MovieChat Forums > Live Aid (1985) Discussion > No way was Queen the best performance...

No way was Queen the best performance...


From what I've seen on the Live Aid DVDs, Queen are not the best performers at Live Aid. Even if you took only the Wembley concert, they were not the best. I think it all comes down to two things:
- First is Freddie Mercury. His stage moves/outfit are ridiculous and he looks comical.
- Second is their choice of songs. Radio Ga Ga is caca. Hammer to Fall? Please.
How in the world can anybody claim that Queen were better than Bowie or Elton John that day?
And if you include the Philadelphia shows, I think Clapton and (I hate to admit it) Madonna both clobber Queen. Anybody else agree?

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[deleted]

it'll be a long while before another comparable star would rise through the ranks -- Mercury had probably the best vocal range of all rock singers at the time. Even if he had no music or a band to play with, he alone would have delivered a good enough show to rock Wembly.

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Can anyone else control an audience that huge the way Freddie Mercury did? I don't think so. Queen were absolutely mind-blowing that day. Ask anyone. Anyone!


A man who runs behind a car gets exhausted.

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I think U2 is also really good in terms of working with a live audience, but you're right, Freddie Mercury had an amazing presence on stage.

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I think The 2 of them were fantastic. Queen giving what may have been their last great performance (and it truly was great), and U2 bursting into the world's conciousness with THEIR great performance.

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Queen was awesome and that's all.

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Starmarker said: First is Freddie Mercury. His stage moves/outfit are ridiculous and he looks comical.


Please, shut up.

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[deleted]

I remember watching this on a grainy broadcast antenna TV. I was not a big Queen fan at the time. Still, I knew that I was watching something very rare and special in that performance. I didn't know why either. It was Queen a band that had fallen out of fashion and Freddy, their leader in particular letting the world know that they and he were not done yet.

Though the rest of the world was not aware of it at the time, I believe Freddy had found out about his illness not long before this show. No one really knew much about AIDS then, they just knew it killed everyone who got it pretty quickly at the time. When you watch these tapes you are seeing a man singing his swan song and making it the performance of his life.

So, "starmarker" if you haven't surmised it already from the other responses, you're pretty far off the mark on this one. I don't even think Elton, Clapton or Madonna would agree with you. Maybe not even their families.

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I was in the audience that day at Wembley. I wasn't a Queen fan at all... couldn't stand them. I was won over completely. At the time I thought Bowie was the best act that night, but looking back, it was Queen. No question.

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I like Bowie's performance (one of the day's best with only Elton John and Queen giving him a run for his money) but watching the DVD I do feel he could have been better. I think what spoils it for me was reading in that "Complete David Bowie" book that he was going to open with "Facination" (the best song off probably his best LP) but was at short notice talked into opening with something a little more well known (so he chose "TVC15"!).

Also, though I admire him for doing it I wish he hadn't dropped "Five Years" to make way for that appeal film as a set list running "Facination", "Rebel Rebel", "Modern Love", "Five Years" and "Heroes" would have been killer.







"I think you're a load of old crap too, Mr Mulligan."

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Original poster: you are the only one!!!!

Bob Geldof's own words:
***Everyone has been amazing but this (Queen performance) is of another order***
***This was made for Freddy***

And many others professional :
***From all the stars, they(Queen) are stealing the show***

Freddie Mercury was godly and I don't know anyone who saw the show who would dispute that.
His rapport with the audience was amazing, magical for Queen fans or not.
I remember it watching back in 85 and today. And that is why they deserve to have that title Of Best performance ever! Much deserved.

And Freddie we miss you, thank you again and RIP.

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[deleted]

For those who still think that Queen didnt steal the show, please view this video of other performer's views of the concert

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob5NpdkH5Dw&feature=related

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Queen were better simply because they looked good and they sounded much better than any other act that played

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So you didn't actually WATCH Live Aid back on July 13 1985? All you are basing this on are the DVDs that LEFT OUT performances.

Sorry but unless you were there you should not be reviewing the show.

Madonna's performance was one of her worst. Listen to "Love Makes the World Go Round" (Oh yes not on the box set but since you didn't attend nor did any research you wouldn't know that). She is off key during that whole performance.

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Sorry but unless you were there you should not be reviewing the show.


Bollocks.

There were less than 100,000 people in Wembley Stadium at the time. Nearly 2 billion people watched around the world. The vast majority of people were not "THERE". People are still entitled to have an opinion.

I didn't see Live Aid when it first went out, I was too young. That's not my fault. One day, everyone who saw it on the day will be dead. By your reasoning, the event will be forgotten because only people who were there at the time have any relevance. Except you're wrong, as Live Aid is now a historical event and the footage is what will survive and be judged by future generations.

And the footage clearly shows that Queen stole the show.

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Well, they were certainly one of the best.

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