Pretenders - Middle Of The Road (Live Aid 1985) 

I saw this live on July 13, 1985, and I am watching it over and over again 36 years later. This was a great group, and they played great songs.

This woman has talent - she’s incredible. Her voice is effortless. 👍

I saw The Pretenders in Denver at Red Rocks in 84. Simple Minds was with them. One of many so thankful for .

Pretenders always had cutting edge music. This forty year old classic was never the "Middle Of The Road". It exceeded boundaries!

Pretenders kicked ass! Back then the Band played Real instruments and actually sang the lyrics right in front of you!! No Auto Tune, It was called Talent and Artistry!! 80s will always be the Best Decade, best music, best movies, and Best Parties!!!

I was in the crowd, not too far from the stage somehow, at age 17. The Pretenders were definitely one of the highlights in a day full of highlights. Best concert of my life.

finest female voice in rock period!

Only a handful of bands can sound the same live or in the studio.Theyre one of the best ever

I was there! It's worth being old now to have been young back then.

Are you kidding me? This was more than fantastic! Chrissie Hynde's voice is crystal clear, simply beautiful. The Prentenders are a phenomenal band! Their musicianship is masterful. Wow Wow Wow! :)

Christine Hynde is one of the all timer greats of female performers. Absolutely Awesome

What a great band. Chrissie, of course, is just the best, a tremendously talented singer and musician. Wished I could have been there. What an historic moment. Was in my early teens, just watched on tv.

The day before this performance the Pretender’s played at a small Phillie club, The Chestnut Cabaret in University City. My friend knew a local musician, Chris Arms, who knew the band was looking to play for a live audience before they played on the Live Aid stage. I was there at the Cabaret and it was an incredible hour performance. I was sitting 20 feet from the stage. Chrissy was strutting and singing her Rocker Best. It was a wall of sound, a wall of Martin Chambers drums. One of the most memorable fun times for me.

Quite possibly the best frontwoman of all time

love it in 2024

Such a great live performance of this song....I remember watching live just rocking the hell out!!

Days when popular music was real music played by real people.

Great song

multumesc

Adrenaline levels at 10 fo-sho

Who wouldn’t love this. Just energy defined.

¡¡A girl rocker of all the times!!! Great band!!

"I've got a kid. I'm 33 baby." That kid is now at least 33.

Jack Nicholson cameo at the end is the exclamation point. That performance was incredible.

Robbie McIntosh on guitar. I did a few gigs with Robbie McIntosh and he is an amazing guitarist and a fantastic singer as well 👍😀

I was at this show and seeing Chrissie's jacket brought it all back! Always loved this band. One of the (many) highlights for me.

Love the prefenders and chrissies guitar playing

I know it's "plans behind me" on the record, but I listened to it about 5 times and I'm convinced she's saying "Pants behind me" here

1985 meus 35 Anos demais é nois é Rock Adoro essa cantora até a eternidade.

Rad song ❤

I guess they didm't do brass in pocket i remeber this was the first thing i saw that day , i waa 14 queen was much later lol zeppelin sabbath with ozzy lol what a day !!!!! Juat like today !!!!

Chrissie was and is so amazingly cool.

Robbie McIntosh was/is THE MAN !!!

I remember I recorded this off the TV on VHS ..I was 25 years old...loved the 80's MTV ......Thanks for post!

Chrissie has the most fantastic voice! She's a MAD ROCKER!!!!

She always reminded me of Jo from facts of life.

Its incredible how good this sounds at a faster tempo than the recording. I have never seen another band that could do that. For comparison, look no further than Metallica.

Tight as the skin on a shark's ass. The greatness of this makes me weep.

Great band

So tight.. What a band and Chrissie had all the magic in that voice.

It's a kick-ass song...great rendition to get the crowd goin'🤙🏾!

Robbie❤❤❤❤❤

Such a bad ass. Forgot they played this set.

She got the SOUL....Chrissy got the SOUL.......and the Pretenders kicked some ass!....WE ll be listenin to these Magic makers for many many years to come.....great video thanx

amazing voice and presence: she needs no autotune, she can sing!!!!!!!!!! Love it.

She's the one and only Queen of Rock on and off the stage (Sorry Mrs Turner). Votre Majesté.

This timeframe was the peak of music. Just so many really good bands and solo artists from the 80's.

The only Show they played that year. The last Show this iteration of the band would Play.

