U2 Steal The Show at Live Aid, 1985

Back in 1985 before Sir Bob Geldof organized an event to raise funds for, and awareness of, the famine disaster in Ethiopia. It was broadcast world-wide using one of the largest satellite link-ups ever. This “global jukebox” ,as it was dubbed, was held simultaneously in London and Philadelphia. Some of the biggest superstars of the day including The Who, Queen, David Bowie, Madonna and Elton John played to 40% of the word’s population.

But it was a then up-and-coming Irish band called U2 who was introduced to the world and, arguably, stole the show. Their performance in front of 72,000 fans and for a global television audience of two billion people had Rolling Stone magazine calling them the “Band of the ’80s” and “the band that matters most, maybe even the only band that matters".

The “Band of the ‘80s” performed an 11 minute version of their song ‘Bad’ (complete with a nod to the Rolling Stones and Lou Reed) and featured what has now come to be known as a common occurrence at a U2 concert - Bono embracing and dancing with a female fan. Here’s that performance and typical Bono moment or, in this case, moments. Enjoy!

You can listen to all of U2’s songs and other artists from the 1980s on Dusty Discs Radio.