1985 Live Aid concert to be adapted into a West End musical

A musical adaption of the Live Aid concert, which took place on July 13 1985, is set to premiere on the West End stage.

The original concert was held in Wembley Stadium in London and in the John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia in the States. The musical will be titled, Just For One Day and will feature songs from stars Paul McCartney, Elton John, David Bowie and Queen that performed in 1985. The stage adaption has been written by British author John O’Farrell.

The plot of Just For One Day, named after a line in David Bowie's 'Heroes', will be a behind-the-scenes look at how Band Aid and Live Aid came together, with a love story inspired by real events.

It will be on at London's Old Vic Theatre from January 26 to March 30 2024.

The Boomtown Rats star Bob Geldof assures that this musical will not showcase people pretending to be the stars from the original Live Aid concert: "This isn't a tribute thing. I wouldn't have anything to do with that. So, there isn't a person dressed up as Freddie wearing a crap moustache. The songs drive the drama along,"

"The story is based on actual testimony from the day," explains Geldof. "It's real people telling their story throughout this. So it's complex theatre."

Live Aid was conceived by Geldof after he was moved and angered by images of people starving to death in Ethiopia. It followed the extraordinary success of the charity single 'Do They Know It’s Christmas?' written by Geldof and Midge Ure, featuring top UK and Irish bands.

He will be played by the English actor Craige Els, who has previously appeared on TV in Ripper Street and Dr Who. Watching someone portray him is a very strange experience for Geldof: "Let me be completely blunt. It's bad enough being Bob Geldof. It's slightly worse seeing someone else pretending to be you. The one upside for me is that he's got an amazing voice, stage Bob, so that people will think I actually sing as good as that."

The Irish rockstar hopes that this new musical keeps the legacy of Live aid alive.

Tickets for the West End show go on general sale at 12 noon on Friday 6 October 2023.