Heroes for a day

Press, 18 July 1985, Page 14

Heroes for a day

By

NEVIN TOPP

The 16-hour “Live Aid” television rock concert taken from the John F. Kennedy stadium, Philadelphia, U.S.A., and Wembley Stadium, London, England, on Saturday evening and Sunday (N.Z. time) was a marvellous experience. Somehow the ingredients of a need for the starving people of Africa and rock music seemed to knit perfectly — striking a universal chord. That the cause is important cannot be denied, ana the rock musicians themselves showed that. As was pointed out, musicians that usually demanded multi-million dollar fees were quite happy to be “pushed” around without the hype that goes with rock performances. David Bowie, singing the lines “we can be heroes just for one day” from the song, “Heroes,” seemed to sum it up. Instead of being a track of despair from the album, “Heroes” the song sprang to life, giving optimism and hope, and it was sung in that spirit.

Joan Baez also made a point that the “Live Aid” show was the Woodstock for the 80s. And there did seem to be peace and love, plus music, at both Wembley and Philadelphia, with no signs of crowd trouble.

Baez’s reference to Woodstock, that mythical rock festival of 1969, seemed almost appropriate in some way. Many of the fans watching had not been born when that musical event happened, yet rock star musicians like Baez, Carlos Santana, three members of the Who, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, had

played there. It was also interesting to note that many of the other rock stars also approaching longevity, and who could have played at Woodstock, were also at the two concerts — Bob Dylan, Bowie, Elton John, Mick Jagger, Tina Turner and The Beach Boys. Technically, except for a couple of minor hitches, the musical segments themselves were first class. The British went in for more visual shots, but the Americans had the slicker camera work, which seemed to have more impact than in Wembley. Generally, the British had the better acts, with more emphasis on young performers. Madonna lightened up what appeared to be a slightly top heavy (in age) Philadelphia concert. That is, if you ignore The Hooters. A colleague maintains that the band were introduced as coming from Ashbury Park, New Jersey, and so the crowd expected Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. By that early stage, musically, the “Live Aid” concert seemed to be heading for a flop, as it appeared New Zealand was missing out on Wembley footage at the expense of rock coverage of duller acts from Australia.

Certainly, the cuts from concert footage seemed to work both ways. There was a switch just as Ultravox were starting “Vienna,” but REO Speedwagon were thankfully dropped after only one song in favour of Eric Clapton (and his band), who was singing the old Cream song, “White Room,” which was marvellous.

Other painful moments were Ozzy Osbourne (who has been known to eat bats on stage) with Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and a reconstructed Led Zeppelin, with Robert Plant particularly weak on vocals. Also *• the very straight Russian ’’ commentator, who intro- “ duced “the top of the pops” Soviet band, Autograph, when he spoke of “hi-tech," which seemed a veiled reference to the use of ‘‘ technology in the proposed American “Star Wars”’ defence system, when he had an audience of 1.5 billion • around the world.

This might be balanced by Bob Dylan’s reference that the American farmer in the mid-West needed help •- as well. But his choice of . first song was so accurate -- — “Ballad of Hollis Brown,” . ‘ about a farmer who shoots his family because he is ~ unable to feed them. There seemed no reason why two of the Rolling Stones, Keith -J Richards and Ron Wood (who spent much of the time „■ struggling with a guitar microphone) should flank ._ Dylan.

The televised concert had ; plenty of highlights — the best being the money raised. Patti La Belle stole the show in Philadelphia with a ■ marvellous mixture of J showbiz experience and rhythm and • blues. Paul Young stood out in Wembley for his soul music. Not far behind these were The Who, George Thorogood and the Destroyers (with Bo Diddley and Albert Collins), Eric Clapton, Bowie, Queen, Mick Jagger and Tina Turner, and Phil Collins (just for his enthusiasm.)