291. Let’s Rock Leeds: Temple Newsam, Leeds [16.6.18]

291a_Let’s Rock Leeds [160618]Artists: Adam Ant / The Boomtown Rats / ABC / Marc Almond / Nik Kershaw / The Real Thing / Aswad / Black Lace / Kim Appleby / Heather Small / Hazel Dean / Peter Coyle (Lotus Eaters) / Anabella Lwin (Bow Wow Wow) / Brother Beyond / Fuzzbox / Toyah / The Christians / Captain Sensible

Venue: Temple Newsam, Leeds

Date: 16.6.18

291b_Let’s Rock Leeds [160618]

I grew up in East Leeds during the 1970s and ’80s. It therefore seemed appropriate to return to Temple Newsam (a regular haunt during past school summer holidays) to see the musicians who influenced my music tastes.

Having previously seen Adam Ant perform Dirk Wears White Sox and Blueblack Hussar gigs, it was good to see him do a hits set in the headline slot.

Another highlight was seeing over-protective parents ushering their offspring from the event as The Boomtown Rats took to the stage with Bob Geldolf dropping a barrage of f-bombs. The social media backlash was laughable – what the f*ck did people honestly expect.

291c_Let’s Rock Leeds [160618]

291d_Let’s Rock Leeds [160618]

137. Live 8: Hyde Park, London [2.7.05]

137_Live8 [020705]

Artists: Paul McCartney / U2 / Coldplay / Richard Ashcroft / Elton John / Pete Doherty / R.E.M. / Ms Dynamite / Keane / Bob Geldolf / UB40 / Snoop Dogg / Razorlight / Madonna / The Killers / Scissor Sisters / Velvet Revolver / Sting / Robbie Williams / The Who / Pink Floyd / Paul McCartney / George Michael

Venue: Hyde Park, London

Date: 2.7.05

Live 8 was a set of benefit/awareness concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 countries and South Africa. The concerts were timed to precede the G8 conference. Live 8 organisers presented the ‘Live 8 List’ to world leaders, with the call for politicians to take action to ‘Make Poverty History’. Names from the list/petition were displayed on large screens at each concert during the worldwide broadcast.

A truly epic day featuring so many music legends, and including an emotional reunion of the founder members of Pink Floyd for the first time in over 24 years.

Free tickets were issued via a lottery, as the day was about famine awareness rather than making money. The concert ran nearly 3 hours over schedule but the crowd didn’t seem to care.

Many years later, the line-up is still hard to comprehend. Thankfully the event was captured on DVD, as there was simply too much to take-in on the day.