Dammmm....this tune and that tempo is UP!!

Yes kiddies, this is how it was done, real artists playing real instruments with no auto tune..it was called talent, something severely lacking in today's so called music

"When you own a big chunk of the bloody Third World, the babies just come with the scenery" (one of the coolest fucking lyrics, EVER!)...love me some, Pretenders, bro...omg.

The rithm is somewhat accelerated

Epic!!

Martin Chambers was lighting up the drums. Something the cameraman wasn't going to let go unnoticed.

At the 3:40 mark, did Chrissie Hynde throw her harmonica into the crowd?

Whoever is on lead guitar that isn’t James Honeyman-Scott- I could do without, but The Pretenders rule

I was there that day....they were the best band of the 40 in the USA that played that day. Fantastic.

Amazing

What a dream girl!

One of the best CONTEMPORARY music bands, and in my opinion we have there a great live performance as well.

Chrissie still looks good!👍

SIMPLE BUT GREAT

Martin needs a ladder to reach his cymbals. Lol Fantastic drummer.

Lastimosamente se nota la diferencia entre el live aid en el Wembley y este en el JFK, los ingenieros de sonido del Wembley tuvieron un trabajo impecable, en cambio aquí en el JFK se nota que no estaban a la altura de las exigencias... Feedback a cada rato!

She was hot then and still hot to this Day. A wonderful woman to boot. Love hearing her talk. Just a nice person.

Im lookin at that guitar player and I'm thinkin' Monty Python ...... "my brain hurts".

Chrissie ❤💣

I haven't seen a drummer beat the S#!t out of a kit this way since Jimmy Fox of The James Gang...and ZZ Top's Frank Beard! None other than The Great Martin Chambers, the only original male member of "The Pretenders."

Omg do i miss this stuff. That baseline. Magical.

One of the best songs from Pretenders.

I don't agree with the lead guitarist's head gear but this performance is excellent!

What a jewel at the end, Jack Nicholson..."The Mighty Pretenders" NIce!

ICON FOREVER Thank you so much ❤❤❤ Philadelphia USA 🇺🇸

I remember watching this live! Brings back great memories of 1985. Damn I was only 20 years old! This is a long time ago!

I think if Jack Nicholson introduced you at Live Aid you were the best acts there. The Who & The Pretenders? I say yes.

Chrissie Hynde is the female Keith Richards so fucking cool!!

what an outfit !

Best concert ever ..Stray Cats, Pretenders, & ZZ Top!

Harmonica! Christie Hynde is amazing!

Any woman with that level of sultry sex appeal who can sing so clearly and - bonus - play a mouth harp in front of millions of people, well, definitely gets my vote ;-) These days it's just sign a deal, sing into a computer, auto-tune and process everything, cut, copy, paste, replicate, make a sleezy airbrushed video, etc. then throw it on iTunes and charge $.99 per download. Then heaven forbid you have to perform it live, lip-sync playback fake voice with fake face/hair/tits, etc. From my generational perspective almost no good real music since around 1999.

Amazing set by the Pretenders. And fucking Jack Nicholson!

Christie was bad ass, but no Ann wilson. Was lucky, though, to see both live

Chrissie hynde one of the great rhythm guitarist 🎸

(3;43) I wonder who caught the harmonica. 😎🤘

That is a badass tune!🎸🎸🎶🎵🎼👍

When George is jamming and dancing

You want to know about rock n roll learn about The Pretenders story the band that refused to die

One of my favourite bands from the 80s and how good are they live awesome

Luv her attitude

Not many sound better live than recorded, great talent.

Best song they ever did. Chrissie and crew should reup in 2024, life is short yall.

Zeta rock and pop

Does this harmonica knows how lucky it was?

I've been in love with this lady for so long she is awesome I agree one of the best frontwomen ever her voice is awesome I'm a drummer I wished I could have played for her

I was at Parris Island July 13,1985 just 6 days from graduation. Our Senior DI let us watch some of Live Aid as a reward. I remember Led Zeppelin.

She's so cool!

By the way folks. Chrissie is still awesome at 71. Oh yeah. ❤️💋

Wow

Can we just appreciate Chrissie Hynde for the Queen she is? She's more talented than a LOT of her immediate peers (regardless of gender) and I can't think of one single female artist in the last 30 years that can do what she still does in her 70's.😳😬😏

this song is just brilliant! Even live the band and Chrissie are perfect! x