My wife and I have been doing our annual ritual of pulling out our Live Aid DVD around the anniversary of the concert (July 13, 1985) and lamenting our lost youth (not to mention the stylistic decline in nearly all areas since then, or "GOD how I miss the Eighties!" But I digress.)
What occurred to me as we were watching this year was how well the London show, in particular, was sequenced by performer. Up first was the Warm Up Band of Old Farts Who Weren't Quite Famous but Still Hanging in There (Status Quo). Then came the Currently Popular/Up and Coming Bands (Style Council, Spandau Ballet, Paul Young, organizers Ultravox and the Boomtown Rats, etc.) leading up to the most eagerly-awaited act in that category, namely U2. Then Dire Straits (not a fan, but that's another digression) led off the Established Artists, who appeared in rough order of increasing fame/popularity: Queen, then David Bowie, then the Who, then Elton John, with Paul McCartney to close.
So that got me thinking: who would have appeared, and in what sequence, at an AH "Live Aid" concert for a famine at other times than 1985? Doing convenient five-year intervals, I'd say that 1965 would have been too early for that sort of sophisticated thinking to attach itself to rock music, but it was possible by 1970. So who would be the Up and Comings and Established Artists at a "Live Aid" show in 1970, or 1975, or 1980 (or 1990)?
Just off the top of my head, in a 1975 show I would still see McCartney closing, but with Wings, and with the Rolling Stones possibly preceding him. David Bowie might have U2's place as the King of the Up and Comings, but who else would appear in that category - possibly Queen, but who else? Parliament/Funkadelic? Roxy Music? Kiss?
And how about 1980: the Clash had fired Mick Jones and were in a death spiral by 1985, but in a 1980 show they would have a strong shot at being the big Up and Coming Band. Among others: Bob Marley (I don't know how sick he was by 1980)? Blondie? Talking Heads? Kid Creole and the Coconuts (hey, they probably would have made SOME mistakes)?
So, who do YOU think would have taken the stage at Live Aid, if Live Aid were at a five or ten or fifteen year interval from its actual date?
(Disclaimer: I'm not sure if the technology for the worldwide linkup would have been around in 1980, let alone 1970, which would be a POD in itself; but I request that we not get derailed into that discussion, please.)
What occurred to me as we were watching this year was how well the London show, in particular, was sequenced by performer. Up first was the Warm Up Band of Old Farts Who Weren't Quite Famous but Still Hanging in There (Status Quo). Then came the Currently Popular/Up and Coming Bands (Style Council, Spandau Ballet, Paul Young, organizers Ultravox and the Boomtown Rats, etc.) leading up to the most eagerly-awaited act in that category, namely U2. Then Dire Straits (not a fan, but that's another digression) led off the Established Artists, who appeared in rough order of increasing fame/popularity: Queen, then David Bowie, then the Who, then Elton John, with Paul McCartney to close.
So that got me thinking: who would have appeared, and in what sequence, at an AH "Live Aid" concert for a famine at other times than 1985? Doing convenient five-year intervals, I'd say that 1965 would have been too early for that sort of sophisticated thinking to attach itself to rock music, but it was possible by 1970. So who would be the Up and Comings and Established Artists at a "Live Aid" show in 1970, or 1975, or 1980 (or 1990)?
Just off the top of my head, in a 1975 show I would still see McCartney closing, but with Wings, and with the Rolling Stones possibly preceding him. David Bowie might have U2's place as the King of the Up and Comings, but who else would appear in that category - possibly Queen, but who else? Parliament/Funkadelic? Roxy Music? Kiss?
And how about 1980: the Clash had fired Mick Jones and were in a death spiral by 1985, but in a 1980 show they would have a strong shot at being the big Up and Coming Band. Among others: Bob Marley (I don't know how sick he was by 1980)? Blondie? Talking Heads? Kid Creole and the Coconuts (hey, they probably would have made SOME mistakes)?
So, who do YOU think would have taken the stage at Live Aid, if Live Aid were at a five or ten or fifteen year interval from its actual date?
(Disclaimer: I'm not sure if the technology for the worldwide linkup would have been around in 1980, let alone 1970, which would be a POD in itself; but I request that we not get derailed into that discussion, please.)
