Celebrating Live Aid's 40th Anniversary: Musical, Cast Album, and Special Performances

Join us as we dive into the exciting celebration of Live Aid's 40th anniversary featuring a musical, cast album, and special performances!

A Memorable Anniversary Celebration

Live Aid is gearing up for its 40th anniversary with the launch of the original cast album for Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical. The celebration will also feature a special performance and a night dedicated to Live Aid on BBC shows.

The legendary concerts took place on July 13, 1985, simultaneously in London and Philadelphia. These events played a pivotal role in raising global awareness for famine relief, drawing in a whopping 1.9 billion viewers from 150 countries and generating over $125 million in donations.

Exciting Album Release Announcement

The highly anticipated album will be released on July 11, as revealed during a special event at Wembley Stadium on May 1. The event was hosted by radio DJ Jo Whiley and included appearances from the founders of Live Aid and Trustees of the Band Aid Charitable Trust, namely Sir Bob Geldof, Midge Ure, Harvey Goldsmith, and John Kennedy.

During the event, attendees were treated to performances from an impressive lineup of artists who also shared insights about Live Aid’s enduring legacy and the upcoming musical.

A Musical Journey to the West End

Just for One Day – The Live Aid Musical will hit the West End on May 15 after a record-breaking, sold-out run at The Old Vic theatre. This show has been transformed into “a fully realized rock album,” capturing the passion, power, and urgency that made the 1985 response to the Ethiopian famine a landmark moment in music history.

Anthems That Changed the World

The Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical (Original Cast Recording) comes with the backing of Geldof and the Band Aid Charitable Trust. It includes iconic anthems from legendary artists who graced the Live Aid stage, including:

• Queen
• David Bowie
• Ultravox
• Boomtown Rats
• U2
• Elton John
• The Police
• The Who
• Madonna
• Phil Collins
• Bob Dylan

You can pre-order the album here and gain access to an exclusive track: The Police’s “Message In A Bottle.” Also, don’t miss out on getting your tickets for the musical here.

40th Anniversary Performance and Special Events

Alongside the album release, a special performance of Just For One Day is set to occur at the Shaftesbury Theatre on July 13. This event will be followed by an exclusive after-party featuring surprise guest performances at KOKO in Camden. For tickets and more details, visit here.

Geldof’s Perspective on Live Aid’s Legacy

In a reflective moment during the announcement, Geldof expressed:

“We couldn’t possibly have known that 40 years down the track, the issue would be as vital or the interest as great. Millions of children today are being forced to starve as an instrument of war, and millions of lives are in peril due to AIDS and because of cuts to international aid.”

He emphasized the significance of the musical: “This musical is extraordinary, and it brings Live Aid to a new generation – the possibility of what individuals can do together. It refutes Thatcher’s dictum that there’s no such thing as society. There is, and it roared its existence on that day 40 years ago in Wembley Stadium. Human beings do care about each other – they rise above contemporary politics.”

Geldof continued to highlight the uniqueness of the production: “Just For One Day puts Live Aid into perspective. It’s a phenomenal piece of work. I read somewhere that it’s a ‘jukebox musical’ – dude, it’s the original musical jukebox! That’s what we called it back then – ‘Live Aid – the Global Jukebox’!”

Anticipated BBC Documentaries

In conjunction with the album and musical, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer will commemorate the anniversary with a new documentary series titled Live Aid At 40. This series will unveil behind-the-scenes stories from the 1985 charity concert, featuring exclusive interviews with prominent figures like Geldof, Bono, Sting, US President George Bush, Nigeria's President Obasanjo, and Birhan Woldu, the haunting image of the famine during the concert.

Later in July, BBC Two will also air Live Aid the Concert, showcasing over 6.5 hours of highlights from both the London and Philadelphia concerts, along with backstage footage and interviews with stars like Bono, Brian May, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, and Phil Collins.

At the end of the previous year, Geldof and Band Aid released a new "2024 Ultimate Mix" version of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” in honor of the 40th anniversary of this festive classic. Following Ed Sheeran’s remarks about not authorizing his vocals for the track, Geldof responded: “This little pop song has kept millions of people alive.”

Don't miss out on the opportunity to shop your favorite album cover poster at our store! Check it out here.