Review 2006

Suw from Chocolate and Vodka asks:
Of all the trivia that you've blogged or read over the years, which bit sticks in your mind the most, and why?

I heard this during a television documentary from two people who attended the concert. There was no information agreeing or denying that it wasn't true but some reason it stuck in my mind which is why I posted it as one of the first contributions to our sometimes group blog, HeardSaid:

"At the Live Aid concert at Wembley in 1984, concert goers had a very portable solution to water movements. Empty water and soda bottles were filled up over the course of the day and in some sections passed along the line to waiting bins to be taken and disposed of."

The reason this is so memorable is not just because of the image - people passing bottles filled with presumable red hot piss across the crowd to the far reaches and into a bucket presumably filled with similar vessels but that people would put aside their necessary inhibitions in order to accomplish the feet.

The old Wembley Stadium was more than sold out that day, capacity to the rafters, tens of thousands of people. My first thought would be for my bodily functions. How will I eat? How will I excrete? I love that obviously the same thought went through the head of these people and they took the practical solution. But whilst they were doing that thing that they would usually do alone in private (now, now, not that) it would appear that it didn't cause I riot. I'm sure there was probably a little kid shouting 'Eeeeeeee...' but other than that no one must have batted an eye lid because they took the bottle, presumably with spillage down the side off the hands of the peeing person and passed it along.

How did it begin, and was it a widespread phenomena? Or was it just the two punters on the documentary (one of which by the way I think was a girl. Funnel?). By dusk had the bottles begun to stack up around their feet, smelling, and someone suggested they be moved on before they so some real damage (or some bright spark decided it was cider). Did words have to be spoken or was eye rolling enough as lukewarm receptacles went from hand to hand as, let's not forget, Freddy Mercury was singing We Are The Champions on stage. Did some just shut their eyes and think of what they were doing for Africa? There might have been fundraising that day, but another collective act of will was also taking place which should also be applauded and remembered...