BBC Live Aid at 40 fans ask to 'go back' as they call out 'boring' Oasis
The two-venue benefit concert, organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, marked its 40th anniversary on Sunday, July 13.
The aim was to raise funds for the Ethiopian famine relief during 1983–1985, with two sold-out concerts taking place simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia.
A staggering audience of approximately 1.9 billion people across 150 countries tuned in to the live broadcast, which showcased performances from Queen, U2, David Bowie, and Madonna, among others.
The event raised over £114m for their charitable cause and is etched in memory as one of the most significant days in music history, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The BBC has been commemorating the anniversary this month, broadcasting the first two episodes of the documentary Live Aid at 40: When Rock 'n' Roll Took on the World last week.
Increasing their coverage, the broadcaster aired Live Aid at 40: The Concert on Saturday night (July 12) for those who wished to relive or had missed the event.
The programme offered extended highlights of the London and Philadelphia shows, along with seldom-seen backstage footage from the night.
While 80,000 people attended the second of Oasis' five sold-out gigs in their hometown in Heaton Park, some viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their dissatisfaction with the Gallagher brothers' band compared to those who performed at Live Aid.
Amidst a surge of Oasis nostalgia, social media is abuzz as users compare past live performances, with some longing for the pre-smartphone era of concerts.
One fan expressed wistfulness for concert experiences without modern disruptions: "Watching live aid and honestly can we just get back to concerts without phones and throwing pints all over the place? Saw a clip of Oasis at Heaton Park and when Wonderwall came on it was just a shower of beer."
Another fan sparked debate, asserting Queen's superior stage presence: "Saw a posting on here that Oasis are the best band live. Well those Manchester boys haven't got on Freddie Mercury and Queen - real charisma - now on BBC2 Live aid...makes them look boring."
A third added: "I've seen a lot of posts waxing lyrical about @oasis recently and rightly so.... unreal. But.... the Queen performance at Live Aid is something else.... Freddie Mercury, a generational talent!"
Someone else noted: "I'm watching Live Aid from 40 years ago...think anyone will give a s**t about an Oasis concert in 40 years?"
Echoing the sentiment, one fan hailed Mercury's iconic performance: "Freddie's finest hour. He made the world sit up and take notice. The band were sooo good on that day People lauding Oasis right now, watch this #LiveAid."
Despite these comments, Oasis mania shows no signs of waning with more gigs in Manchester ahead, followed by London, Edinburgh, and Dublin appearances.
The band will revisit Heaton Park on Wednesday, July 16, before they conclude their Manchester stint with two performances next weekend.
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