The Boomtown Rats gig review in Bristol
Posted on: 2014-10-31
Our rating:
An excellent evening of late 70's punk from one of the biggest bands of that era.
The Boomtown Rats were formed in 1975 by friends Garry Roberts, Simon Crowe, Johnnie Moylett, Patrick Cusack and Gerry Cott in Dun Laoghaire, on the outskirts of Dublin in Ireland. Bob Geldof was originally invited to be the band's manager, but he soon found himself nominated to take on the role of lead vocals. Almost 40 years on and the band have taken to the road again. I had the pleasure of experiencing this at the O2 Academy in Bristol on Wednesday evening (29 October 2014).
Upon arriving I was pleasantly surprised to find the support was in the form of Republica. The performance all be it to limited numbers was very very good. There were a couple of new tracks but the two biggest hits Drop Dead Georgous and Ready To Go were both there and received well by the audience. After lead singer Samantha Sprackling aka Saffron took various pictures of the crowd and thanked everyone for coming the focus moved to the main event.
A rather frantic and energetic start saw lead singer Bob Geldof jumping around the stage like a cross between a possessed teenager and Mick Jagger. This did concern me as I wondered if the 63 year old would last the show. Needless to say he did and he did so in style. From the semi acoustic version of undoubtedly the bands biggest hit I Don't Like Monday to the more upbeat Rat Trap and Banana Republic. There was also a really good monologue from Geldof in which he explained that he wasn't a planet loving hippy but he was Boomtown Bob and that was why he was wearing a fake snakeskin suit. You had to be there to quite understand it but it was well worth listening to his references of how things haven't really changed that much since the late seventies and how some of the lyrics from that era are even more applicable in today's world.
I am always a little wary of bands that make come back tours especially some 30 years after they originally left the music scene. The rats certainly pleased the crowd and put on a show that I can only imagine (as I am far too young to have been there first time around!) would of been how they would of done it all those years ago.
An excellent evening of late 70's punk from one of the biggest bands of that era.
4/5
Reviewed by Lee Gitsham for 365Bristol
Article by:
Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.
