# Did you Watch Live Aid on 13 July 1985? Or recordings afterwards? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 17, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774 "2026-01-17T16:48:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/1 "2026-01-17T16:48:55Z")
Live Aid occurred 40 years ago last summer. I remember Dick Clark on ABC aired a live special. I can’t remember the other channels that carried the entire event. How important is Live Aid in your memory? Do you have it on CD or DVD? I’ve rewatched Queen’s 20 minute set on YouTube many times. They stole the show that day. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/2 "2026-01-17T16:58:18Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > How important is Live Aid in your memory? > Do you have it on CD or DVD? I honestly can’t remember what parts I might have seen live or I’m remembering scenes I’ve seen over the years since then. I was nine years old, and it’s entirely possible I’m confusing Live Aid with some other concert. For me, I suppose Live Aid isn’t a particularly important memory. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/3 "2026-01-17T17:01:19Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve rewatched Queen’s 20 minute set on YouTube many times. They stole the show that day. I didn’t see it live, but on one of our first dates, the young woman I was seeing at the time said ‘you gotta see this’ and popped her copy into the VCR. Unforgettable, for many reasons. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/4 "2026-01-17T18:02:06Z")
Live Aid is available on a 4 dvd set. I haven’t bought it because that’s overwhelming long. Most of the individual acts are on YouTube. Each act got 20 minutes. Their sound got cut after that and the next act came on. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/5 "2026-01-17T18:29:08Z")
Queen rehearsed heavily to create this 20 minute set. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/frdBb9Slu1A/hqdefault.jpg "Queen - Live Aid 1985 Full Concert") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frdBb9Slu1A) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/6 "2026-01-17T18:31:58Z")
I was working that day as the “rover” so I was able to drive home at lunch and catch The Who. You can imagine my disappointment when the feed went out during My Generation. I still have my Live Aid pin, anyone else have theirs? [![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQ7VlUkSmv1ZYGMHfiMYXkfqPbEdWnR3zJMzV-ENH2fuhqdGDh2w8c0cd3g0dBzb1ZPx2QkwmnceLf1A1ZGLeh-zD6UXOU2drlpnI34fWEbmaFSX4jCGdBSao5P4pGbb587wXn5xSblxa/s320/Live+Aid+Pin.jpg) ](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQ7VlUkSmv1ZYGMHfiMYXkfqPbEdWnR3zJMzV-ENH2fuhqdGDh2w8c0cd3g0dBzb1ZPx2QkwmnceLf1A1ZGLeh-zD6UXOU2drlpnI34fWEbmaFSX4jCGdBSao5P4pGbb587wXn5xSblxa/s320/Live+Aid+Pin.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/7 "2026-01-17T18:46:39Z")
I watched it live. We were very excited about it, and had a gathering at a friend’s house; though I think I missed the start of the Wembley leg of the broadcast (it started at like 6am my time), we watched the rest of it. I do remember the legendary Queen performance, which was at around noon our time. ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/8 "2026-01-17T19:27:15Z")
I was less than a year old during the event, although my dad did record portions of it on VHS, which I still have. It’s been too long since I last watched it to recall which performers he got on tape, but these days I find the commercial breaks that aired then more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/9 "2026-01-17T20:46:32Z")
Counterpoint: I have basically no recollection of it whatever. Had to check the thread to see what we were talking about, pretty much. I was 24. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/10 "2026-01-17T21:35:51Z")
I was in college (working as a summer lab instructor, if I recall correctly) and didn’t have easy access to a TV to watch it. I may not have even heard about it until after it happened - my campus seemed to have a bubble of isolation around it, slowing delivery of news of the outside world to a remarkable extent. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/11 "2026-01-17T21:39:55Z")
I was fifteen years old, spending ten days with family friends who were doing a sabbatical in Toulouse, France (I’m from the US, as were the family friends). I watched much of it live, on their rented home’s small black-and-white TV. I was a big Led Zeppelin fan, and I had no idea they were going to reunite for that day, until it happened – of course, I was excited. I rolled my eyes when Robert Plant messed up the words to “Stairway to Heaven” – I thought, “my _grandmother_ could recite those lyrics – and this is the guy that freakin’ _wrote_ them!” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/12 "2026-01-17T21:45:40Z")
I remember watching it in my little house on the side of a hill. My mother had recently died, my son was 3 years old and my husband was in California on business. I had it blasting in my living room and I danced with my little boy for a while. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/13 "2026-01-17T22:00:45Z")
I watched it (at least the Wembley leg) live, I was 17. I don’t remember all of it, especially the Philadelphia parts, maybe I missed some of that because it aired too late here in Germany and I went to sleep before it ended. I’m also always confusing it and the acts with the “Free Mandela concert” from a few years later at Wembley, though I remember that much more clearly. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/14 "2026-01-17T22:50:01Z")
For a somewhat cynical take on the event. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/G9KATynkMuo/maxresdefault.jpg "July 13th 1985 (The Live Aid Song)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9KATynkMuo) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/15 "2026-01-17T22:50:13Z")
It was a long time ago, and my memory is somewhat hazy. But as far as I recall I watched some parts of it live, but not the whole thing. I certainly watched the opening by Status Quo and the closing by Band Aid. Other than that I think I watched it on and off. I’ve never been a huge pop music fan and several of the performers just don’t interest me. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2026, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/16 "2026-01-17T23:30:15Z")
Two of my friends got married that day. A lot of other friends came to town for the wedding, which was in the afternoon. We started the day gathered at one house and watched for a while. The wedding/reception was held at a Victorian mansion and there was a TV in one of the back rooms and we watched off and on there. Then we went back to the house and watched some more. That evening we went out to The Rendezvous downtown and it was on a couple TVs there. I don’t remember which acts I saw. There was a lot of drinking involved all day. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/17 "2026-01-18T01:52:58Z")
Yeah, I watched parts of it. I missed the beginning because it started too early, but I did make sure to catch the (sort of) Zeppelin reunion. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/18 "2026-01-18T01:55:23Z")
I watched at least some of it on MTV; I was about to turn 14. My family had recently returned to the States after two years in England, and my parents got cable _just_ in time for Live Aid. I wasn’t at all music-savvy back then so I likely didn’t appreciate much of what I saw/heard, but I remember it being a big enough deal that I was aware of — and happy about — having cable and MTV in time to watch it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/19 "2026-01-18T02:29:01Z")
An even more cynical take ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Mkce5jFwIAE/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mkce5jFwIAE?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RDMkce5jFwIAE ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2026, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774/20 "2026-01-18T02:58:57Z")
[HOW and WHY were Queen SO good at Live Aid in 1985?](https://youtu.be/dx1zvc8Pa0Y?t=0) I watched this a while back and found it fascinating. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-watch-live-aid-on-13-july-1985-or-recordings-afterwards/1026774.md?page=2)