes right at the top, I can still remember the shivers down my spine as I felt the excitement from crowds and performers alike so, when the concert was released on DVD I decided to purchase it. All proceeds from this dvd goes to the Band Aid trust to continue their help in feeding the world.
The 4 disc DVD is beautifully presented in a fold out cover which slips into a protective box., It contains ... ...show how the money from live aid was spent.
The concert kicked off from wembley stadium on Saturday July 13th at Midday joined by JFK Stadium Philadelphia.
I will start by telling you who I enjoyed on the day and I will later give you the list of all participents.
Queen, where do I start everybody must have heard about this performance. I have to admit i always enjoyed Queen but was not a huge supporter of them but that all changed, as you can ...
mrsatchmo 20.11.2004 (25.11.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Live Aid (Various Artists) (Box Set) (DVD)
Advantages: Great memories of a great day Disadvantages: None
...date was yes it was Live Aid, I was 16 at the time sadly I didn't get to go there as it was down in London (Wembly Stadium), but I got to watch it all on the Television. It started in London at Midday, USA joined in at Midday their time which was around 5pm our time UK ended at 10pm then USA took us through to around 4am next day what a spectacular show it was. Now at that time Video Recorders were fairly new to the world and our house didn't have ... ...last year when they released Live Aid the DVD. Live Aid was the creation of Bob Geldof and Midge Ure and it came about after they had recorded the original Band Aid song "Do They Know It's Christmas" which was created after Bob and Midge saw a BBC news report about the famine in Africa. Do They Know It's Christmas to this day is still the biggest selling single of all time and featured bands such as Duran Duran, Bananarama, Wham and acts such as ...
Superdadof1 10.12.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Live Aid (Various Artists) (Box Set) (DVD)
Advantages: Near Perfect Box Set Disadvantages: Some Artists refused to give rights
...is one of the best live performances of all time and even Phil Collins travelling via Concorde to perform both sides of the Atlantic on that historic day.
The discs allow you to select the artists you want, but when you are choosing between Elton John, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Paul Weller, U2, Queen, Sting and the Who, the skipping and selection element is kept at an absolute minimum! This era, culminating in this concert really did sum up the ... ...of these artists performing at their absolute peak, something we are sadly not likely to see again. Please be aware that not all the artists that performed are on the DVD, with the likes Led Zeppelin refusing to give the rights for some bizarre reasons.
Priced at just under £30 I see this as a MUST BUY for every fan of popular or rock music over the last thirty years, and in buying it some of the proceeds are still going to Africa ...
milwayj 24.01.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Live Aid (Various Artists) (Box Set) (DVD)
Advantages: Great music still sounds fresh Disadvantages: Those bad 80's hair dos
If you don't remember live aid, then this DVD is a must for you, and if you do remember it, it's worth buying to relive the memories of the day that rock music changed the world. Spread over four DVD's and ten hours of footage, relive the big hair, the daglo fashion disasters, and the golden age when rock stars got up on stage, played their own instruments, and belted out their own original material. Of course, the majority of people agree that Queen ... ...will never be another frontman to rival the impossibly charismatic Freddie Mercury, but this DVD illustrates the quality of rock stars that were around 20 years ago. With contributions from Elton John, The Who, Sting, Dire Straits, Status Quo, and too many others to mention here, sit back, relax, and remember the generation who fed the world. ...
cath1211 15.12.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Live Aid (Various Artists) (Box Set) (DVD)
Product Information for "Live Aid (Various Artists) (Box Set) (DVD)" »
Product details
Actor(s)
Genre
Musicals & Music Films - Rock & Pop
Classification
Exempt
Production Year
1985
Running Time
9 hours 20 minutes
Plot
Featuring Live Aid, a UK concert recorded live from Wembley Stadium in London and in America live from the John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia on July 13th 1985. Both concerts raised money for the victims of famine in Ethiopia.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
WARNER MUSIC VISION; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Release date
08/11/2004
No of Discs
4
Catalogue No
2564 61895 2
Barcode
0825646189526
Languages
Main Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Food Trucks And Rock N Roll Documentary, Band Aid Do They Know Its Christmas Music Video, USA For Africa Music Video
Sound
DTS 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Dubbing Sound
DTS 5.1 Surround English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo English
DVD Description
Featuring Live Aid, a UK concert recorded live from Wembley Stadium in London and in America live from the John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia on July 13th 1985. Both concerts raised money for the victims of famine in Ethiopia.
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