In 1988, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, Sting and Youssou N’Dour launched what one critic called the “most distinguished multi-act concert ever put on the road,” then carried it through 20 shows around the world.
Amnesty International’s Human Rights Now! Tour opened at Wembley Stadium on Friday (9/2) with a six-hour concert for 72,000 people marking the 40th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The core performers traveled more than 35,000 miles through 15 countries on five continents, reaching more than 1 million people while drawing attention to political prisoners and other human-rights abuses.
The Wembley cast opened together with an a cappella version of Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up,” while Sting revisited four Police songs, Peter Gabriel performed with N’Dour, Chapman centered her set on her debut album and Springsteen closed a 17-song performance with his own live debut of the Marley anthem. Later stops added guests including k.d. lang, Joan Baez, Bono and Roy Orbison, turning each concert into a distinct chapter of the tour.