Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert

The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert was a solidarity concert for the South African politician Nelson Mandela (1918–2013). It took place on the occasion of Mandela's 70th birthday on June 11, 1988 at Wembley Stadium in London .

The initiator of the concert was The Specials bandleader Jerry Dammers , who had repeatedly called for Mandela to be released and who had also organized the Freedom Beat festival two years earlier . For organizational reasons, the concert was given about five weeks before Mandela's birthday, who turned 70 on July 18, 1988. The event was organized by Tony Hollingsworth. The Anglican archbishop and anti-apartheid fighter Trevor Huddleston later acknowledged his contribution : The result of his efforts helped to increase the pressure that led to Mandela's release.

72,000 people attended the concert. It was broadcast in 60 countries, but not in South Africa. Nevertheless, Nelson Mandela found out about the concert.

Some performers like Tracy Chapman were able to introduce themselves to a large audience for the first time. The gig meant the big breakthrough in her career after she had only released her debut album in April 1988.

The performers included well-known musicians from the UK and the US, performers from South Africa and other parts of Africa.

Only a video cassette of unsatisfactory quality was released from the concert, a CD was not released.

background

Nelson Mandela had been imprisoned since June 1964 for resisting apartheid in South Africa. The concert was part of a global solidarity campaign for Mandela. On February 11, 1990, 20 months later, Mandela was released from prison. In 1994 he was elected President of South Africa. In 2008 Mandela took part in the 90th Birthday Tribute Concert in London's Hyde Park .

Contributors

Daddy Freddy Simple Minds Meat loaf Little Steven Bee Gees Salt'N'Pepa Mahlathini and The Mahotella Queens Eurythmics Farafina Grupo Experimental de Dansa Fry & Laurie Aswad Dire Straits featuring Eric Clapton Wet Wet Wet Sly & Robbie Ashford and Simpson Arnhem Land Dance Troupe Fish Amampondo Amabutho Fat boys IDJ Dancers UB40 Bryan Adams Joan Armatrading Richard Attenborough

Derek B. HB Barnum Jennifer Beals Harry Belafonte Corbin Bernsen Jackson Browne Jonathan Butler Paul Carrack Tracy Chapman Graham Chapman Chubby checker Joe Cocker Natalie Cole Phil Collins Billy Connolly Jerry Dammers Harry Enfield Peter Gabriel Richard Gere Whoopi Goldberg Al Green Jonas Gwangwa Tony Hadley Daryl Hannah Lenny Henry Gregory Hines

Whitney Houston Chrissie Hynde Freddie Jackson Mick Karn Salif Keita Mark Colbert Kelly Ray Lema Emily Lloyd Miriam Makeba Johnny Marr Hugh Masekela Ali MacGraw George Michael Philip Michael Thomas Youssou N'Dour Jessye Norman Steve Norman Michael Palin Courtney Pine David Sanborn Curt Smith Sting Midge Ure Denzel Washington Stevie Wonder Paul Young

Web links

• Report about the concert on top40-charts.com (English)
• Peter Elman: Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute. tonyhollingsworth.com, accessed November 22, 2018.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ "Mandela has changed my life". In: Spiegel Online. June 11, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
2. ^ Rupert Hawksley: Nelson Mandela birthday tribute concerts: how they helped change the world. In: The Telegraph . December 6, 2013, accessed November 22, 2018.
3. ^ Rewind 1988: Pop musicians give solidarity concert for Nelson Mandela. In: Rolling Stone . June 11, 2016, accessed November 22, 2018.
4. ↑ Alex Gernandt: "Mandela has changed my life". In: Spiegel Online. June 11, 2017, accessed November 22, 2018 (interview with Tracy Chapman).
5. ^ "Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert". In: Cosmo , broadcast with Sebastian Filipowski on June 9, 2018, accessed on November 22, 2018.
6. ^ Adam Sweeting: Nelson Mandela concert rocks Hyde Park. In: The Telegraph , June 28, 2008, accessed November 22, 2018.