Was LiveAid Really That Bad?

[Rorer714]

20 minutes of heaven

...that was quite hellish

[Peep Solero]

Watching it years after....my face in a grimace...my lips utter the word aaouchh...

But you could certainly feel the amazing vibe from the Zeppelins and the crowd, seemed like no matter how bad it was people felt it was something amazing to watch.

[ro_a]

Watching it years after....my face in a grimace...my lips utter the word aaouchh...

But you could certainly feel the amazing vibe from the Zeppelins and the crowd, seemed like no matter how bad it was people felt it was something amazing to watch.

Great concert, my generation's Woodstock. I don't know about y'all, but I listened to my home made radio tape a million zillion times. Did I listen because it was bad? No. There is something happening at this gig, despite technically not performing well the energy level is off the charts. This was Jimmy's first gig in years playing the style of Led Zeppelin, not a Tele or a b string bender in site. I like Jimmy's solos at this gig, which at times are fast and furious albeit imprecise . For example, the solo intro to WLL and the 2nd solo that comes in the middle after Bamp Bamp (click click click click click) I even like the beginning of the RnR solo but he loses it by the end. This is a unique show, an off night for Robert, an interesting night for Page, a great as usual night for Jones. I brought my tape to Looney Tunes records in July 85 and watched the goose bumps form on the arm of one listener as he listened to Stairway. I listened to this many many more times than the soul crushing Atlantic's 40th.

My short answer is NO. Live Aid was a magical, exceptionally worthwhile experience.

[Jimmy's A Legend]

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My short answer is NO. Live Aid was a magical, exceptionally worthwhile experience.

Personaly i think that it sucked, the dummer didn't have a f**king clue what he was doing, which you could tell and also ruined the performance. Not the best.

[bonzo1026]

Yea Collins really F'd that whole experience up for me. How old was Jason back then like 8? I think he could've done better.

The broadcast of the thing also made it seem so damn corny. Plain 1985 television graphics of the bands name (in plain yellow block letters with a black shadow effect underneath) and a clueless annoucer yelling "blah blah blah <insert fake excitement here> lets hope they do Stairway!!!" to his equally retarded co-anchor who is like "I know the fans are expecting it, Bob! Lets go down to the stage!" the whole time... and you can just tell the dude has no idea who piss Led Zeppelin even is.

At least, thats how I remember it anyways... its been a while.

I think it was a mix of everything that made people hate it. To me it just seemed like a really bad dream that consisted of some of my favorite things.

I think it had its moments, but O2 blew Live Aid's doors off.

Probably just one of those things you had to be there to see in person.

Speaking of which, if anyone saw the ABC broadcast of Live Aid. It came on at 8 p.m. EST and Zep went on just before 8 so Dick Clark is doing the opening crap while Zep is playing live in the background!!!!!! My Mom told me that when I got home from it. So she switched to MTV. Anyone catch MTV VJ Mark Goodman going INSANE during the performance? He's a huge Ledhed.

[snapper]

A good friend of mine was at Live Aid and say's the Zeppelin set sounded great,

and he's seen many many concerts. I personally can't watch it, except for the part where Phil Collins is literally scratching his nose wondering what to do while Tony Thompson is playing the proper fills, fucking priceless.

Poor Mr. Collins thought he could fake his way through a few Zeppelin numbers, bad idea.

Thanks Robert.

[~tangerine~]

I was at Live Aid and it sounded much better live

That's what people who weren't there will never know. The day was legendary, both with the Zeppelin reunion (which nobody could have done it like Bonham) and all the other talent throughtout the day. An amazing event.

[~tangerine~]

A good friend of mine was at Live Aid and say's the Zeppelin set sounded great,

and he's seen many many concerts.

This is what i think, if you were there you weren't being critical (at least not the true fans). It was just such a special event. I will say this, any band i have seen at the JFK (and i saw quite a few) never sound as "good" as they do at an inside arena. But that's not saying the shows didn't sound fantastic. The sound quality of that type of stadium is just different.

[~tangerine~]

I was there with you and I thought it was great maybe because it was such a huge thing seeing them back together along with all the other really good acts.

Exactly. The "Woodstock" of my time, lol.

[bonzo1026]

Exactly. The "Woodstock" of my time, lol.

Yeah, didn't Joan Baez say that when she came on?LOL Many brain cells ago. You guys will be able to attest to this...........I remember all the bands got good responses. Some louder than others. Like the Sabbath reunion as opposed to RUN DMC basically getting booed off the stage. BUT, when Zeppelin came out the ENTIRE place erupted! You guys remember that? One could literally feel the place shaking! NO ONE got a response like that. It's something one would have to experience live to fully appreciate it. I'll never forget it. I still get a chill when I remember all of JFK Stadium singing the end of Stairway. 90,000 fkn people in unison(and tears) "And she's buying the stairway.......to heaven".

In Robert's words...."What a day! YES?"

[fenderguy]

The incredible vibe from the crowd, and the band feeding off of it was trancendent. It was the saving grace of the performance, which certainly was technically ragged. It was almost good in spite of itself.

[likecats]

I was there in person and then I got a recording of it a couple of years later. While sitting at home and listening to it, the flaws of the performance are very obvious. Being there in the moment, it was spectacular. The energy that swept through the crowd when PP&J came on stage and blasted into Rock 'n' Roll outstripped anything else that day, IMO. I flew from L.A. to Philadelphia just for Live-Aid, and I was not disappointed (except that Zep didn't play longer).

[FireOpal]

I was at both Live Aid and the Atlantic 40th Anniversary. As I've said in other discussions on the subject, it's a very different experience being there. I didn't hear any of the issues until I watched it on tape. For me I was too caught up in the fact this was the very first time I saw any of them on stage and to see them together, there were and are no words. Robert was touring with his own band at the time and had come off a few shows in a row, which is why he was a bit hoarse.

Totally different vibe at the 40th Anniversary but I thought overall, their playing was better there. Again, being in the audience and getting caught up in the excitement of it affords a different perspective on things.

Ninelives, could you elaborate more on the different vibes of the respective performances?

I'd love to see either the Live Aid or Atlantic performances again - I only saw them on tv back in the day & not since [wipes a tear]. Maybe there's something on YouTube; there usually is.

[ninelives]

Ninelives, could you elaborate more on the different vibes of the respective performances?

I'd love to see either the Live Aid or Atlantic performances again - I only saw them on tv back in the day & not since [wipes a tear]. Maybe there's something on YouTube; there usually is.

Sure (though it was a long time ago ) - the buzz around Live Aid was beyond words. For our generation, it was the closest thing to a Woostock type event we had. Because of the reason for the show, everyone just seemed to bond that day. For example, my friend and I were not prepared at all as we had gotten our tickets less than a week prior to the show. People around us just offered us some of their food. It was that kind of situation. I also think everyone felt really positive being there not just to see all these bands but feeling like we were making some small contribution to a very big problem. Considering the size of the arena, I really didn't find the sound bad at all (granted it probably would be considered so by today's standards). When Zep took the stage, it was electrifying. I don't think anyone believed it to be true but there they were.

The Atlantic show was a very different vibe. Totally different purpose and more of a celebration of a label with an amazing history. It was a long concert and I think much of the audience was really just waiting for the last act (Zep). It had more of a concert vibe to it than an event if that makes sense. Anyways, both to me were great and I feel really lucky to have been a part of them.