3 Iconic Performances That Almost Didn’t Happen

It’s not always easy to know which performances will be iconic while they are happening. This lack of foresight leads many artists to go back and forth on whether they want to play a gig, nearly missing out on a performance of a lifetime. The shows below were era-defining, but they almost didn’t happen, for one reason or another.

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Queen – Live Aid

Few performances are as universally known as Queen‘s set at Live Aid. The charity concert event is an icon in and of itself, but the English rockers stood out from the impressive crowd.

However, Queen nearly didn’t make it out onto the Live Aid stage. The group was “worn out” after having toured for most of the year. Fans almost missed out on this era-defining moment thanks to the band’s hesitation.

“We definitely hesitated about doing Live Aid,” Brian May once said. “Not just Freddie. We had to consider whether we were in good enough shape to do it. It would have been easier not to do it, as the chances of making fools of ourselves were so big.”

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The Beatles – Rooftop Concert

Despite being retired from touring at the time, the Beatles‘ documentary rooftop concert was one of their most iconic performances. Both the venue for the show and the fact that they were nearing their end made this moment an indispensable one in Beatles history.

Nevertheless, the iconic moment nearly didn’t happen. According to Jonathan Clyde, the producer of Let It Be, the band’s dwindling positivity made filming a nightmare.

“They’d set up the day before the gig, all the crew were ready, all the equipment was there and the band were like, ‘Yeah not today’ and Michael Lindsay-Hogg was pulling his hair out because he as the director had to find some climax to this, this period of filming,” Clyde once said. “He felt some responsibility.”

Elvis Presley – ’68 Comeback Special

Elvis Presley‘s ’68 Comeback Special was always going to happen, but it almost wasn’t the career revamp we know it as today. Presley’s manager wanted the show to focus on Christmas-time folly, but The King and the show’s producer had other ideas.

Presley used this special to his advantage, donning a leather jacket and wowing crowds just like he had in years past. Moreover, he took a massive stand with “If I Can Dream,” becoming, for the first time, an artist who dabbled in current events. It was transformative for Presley, and it nearly was watered down in favor of ratings.

(Photo by Staff/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)