logo
Live Aid stars gather for 40th anniversary

Live Aid stars gather for 40th anniversary

Express Tribune16-07-2025
Musicians who performed at Live Aid, the transatlantic concert that raised millions for famine relief in Ethiopia, reunited in London on Sunday to mark the event's 40th anniversary, attending a special performance of the musical Just For One Day.
Among the stars gathered at Shaftesbury Theatre were Live Aid organisers Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, Queen guitarist Brian May, musician Nik Kershaw and actor Vanessa Williams.
On this day in 1985, some of the biggest names in music came together for the televised international charity show, held simultaneously at London's Wembley Stadium and the John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia.
An estimated 1.5 billion people globally watched Live Aid via live satellite broadcasts. The event raised about USD100 million and spawned similar events all over the world for decades afterwards.
Irish rocker and activist Geldof told Reuters that Live Aid was still important because it showed the power of collaborative action.
"And today in the age of the death of kindness, which [US President Donald] Trump, [Vice President JD] Vance and [Elon] Musk have ushered in, it probably resonates all the more strongly," Geldof said.
The musicians attended a performance of Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical, a behind-the-scenes stage musical featuring songs from Sunday's attendees as well as Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Madonna, Elton John and Paul McCartney.
The musical, which had a run at London's Old Vic in 2024, transferred to the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End in May.
It is produced with the permission of the Band Aid Charitable Trust, which gets 10 per cent from the sales of all tickets.
"It made me very emotional at the time. Even thinking about it now makes me emotional," May told Reuters, referring to Live Aid in 1985.
Queen's performance that day at Wembley Stadium is widely regarded as a landmark concert in rock music history. "There has never been a day like that in my life," May said. Reuters
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Massive Attack's Palestine alliance
Massive Attack's Palestine alliance

Express Tribune

time8 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Massive Attack's Palestine alliance

English trip hop band, Massive Attack, have launched an alliance for musicians who are facing intimidation and threats from within the industry over their support for Palestine. The band took to Instagram and said that they are hoping to protect artists from organised censorship that silences the voices speaking against genocide. Earlier this year, Irish hip hop trio, Kneecap's Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence after the band displayed a Hezbollah flag on stage in London. They were removed from the Scottish festival TRNSMT (pronounced 'transmit') due to safety concerns and their set at Glastonbury was excluded from BBC's live broadcast. Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds also raised a Palestinian flag during their concert in Milan on May 25, joining the international chorus against mass genocide. Similarly, after Bob Vylan chanted, "Death, death to the Israel Defense Forces" during their performance at Glastonbury, they were dropped by their booking agency and removed from several concert line-ups. Vylan addressed the controversy at a concert by saying, "We just want to see the liberation of the Palestinian people. That's it. I don't think it's too crazy a thing to ask. I don't think it's a violent thing to ask, right? The liberation of the Palestinian people from a tyrannical oppressor. That's all we want. Each and every single time, they will not silence us." Massive Attack's stance Joining these musicians, Massive Attack's statement further supported the cause. "The scenes in Gaza have moved beyond description. We write as artists who've chosen to use our public platforms to speak out against the genocide occurring there and the role of the UK Government in facilitating it," the noted. Reflecting on their experiences, they shared, "We're aware of the scale of aggressive, vexatious campaigns operated by UK Lawyers For Israel and multiple incidences of intimidation within the industry itself. They are designed solely to silence and silence artists from speaking their hearts and minds." The UK lawyers For Israel has used lawfare in Britain "To suppress opposition to the Gaza genocide," says World Socilaist Website. "They have brought a raft of lawsuits to stifle free speech, chill public debate and intimidate Palestinian solidarity activists. Those targeted include, among others, academics, doctors, students and charity organisations." Taking a jab at the resistance from these institutions, the band wrote, "Because of our expressions of conscience, we've too have been subjected to various intimidations from within our industry that are all live and recorded. We have also faced legal repercussions via organised bodies such as UK Lawyers For Israel, whose range of activities has now finally been exposed in a new documentary film projected last night by the Led By Donkeys collective." They further talked about the sources of this censorship, claiming, "There is a level of censorship within the musicians' industry or from highly organised external legal bodies that terrify them and their management teams with aggressive legal action. The intention is clear and obvious: to silence them." Supporting fellow musicians Extending their support to fellow artists, they penned, "Having withstood these campaigns of attempted censorship, we won't standby and allow other artists – particularly those at earlier stages of their careers or in other positions of professional vulnerability – to be threatened into silence or career cancellation." The band made the intentions of their efforts clear by saying, "This collective action is really about offering some kind of solidarity to those artists who are living day after day in a screen-time genocide, but are worried about using their platforms to express their horror." They sent out a motivating message, asking musicians to assemble. "In this spirit, we encourage artists who've been placed in this position, or those who now wish to use their platforms to talk about Palestine, but are concerned about industrial or legal repercussions to contact us." The band further urged the musical community, "If you've felt anxious about speaking out before but feel it's too late, it isn't. It's never too late to join this movement. Everyone is welcome." The band put forward several demands. "We want to work together to share experiences, and factual resources," they stated. "To be creative. Vitally we want to stand in strength and solidarity to collectively demand the following." Their list included, "Immediate, unfettered access to Gaza for recognised international aid agencies without military threat, end to UK arm sales and licenses to Israel, end of the atrocious targeting of medical and aid workers and an immediate and permanent ceasefire. A free Palestine." Various artists such as Kneecap, Fontaines D.C., Brian Eno, and Garbage have also echoed the need for an unfiltered voice against the atrocities taking place in Palestine. Calling an end to unwarranted pressure, Kneecap wrote, "End threats and censorship against artists who speak out against the genocide in Palestine. Speak out. Stand up. We are the majority."

