Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: curiousorange on December 23, 2025, 10:29:44 PM

Title: Live Aid at Villa Park?
Post by: curiousorange on December 23, 2025, 10:29:44 PM
I've been reading a book called Live Aid: The Definitive 40 Year Story by Paul Vallely, and he claims that in the run-up to the event, when Wembley's owners were stalling over payment, Villa offered the use of Villa Park for the whole thing for nothing. According to the author, Bob Geldof dismissed it out of hand, saying that nobody would want to come to a concert in Birmingham.

I've never heard this story before. Does anybody know any more about it?
Title: Re: Live Aid at Villa Park?
Post by: paul_e on December 23, 2025, 10:33:32 PM
Never heard it but I've had to deal with him a few times through work and he's a wanker so it wouldn't surprise me.
Title: Re: Live Aid at Villa Park?
Post by: Chip Butty 111 on December 28, 2025, 04:05:32 PM
In the 80s I was in a check in queue at Heathrow, and Geldof and his entourage were in the adjacent queue causing havoc with the 'do you know who I am' stuff. An absolute bell end. Live Aid was an ego trip for him, he didn't know Africa existed until he turned the Nine o'clock News on..
Title: Re: Live Aid at Villa Park?
Post by: eamonn on January 19, 2026, 01:08:22 AM
Never heard it but I've had to deal with him a few times through work and he's a wanker so it wouldn't surprise me.

Oh aye? Do tell.
Title: Re: Live Aid at Villa Park?
Post by: rob_bridge on January 19, 2026, 03:57:24 PM
Never heard it but I've had to deal with him a few times through work and he's a wanker so it wouldn't surprise me.

Oh aye? Do tell.

I have never had to deal with him but he strikes me as a total bellend.

Sir Bobshite
Title: Re: Live Aid at Villa Park?
Post by: Dick Edwards on January 26, 2026, 11:46:21 AM
Geldof must have thought differently in 1979 because i saw Boomtown Rats at The Odeon and he certainly seemed happy to be in Birmingham that night.
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