CLIENT: Band Aid
DATE: July 13, 1985
LOCATION: New York City
PROJECT TYPE: Rock & Roll
JEREMY THOM DESIGNS ROLE: Project Designer, London; Associate Designer, Philadelphia
In late 1984 I was approached and asked to design a proposed charity event the following year. I happily agreed since it was with Bob Geldof with whom I had spent 18 months on a world tour in 1979-80 with the Boomtown Rats, and thought that it would be a relatively small and simple affair. However the project grew and grew until the event was confirmed for Wembley Stadium and for Philadelphia in July. Work on the the two events occupied a huge amount of the intervening six months, requiring vast resources from Plumbline Designs. We built one of our largest and most detailed physical models of the Wembley stage (seen here with Jon Laurie, my assistant, who built most of it), which was presented to Prince Charles and Lady Diana, the Royal sponsors for the event.
The show raised more money than any previous musical charity event and entered rock & roll history. None of the vendors participating in the London event charged either fees or expenses and donated time, equipment and personnel to minimize expenses to the Charity.
The event also provided what was, to me, the greatest live performance I have ever witnessed – Freddie Mercury & Queen’s finest 17 minutes.