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Can Live Aid feed the world?

Floods, famine, fire and drought — when disaster strikes at home and around the world, Canadians are ready to help. For musicians and actors, helping often means organizing large relief concerts. These shows are great entertainment and have raised millions of dollars. But at times, critics have questioned the long-term benefit of these extravaganzas. CBC Archives looks back at some of Canada's disaster relief concerts.

When musician Bob Geldof saw images of a starving child in the 1984 Ethiopian famine, he knew he had to do something. After creating Band Aid and producing a hit song for famine relief, Geldof put together Live Aid in 1985. In London, Philadelphia and six remote locations, the biggest names in popular music performed to a global audience of 1.5 billion. CBC's Midday asks two guests where the estimated $100 million Live Aid raised will go.

Of that money, $1.5 million came from Canadians. The Northern Lights Foundation is charged with administering those donations, and board member David Foster is confident the relief efforts won't fade once the media glare on Live Aid dims. David Gallagher of international aid organization Oxfam Canada says it's not the money raised that's significant about Live Aid. Much more important is the public awareness it has created - provided that interest is maintained in years to come.
. Live Aid lasted 16 hours and took place on July 13, 1985, in stadiums in London and Philadelphia. The concerts were broadcast live around the world.
. As noted in this clip, Live Aid raised about $100 million ($167 million in 2004 dollars) for famine relief. According to BBC News, half the money was spent on food and the other half on long-term development.

. The performers who played Live Aid formed a who's who of 1980s pop stardom: David Bowie, Dire Straits, Duran Duran, Elton John, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Queen and Wham
. Bryan Adams and Neil Young were the only Canadians to play Live Aid.
. Several groups from earlier decades reunited to play Live Aid, including Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Led Zeppelin and The Who.
. After a London performance, musician Phil Collins boarded a Concorde jet and played in Philadelphia.

. In 1984 a team from CBC Television News travelled to Ethiopia to produce a documentary about the famine. It was the first report to North America about the starvation and civil war in Ethiopia, and it was smuggled out of the country taped to the back of producer Tony Burman. Editor Colin Dean produced a memorial music video with footage shot on the journey, and the video was broadcast globally during Live Aid.

. In November 2004 the Band Aid Trust released a 10-hour DVD boxed set from Live Aid. Organizers had decided in March 2004 to release it to end bootlegged DVDs circulating on the internet. Bootleggers were profiting from the event but none of the money was going to charity.
. Led Zeppelin refused to allow their performances to appear on the Live Aid DVD, citing a "substandard" performance. Band members pledged to make donations for aid efforts in Sudan instead.
Medium: Television
Program: Midday
Broadcast Date: July 15, 1985
Guest(s): David Foster, David Gallagher
Host: Bill Cameron, Cathy Little
Duration: 8:32

Last updated: November 1, 2012

Page consulted on November 28, 2012

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