Phil Collins performs at both Live Aid concerts, 13 July 1985
Phil Collins appeared at Live Aid in London and Philadelphia on the same day, using Concorde and helicopter transfers. His journey became a memorable human-scale demonstration of the event's international reach.
A benefit on two continents
Live Aid took place on 13 July 1985 at Wembley Stadium in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. The concerts raised funds for famine relief in Ethiopia and connected performers and audiences through an international broadcast. The humanitarian emergency was the reason for the event; the spectacle depended on an immense effort by musicians, technicians, promoters and broadcasters. Collins's unusual itinerary became one of its most memorable logistical stories. The broadcasts let people in distant countries follow performances that would otherwise have remained local stadium events.
An extraordinary journey
After performing in London, Collins travelled by helicopter to Heathrow and boarded Concorde for New York. Another helicopter transfer took him to Philadelphia, where he appeared again. The supersonic Atlantic crossing and the difference between British and American local time helped make the schedule possible. In a later interview, promoter Harvey Goldsmith described negotiating the plan with British Airways. His account provides direct evidence from an organizer who helped arrange the journey.
Several musical roles
Collins's day involved singing, playing piano and drumming. At Wembley he appeared alongside Sting; in Philadelphia he performed his own material and joined other musicians, including Eric Clapton and members of Led Zeppelin. Later recollections describe the Zeppelin appearance as difficult and under-rehearsed. Those assessments concern a particular performance, rather than the success of the Atlantic crossing, and help explain why a famous concert day could contain both exhilaration and frustration.
Remembering the event
The National Library of Ireland preserves photographs donated through the Band Aid Trust, including performances and backstage activity at both stadiums. Such records give the concerts a documentary foundation beyond later anecdotes. Collins's commute remains a striking example of the combination of live entertainment and transportation technology available in 1985. The accompanying still life is a modern illustration of a travelling musician's equipment, rather than a record of particular objects he carried.
Epicology - In The Air Tonight (Cover)
Epicology
A later cover, uploaded by Cleopatra Records, of a Phil Collins song performed at Live Aid. This is not audio from either 1985 concert.
Listen on SoundCloud ↗Follow the evidence.
- Pollstar: Live Aid promoter Harvey Goldsmith's recollections ↗
- National Library of Ireland: the Live Aid photographic archive ↗
- MusicRadar: Phil Collins's Live Aid journey and recollections ↗
AI-assisted writing, with institutional and primary sources. Illustration is a reconstruction, not an archival photograph. Published October 31, 2026; updated October 31, 2026. Our approach
