Union Transfer Will be Hosting the Live Aid 40th Anniversary Tribute Concert
It’s hard to believe, but this July marks the 40th anniversary of Live Aid, perhaps the most ambitious concert spectacle of all time. Live Aid happened simultaneously at Philadelphia’s storied JFK Stadium and Wembley Stadium in England on July 13, 1985, featuring everyone from a reunited Led Zeppelin to Madonna to Queen to Run-DMC to Philly hometown heroes like Patti LaBelle and the Hooters. And on Sunday, July 13, 2025 at 6 p.m., an all-star collection of Philadelphia musicians will converge on Union Transfer for “40 Years Ago Today: A Live Aid Tribute Concert.”
This concert stars Philadelphia’s award-winning Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret, a rock-and-roll drag show fronted by singer and Pig Iron Theater Company co-founder Dito van Reigersberg, who recently recovered from leukemia and lymphoma. As such, 100% of ticket proceeds from this night will go directly to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which was instrumental in van Reigersberg’s recovery. He recently celebrated two years of being cancer free.
“LLS is an incredible organization that eases the burdens – financial and otherwise – for people like me diagnosed with blood cancer,” says van Reigersberg. “It also underwrites major scientific research aimed to treat – and one day to put an end to – those cancers. It’s amazing to see the Philadelphia arts community rally around this cause and pay tribute to such an iconic day in music history.”
Just as Live Aid featured a rotating group of musicians, “40 Years Ago Today: A Live Aid Tribute Concert” will feature a rotating group of Philadelphia musicians. They will perform songs that were part of that day at both JFK and Wembley. These musicians will recreate the iconic Queen set from Wembley, considered the most legendary moment in that band’s history, as well the JFK Stadium reunion of Led Zeppelin, plus many other historic moments such as the Run-DMC set, which was the only rap performance at Live Aid.
The list of artists performing at “40 Years Ago Today: A Live Aid Tribute Concert” is still developing, but confirmed performers include, in addition to the Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret, America’s Got Talent contestant Johnny Showcase, pianist and singer Eliza Hardy Jones (War on Drugs, Grace Potter, and Iron & Wine), trombonist Ernest Stuart (Seal, John Legend, Aretha Franklin, and the Roots), WXPN personality Robert Drake, award-winning actors Rachel Camp and Jess Conda, concert harpist Aria Fiorillo with flutist Alden Weaver, drag queen Brittany Lynn, renowned Philly rapper Reef the Lost Cauze, the Finn Vora band, Shannon Turner of Glitter & Garbage Cabaret, PJ Brown of PJ Brown & Her Resistance, gospel singer Paula Holloway, WALLIS and members of Jawn of the Dead, Class of ‘84, and Stinking Lizaveta.
“We can’t tell you everything that’s going to happen,” says Martha Graham Cracker pianist Victor Fiorillo, who is producing the concert. “What fun is life without surprises?”
Just as Live Aid was hosted by comedians Chevy Chase and Joe Piscopo, this evening will be hosted by, among others, Philadelphia comedian Chip Chantry, who has worked with the likes of the late Bob Saget and Dave Chappelle.
Advance tickets to the show at the 1,200-seat venue start at $30 apiece, and there will be opportunities during the performance to make additional donations via text to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
This show would not be possible without the generous support of presenting sponsor Love Your Block, an LGBTQ-and-women-owned Philadelphia real estate company, as well Pat’s King of Steaks, the Pistola Restaurant Group, Standard Tap, Johnny Brenda’s, and entrepreneur Sandi Foxx-Jones.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit utphilly.com.