Cosby Show' star Malcolm-Jamal Warner dies aged 54
Cosby Show' star Malcolm-Jamal Warner dies aged 54

Express Tribune

time8 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Cosby Show' star Malcolm-Jamal Warner dies aged 54

Warner was on vacation in Costa Rica with his family at the time of the incident. Photo: File American actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played Bill Cosby's son Theo on the 1980s groundbreaking television hit The Cosby Show, died at age 54 on Monday by drowning, a law enforcement source confirmed to Reuters. Warner was vacationing in Costa Rica with his family, media reported. The Central American nation's judicial investigation department (OIJ) confirmed that a US citizen with the last name Warner had drowned after being pulled out to sea by a rip current. He was declared lifeless at the scene by Red Cross lifeguards, the department said. Representatives for Warner did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The NAACP posted a photo of the late actor on Instagram along with a caption. "#RestinPower, to NAACP Image Award winning actor, Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Your talent and spirit touched many lives, and your legacy will continue to inspire," the caption said. Warner won the outstanding actor in a comedy series award from the NAACP for the series Reed Between the Lines in 2012. Fox Entertainment also issued a statement on Monday about Warner's passing. "Everyone at Fox is heartbroken by the tragic loss of our friend and colleague, the extraordinary Malcolm-Jamal Warner. While his iconic roles – from comedic to dramatic – are unforgettable and timeless," the statement said. Warner played Dr AJ Austin on the Fox medical drama series The Resident. The Cosby Show, which aired from 1984 to 1992, was one of the earliest portrayals of a successful, stable and wholesome Black American family on television, which challenged negative stereotypes. Cosby portrayed a doctor, and Warner played his only son. Warner, who was born on August 18, 1970, grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his mother, Pamela, who eventually became his acting manager. He was named after civil rights leader Malcolm X and jazz musician Ahmad Jamal. At an early age, Warner found he was interested in acting, which launched his career as a child performer and set him on the path to attend The Professional Children's School in New York. While he had some small television roles early in his career, playing Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show served as Warner's breakout role. The actor received an Emmy nomination in 1986 for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for his role on the NBC series. Warner won a Grammy award in 2015 for best traditional R&B performance for the song Jesus Children. The 54-year-old actor also had roles in The Cosby Show spin-off series A Different World, Jeremiah, Sons of Anarchy, Suits and hosted Saturday Night Live in 1986. He has a wife and daughter but never publicly disclosed their names.

Colbert's axing signals TV's plummeting popularity
Colbert's axing signals TV's plummeting popularity

Express Tribune

time2 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Colbert's axing signals TV's plummeting popularity

Late-night television had been fighting for its survival even before The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was cancelled this week, reported Reuters. The announced end of one of the most popular broadcast late-night shows, days after host Colbert accused the network owner of bribing President Donald Trump to approve a merger, drew cries of political foul play from liberal politicians, artists and entertainers. "Stephen Colbert, an extraordinary talent and the most popular late-night host, slams the deal. Days later, he's fired. Do I think this is a coincidence? NO," Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent, wrote on X. CBS executives said in a statement that dropping the show was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount." Whether or not politics were at play, the late-night format has been struggling for years, as viewers increasingly cut the cable TV cord and migrate to streaming. Younger viewers, in particular, are more apt to find amusement on YouTube or TikTok, leaving smaller, ageing TV audiences and declining ad revenues. Advertising revenue for Colbert's show has dropped 40 per cent since 2018 - the financial reality that CBS said prompted the decision to end The Late Show in May 2026. One former TV network executive said the program was a casualty of the fading economics of broadcast television. Fifteen years ago, a popular late-night show like The Tonight Show could earn $100 million a year, the executive said. Recently, though, The Late Show has been losing $40 million a year, said a person briefed on the matter. The show's ad revenue plummeted to $70.2 million last year from $121.1 million in 2018, according to ad tracking firm Guideline. Ratings for Colbert's show peaked at 3.1 million viewers on average during the 2017-18 season, according to Nielsen data. For the season that ended in May, the show's audience averaged 1.9 million. Comedians like Colbert followed their younger audiences online, with the network releasing clips to YouTube or TikTok. But digital advertising did not make up for the lost TV ad revenue, the source with knowledge of the matter said. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is just the latest casualty of the collapse of one of television's most durable formats. When The Late Late Show host James Corden left in 2023, CBS opted not to hire a replacement.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store