LIVE AID - 20 YEARS AGO TODAY

Details

• Release Year: 1985
• Genre: Music
• Plot: Billed as 'the day music changed history,' the Live Aid concerts of July 13, 1985, were held to raise money to fight the horrifying famines sweeping Africa. The brainchild of Bob Geldof and representing the efforts of countless musicians and technicians, Live Aid was a genuine and inspiring effort to help the victims of an overwhelming calamity. Twenty years after the twin concerts (one in London, one in Philadelphia) were broadcast worldwide, the 4-DVD treatment furthers the cause, with proceeds going toward the Band Aid Trust.

  The DVD set opens with a heartbreaking documentary on the crisis, followed by videos of the two hit songs that represented the collaborative nature of Geldof's efforts—Band Aid' s 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' and USA for Africa's 'We Are the World.' Since Live Aid was never intended to be released in a recorded format, preservation of TV footage has been unreliable, resulting in some glaring omissions. Led Zeppelin's semi-reunion doesn't appear, and neither does a legendary session with Bob Dylan, Ron Wood, and Keith Richards. Some sets by performers who were popular at the time may inspire either nostalgic glee or head-scratching (Kiki Dee fans, you know who you are). Sprinkled amid these performances are a couple real gems, including a performance by Run DMC, the event's sole representative of the ascendant rap movement. Much of the music here was a passing fad, but the sentiment that brought it all together is timeless.

• Cast: Bob Geldof; Bryan Adams; Stuart Adamson; Mo Amin; Adam Ant; Nick Ashford; Joan Baez; Tom Bailey; Garry Beers; Big Country; Black Sabbath; Bono; The Boomtown Rats; David Bowie; Andrew Bown; Jeff Bridges; Pete Briquette; Charlie Burchill; Geezer Butler; Tony Butler; Warren Cann; The Cars; Martin Chambers; Chevy Chase; Eric Clapton; Dick Clark; Adam Clayton; Albert Collins; Phil Collins; Billy Connolly; Elvis Costello; Crosby Stills Nash & Young; David Crosby; Chris Cross; Simon Crowe; Alannah Currie; Billy Currie; Roger Daltrey; John Deacon; Paul Denham; Ronnie James Dio; Dire Straits; Duran Duran; Bob Dylan; John Entwistle; Andrew Farriss; Jon Farriss; Tim Farriss; Bryan Ferry; Sally Field; Johnnie Fingers; Mel Gaynor; David Gilmour; Band of H.M. Coldstream Guards; Tony Hadley; Andrew Hale; Daryl Hall; Michael Hutchence; John Illsley; INXS; Tony Iommi; Mick Jagger; Jam Master Jay; Elton John; Howard Jones; John Paul Jones; Casey Kasem; John Keeble; Gary Kemp; Martin Kemp; Eddie Kendricks; Jim Kerr; Andy Kershaw; Nik Kershaw; B.B. King; Mark Knopfler; Patti LaBelle; Alan Lancaster; Simon Le Bon; Joe Leeway; Madonna; Stuart Matthewman; Brian May; Paul McCartney; Marilyn McCoo; Darryl McDaniels; Robbie McIntosh; Freddie Mercury; George Michael; Alison Moyet; Graham Nash; Jack Nicholson; Tessa Niles; Petter Nome; Steve Norman; John Oates; Ric Ocasek; Ben Orr; Ozzy Osbourne; Rick Parfitt; Teddy Pendergrass; Robert Plant; Power Station; The Pretenders; Queen; David Quinn; Nick Rhodes; Griff Rhys Jones; Keith Richards; Lionel Richie; Andrew Ridgeley; Tony Rivers; Garry Roberts; Nile Rodgers; Francis Rossi; David Ruffin; Sade; Carlos Santana; George Segal; Joseph Simmons; Simple Minds; Valerie Simpson; Richard Skinner; Mel Smith; Julia Somerville; Spandau Ballet; Rick Springfield; Status Quo; Stephen Stills; Sting; Andy Taylor; John Taylor; Roger Taylor; Thompson Twins; George Thorogood; Pete Townshend; Tina Turner; U2; Tracey Ullman; Ultravox; Midge Ure; Tommy Vance; Bill Ward; Bruce Watson; Paul Weller; Wham!; The Who; Brian Wilson; Ronnie Wood; Neil Young; Paul Young; Paul Cook; The Edge; Benny Hill; Larry Mullen Jr.; Jimmy Page; Prince Charles; Princess Diana; Tony Thompson; Vincent Scarza; Kenneth Shapiro
• Director: Vincent Scarza
• Runtime: 0:52
• Company: Warner Bros. Entertainment
• Media Format: Movie