The music: It was almost 20 years ago today that Bob Geldof first got his bands to play. If the original Live Aid show was a spontaneous charitable event, Saturday's Live 8 reprise was a more measured and considered affair - and it showed in the choice and presentation of the music. As Geldof himself put it: "We've travelled from the charity of Live Aid to the justice of Live 8."
The opening song, featuring Paul McCartney and U2 doing Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was an inspired choice. Not only did it instantly evoke memories of the Wembley spectacular, but also it neatly prefaced the musical action that would follow. Going out cold, U2 went on to play a blistering set with Vertigo, Beautiful Day and One all robustly delivered and perfectly judged.
Coldplay kept the momentum up with an impassioned set, considerably enhanced by Richard Ashcroft joining the band for a dizzying version of Bittersweet Symphony.
With both U2 and Coldplay having to travel off immediately to play their own gigs elsewhere in Europe later than night, there was a fear that Live 8 had peaked too early and certainly, the third act on, Elton John, put in a very pedestrian set, complete with an ill-judged and messy duet with Pete Doherty on the T Rex classic Children Of The Revolution.
It took a while for the massive 200,000 audience in Hyde Park to really engage with the music mid-afternoon, but The Stereophonics, REM (with a sublime reading of Everybody Hurts) and Ms Dynamite slowly restored the dipping energy levels.
With footage of all the other Live 8 concerts taking place around the world being beamed into the screens at Hyde Park, there was very much a "global village" feel to proceedings.
A huge roar greeted Bob Geldof's unscheduled appearance when he sang I Don't Like Mondays. Technically it wasn't perfect, but the emotion of the occasion carried him through.
A 10-hour rock concert is always going to have its "longeurs" and Annie Lennox and UB40 could have done better with their uninspired performances. The newer bands, Razorlight and The Killers in particular, took their opportunity well courtesy of short, rollicking sets.
Madonna's early evening set was high on energetic showmanship while the teenager Joss Stone added some hippy chic flourishes.
As the evening progressed, Sting sounded like he phoned in his set from his holiday retreat. His performance was only distinguished by the "Reservoir Dogs" style video images of the G8 leaders on the big screen behind him.
Mariah Carey did her best but struggled with audience indifference, while Robbie Williams was obviously going for a Freddie Mercury style scene-stealing performance.
The latter part of the show was handed over to three acts from the 1960s who each turned in very impressive, high-octane performances.
The Who were moodily magnificent with Who Are You and the apt Won't Get Fooled Again. Setting aside considerable personal animosity, Pink Floyd reunited specially for Live 8 and performed a stunning set of Breathe, Money, Wish You Were Here and Comfortably Numb. Having decamped to a pub to watch the Floyd, this reporter was very pleasantly surprised to see the young revellers in their Robbie Williams T-shirts giving the band a deserved standing ovation for their triumphant performance.
Paul McCartney's finale of a Beatles medley could have been better judged.There are far better songs in The Beatles' repertoire than Get Back, Drive My Car and Helter Skelter, but as the clock ticked towards midnight, all critical faculties had long since been blunted by the sheer exuberance and joyous nature of this long day's night.
