Heart Beat 86 was a

benefit concert A benefit concert or charity concert is a type of musical benefit performance (e.g., concert, show, or gala) featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate hu ...

staged at the

National Exhibition Centre The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) is an exhibition centre located in Marston Green, Solihull, West Midlands, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, and is adjacent to Birmingham Airport and Birmingham International railway sta ...

near

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, on 15 March 1986. It was organised by

Bev Bevan Beverley Bevan (born 25 November 1944) is an English rock musician, who was the drummer and one of the original members of The Move and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). After the end of ELO in 1986, he founded ELO Part II. Bevan also was drumm ...

to raise money for

Birmingham Children's Hospital Birmingham Children's Hospital is a specialist children's hospital located in Birmingham, England. The hospital provides a range of specialist services and operates the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for the city. The servi ...

. Tickets for the sold-out concert cost £15.50 each (£12.00 being a "voluntary" donation). The show started at 3pm, with musicians and bands mostly from Birmingham performing until late into the evening. The concert saw performances from Steve Gibbons,

The Rockin' Berries The Rockin' Berries are a beat group from Birmingham, England, who had several hit records in the UK in the 1960s. A version of the group, emphasising comedy routines as well as music, continues to perform to the present day. History The Rockin ...

The Move The Move were a British rock band of the late 1960s and the early 1970s. They scored nine top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any real success in the United States. For most of their car ...

Ruby Turner Francella Ruby Turner MBE (born 22 June 1958) is a British Jamaican R&B and soul singer, songwriter, and actress. In a music career spanning more than 30 years, Turner is best known for her album and single releases in Europe and North Ame ...

, The Applejacks, and

The Fortunes The Fortunes are an English harmony beat group. Formed in Birmingham, the Fortunes first came to prominence and international acclaim in 1965, when "You've Got Your Troubles" broke into the US, Canadian, and UK Top 10s. Afterwards, they had ...

Roy Wood Roy Wood (born 8 November 1946) is an English musician and singer-songwriter. He was particularly successful in the 1960s and 1970s as member and co-founder of the Move, Electric Light Orchestra and Wizzard. As a songwriter, he contributed a ...

performed his festive hit " I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day".

Denny Laine Denny Laine (born Brian Frederick Hines, 29 October 1944) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter, known as a founder of two major rock bands: the Moody Blues, with whom he played from 1964 to 1966, and Wings, with whom he played from 1 ...

sang "

Go Now "Go Now" is a song composed by Larry Banks and Milton Bennett and first recorded by Bessie Banks, released as a single in January 1964. The best-known version was recorded by the Moody Blues and released the same year. Bessie Banks version The ...

" and performed "

Mull of Kintyre The Mull of Kintyre is the southwesternmost tip of the Kintyre Peninsula (formerly ''Cantyre'') in southwest Scotland. From here, the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland is visible on a calm and clear day, and a historic lighthouse, the second ...

", which he co wrote. Robert Plant performed with the group Big Town Playboys.

UB40 UB40 are an English reggae and pop band, formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. They have been nominated for the ...

played the song "

Red Red Wine "Red Red Wine" is a song originally written, performed and recorded by American singer Neil Diamond in 1967 that appears on his second studio album, '' Just for You''. The lyrics are written from the perspective of a person who finds that drink ...

The Moody Blues The Moody Blues were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1964, initially consisting of keyboardist Mike Pinder, multi-instrumentalist Ray Thomas, guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge and bassist Clint Warwick. The g ...

did " Nights in White Satin", and ELO added "

Don't Bring Me Down "Don't Bring Me Down" is the ninth and final track on the English rock band the Electric Light Orchestra's 1979 album ''Discovery''. It is their highest-charting hit in the United States to date. History "Don't Bring Me Down" is the band's s ...

". The finale featured George Harrison and all the artists on stage, jamming to the standard " Johnny B. Goode". Compères for the show were local comedian

Jasper Carrott Robert Norman Davis (born 14 March 1945), best known by his stage name, Jasper Carrott, is an English comedian, actor and television presenter. Early life Born in Shaftmoor Lane, Acocks Green, in Birmingham, Carrott was educated at Acocks Gr ...

and Peter Powell, with appearances by

Noddy Holder Neville John "Noddy" Holder (born 15 June 1946) is an English musician. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the English band Slade, one of the UK's most successful acts of the 1970s. Known for his unique and powerful voice, Holder co ...

and

Jim Davidson James Cameron Davidson (born 13 December 1953) is an English stand-up comedian, actor, singer and TV presenter. He hosted the television shows '' Big Break'' and ''The Generation Game''. He also developed two adult pantomime shows such as ''B ...

. In the concert programme there was a good will message from Live Aid founder Bob Geldof, which finished with him writing "I send you all very best of luck and hope that you achieve your aims". A single, "Action" by the Tandy Morgan Band, was released to raise money for the event.

Set list

The Steve Gibbons Band * "Share It With You" * "Till The Well Runs Dry" * "BSA" Denny Laine * "Go Now" * "Mull Of Kintyre" The Fortunes * "Let It Be Me" * "You've Got Your Troubles" Roy Wood * "See My Baby Jive" * "Are You Ready To Rock" * "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" UB40 and Ruby Turner * "I Got U Babe" Applejacks * "Tell Me When" Robert Plant and Big Town Playboys * "She Walks Right In" * "Come On" * "Mellow Saxophone" The Rockin' Berries * "He's In Town" Electric Light Orchestra * "Twilight" * "Evil Woman" * "Livin' Thing" * "Telephone Line" * Rock Medley: "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle", "Do Ya", "Rockaria!" * Pop Medley: "Sweet Talkin' Woman", "Confusion" * "Turn To Stone" * "Rock 'N' Roll Is King" * "Calling America" * "Mr. Blue Sky" * "Hold On Tight" * "Don't Bring Me Down" * "Roll Over Beethoven" The Moody Blues * "Tuesday Afternoon" * "Question" * "Nights In White Satin" George Harrison and Friends * "Johnny B. Goode"

References

{{reflist Benefit concerts in the United Kingdom Music in Birmingham, West Midlands 1986 in British music 1986 in England