Thanks, I will do.

I wasn't there either, but i run the facebook page (see my signature for the link).  Do come in and join us and ask in there, we have nearly 9,000 people following us.  I am sure someone must have been there!

suss wrote:

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Toota92, feel free to send me a PM or post questions on here. Cheers.

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 Post them on here, we are nosey!

toota92 wrote:

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1.

where did you travel from? Fairly straightforward train then tube journey from Purley, just south of London. Think gates opened about 10am and we were there in time for that.

how old where you? 20

and who did you go with? Friend from school days called Mark, same age. Hard to believe but there were others I'd approached with the spare ticket I had as late as the Friday night before who weren't too bothered about going. As an aside, I missed out when first queuing up on first day of sale (last ones went about 20 people in front of me), but a girl I knew from schooldays had 2 tickets she sold me at face value. I was very keen to go, bordering on desperate.

what were your reasons for attending? If I'm honest, it was more to support a Bob Geldof venture (and see Rats in an historic concert) than it was for the primary cause. Had already done a fair bit of donating by snapping up the Band Aid singles, posters, magazines, and donating directly at Rats "In the long grass" tour gigs, but whether I'd have supported the event, donated as much or rushed for tickets without the Geldof influence it's difficult to say. Probably not, as I was an impoverished student and it would have been on TV.

2.

what were your first impressions of Wembly on the day before the performances? I'd been to Wembley several times for football but never a concert, so being 'on the pitch' was memorable. The other thing of note was how blisteringly hot it was on the day (80 degrees?) which felt even more stifling in a breeze free confined area.

the crowd and atmosphere? Pretty relaxed outside, good vibe feel, great expectations etc. Don't recall it ever being too manic inside or outside. There were those who ran in to get to front, and probably had a very very hot day until about 7pm, but we settled for level with mixing desk area, approx a third way back.

3. during the day how did the atmoshere change? The heat took its toll definitely. Those near front got hosed a bit but further back people were definitely flagging. There were also 15-20 minute breaks between the 15-20 minute sets early on, before America kicked off later in the day and video of their sets alternated with London acts and filled the gaps. No one got tetchy or anything (where I was at least), but there was more weariness than you might expect for such a major occasion, coupled with fact that not every act was going to appeal to every person. I'd say it stayed happy overall, but was a bit of an endurance test from say 2pm to 6pm.

4. how did your experience change thoughout the day? I was well up for seeing Rats set, then dipped a little during afternoon but still enjoyed it (just tiring a little as per above). I think anyone who was there will agree that Queen lifted the whole concert several levels (around 6pm?), and everyone got a second wind as a result. Most if not all acts used their 15 minutes to play say 3 songs, but Queen took opportunity to cram in a few hits in a medley, and Freddie Mercury (Queen singer) was prob first to get much crowd participation, to the point where he had the whole place following his commands (singing back, clapping etc). The sight/feel of 70,000 people all overhead clapping to Radio Gaga was my most memorable moment of the day.

As darkness fell and it got cooler, never cold luckily, the later acts definitely benefitted from Queen injection of energy into proceedings.

Remember being a bit put out when it came to all the stars singing Do They Know it's Christmas that so many had to resort to lyric sheets. I naively assumed everyone in the country knew every word by then, and some of them even featured on the single in first place! Thought that was a bit of an indictment into their commitment to the whole thing.

5. what parts of the concert are most prominant in your mind? Status Quo opening, Rats set and particularly Geldof pausing at line from I Don't Like Mondays where lyrics are 'and the lesson today is how to die', fist in the air, just looking into space for about 5 seconds or more. That brought home what it was all about. The video of scenes from Africa with the Cars track 'Drive' playing as background music captivated crowd, aforementioned Queen set and finale (for disappointing reasons), Concorde flying directly over stadium to get Phil Collins from Wembley set to perform again in USA (can't remember exactly who was on stage at time but there was an almight roar from crowd and I was thinking 'they're not that good', then realised everyone was cheering the plane above). Also recall the technical hitches that afflicted Rats and later Paul McCartney, plus Phil Collins playing a bum note. Little things/moments really.

6. during the second part of the concert, it was shown on 90% of the worlds televisions. how did that make you feel being so conected to the world? Personally I didn't feel especially connected at the time. Was aware it was going out on TV but it was no different for me than being at a football match that was being watched by others at home. I was there to see it in the flesh and live, and for the atmosphere etc, but very much wrapped up in what was around me rather than outside. The sets from USA helped keep it moving later on, but I wasn't a fan of many of those acts in Philadelphia so didn't really get 'into' it. We were oblivious to the TV studio coverage which no doubt had many references to events and crowds round the world and fundrasing updates. To summarise, we were well aware of events elsewhere but not significantly affected or connected. Certainly felt more about Wembley than the world for me at the time.

7. how do you feel the concert changed the world? Like to think it set a benchmark for similar events since and actually prompted some that would never have sen the light of day without its precedent. I think Geldof in particular deserves huge credit for his perseverance in getting it all moving.

8. how do you feel the concert changed you? After the event something of the magnitude sunk in. I bought (still have in fact if you need them for your research) the newspapers in days after and it sunk in only then how global, momentous and historic the event was. Been proud to say 'I was there' ever since, although official t-shirt (sleeveless  - was all I could get at stall outside, honest) with that same slogan barely fitted then let alone now. Wouldn't say Live Aid made me any more charitable in its own right (didn't buy Band Aid 2 for example) but I don't think I'd contributed much other than on Poppy Day before that Band Aid/Live Aid movement. Again, more in support of Geldof than the cause I'm a little ashamed to admit. It certainly did open my eyes to the inequalities of the world after previously being wrapped up in my own world as a typical teenager though.

Thank you

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noelindublin wrote:

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Legend has it that Freddie Mercury was on the old Bolivian marching powder for that performance- it was hardly Lucozade or coffee! Even as a non Queen fan I couldn't help being impressed.

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 Saw Queen at Knebworth a few years after Live Aid I think, and he was certainly not a shy performer!  (Though came across as shy when you saw him interviewed away from the stage). Really engaged with the crowd and was very uplifting.

Sadly I missed out on the Live Aid experience, had to work during the day, then just saw some on TV in the evening though as had recently moved from home and was living in a room in a shared student house, just had access to a small black and white portable TV.