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Going forward this forum will be read only. Very few people post expect for spam bots There is an official forum that exists which I recommend people join. https://www.theboomtownratsofficial.com/groups Cheerio! PS - Private messages still work, so feel free to keep in touch
Hi I came across this recording today which in my 48 years of following the RatsI had not seen. It's a BBC recording from 1978 on the John Peel show, recorded, I think, at the Rainbow in London. It also includes a song which I had never heard before around 14.45. If you haven't heard it it's definitely wort...
https://www.ticketmaster.ie/the-boomtown-rats-kilkenny-31-01-2026/event/1800633DEB93C8C5-- Edited by ArrGee on Thursday 13th of August 2026 01:48:21 PM
Meeting Place - The Gerry Cott Arms (a.k.a. Truscott Arms), 55 Shirland Rd, London W9 2JD4pm - pre queue; 9pm - post queue The Boomtown Rats will be the featured artists on a forthcoming edition of BBC Radio 4s Mastertapes, the series which looks back at a key album from an artists career. This reco...
Stone Valley and Sign of The Times gone, no announcement for Forever Now, Lets Rock festival only has one date in Southampton and Rewind just one in Henley. Bearded Theory has Pixies and Damned, but thats as good as it seems to get. Yet so many acts like Squeeze, Stranglers, Damned, Pistols, From The...
Just got The Damned's Not Like Everybody Else which is an album of covers done as a tribute to Brian James. Should the Rats do the same for Garrick Roberts? There is a demo tape from the Rats pre-record contract full of covers. Perhaps it could be revisited. Also Garrick sang on live Feelgood covers...
Lately whenever I see a half decent gig, I am amazed at the ticket prices. Latest is Specials for just shy of £50 at The Roundhouse. Not sure they are that special... The Rats, Damned (with very good suppport) and Franz Ferdinand all did the same venue for less than £30. Even Arcade Fire were cheaper...
This looks interesting... BALLROOM BOOM Feature doc exploring Irish music before U2 Presented by Adam Clayton (U2) Directed by Billy McGrath Ballroom Boom has been updated with Adam delving deeper into how U2 and other Irish artists benefitted from the musical roots planted by the more progress...
Hello! :) I'm once again posting as a younger rats fan - I've come across a lot of discussion many years ago about a bootleg of a gig in bradford in 1983. I would love to head it especially the mystery song nohody has got to the bottom of and Simon on vocals for Up and Down! Is this recording available anywher...
I guess they will be playing tracks off The Fine Art of Surfacing hopefully there wont be A Strorm Breaks FEB 27 - MAR 6, 2027 NEW ORLEANS BELIZE CITY Royal Caribbeans Mariner of the Sea https://the80scruise.com/
First of all The Hub is a wonderful venue,the ideal size really for a band like the Rats. Hadn't been here before so was surprised it seemed so large.Last night it was packed to the rafters, really buzzing with what seemed like more than the 1900 official capacity. I was so proud that the Rats got such an e...
My brother bought me a ticket as a gift and he will be attending his first Rats gig. Ive lost count of mine. We grew up in County Kilkenny and I can remember going into Sherwoods Record Store on the High Street to buy various Rats albums back in the day including Surfacing, Mondo Bongo, V Deep, Never in a Mi...
Well 2026 is coming and we have the 1 live date in Kilkenny but thats it.What now,will we see any proper gigs or will it be full of festivals?.I have given up trying to get the hope for a stand up concert in Dublin. -- Edited by Derek The Dane on Monday 24th of November 2025 02:12:32 PM-- Edited by Derek The Da...
I listened to an interview with Bob on Chris Evans from a couple of weeks ago, and he talked about Simon's recovery. It sounds like he really went through a lot. Really pleased for him and us he got to do the tour
23 gigs in 24. In order of brilliance...Tom Meighan - Kentish Town ForumSuede/Johnny Marr - Audley EndFontaines DC - Alexandra PalaceJames/Razorlight -The O2Last Dinner Party - Cambridge Corn Exchange The Damned - RoundhouseBowie Orchestral - London PalladiumBernard Butler - St. Matthia...
Given no future dates and the sad passing of Garry Roberts, should the Rats call it a day? I haven't seen them this year, but I wouldn't go near the Let's Rock festivals regardless. Would there be any point to another summer of abridged sets at festivals? Apart from the money, obviously. It has bee...
Boomtown Rats, Buzzc0cks, Stranglers, Bruce Foxton All Star Band, DAM (Bowie in Germany) and Damned are my upcoming gigs. And Sting is stinking out the Hammersmith Odeon this week ahead of the Rats 50th birthday bash. And I saw PIL this summer. Old punks dont die nor do they fade away PS Hugh Cornwe...
Anyone know how Simon's doing? Hearing he was in a different kind of theatre to usual 8 weeks ago, having a growth removed from his brain. Geldof mentioned it in a radio interview a week or so ago (think Chris Evans?)
Thu May 15 2025 - PRAGUE Czech Republic O2 Universim CANCELLEDSun May 25 2025 - LEYLAND Lancashire - Music in the ParkFri May 30 2025 - AACHEN, GERMANY - Tivoli CANCELLEDSun June 1 2025 - DUBLIN St. Annes Park - RewindSat June 21 2025 - CORK Virgin Media Park - Rewind - with Squeeze CANCELLEDThu July 10 20...
https://www.oldvictheatre.com/stage/event/just-for-one-dayRelive the day music brought the world together. Featuring the songs of Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Pretenders,...
Hello!I'm a long time rats fan and long time lurker on here & other corners of TBR internet. Unfortunately I'm a young fa, so missed everything the first time round which means I've had several 'holy grail' pieces of content I've hoped for ages would somehow resurface on the internet but never h...
Fri 13 Aug Stone Valley South, Ware Sun 15 Aug Roundhouse Music Festival, Dagenham Sat 25 Sep Let's Rock Norwich Tue 12 Oct The Hawth, Crawley Thu 14 Oct London Palladium (support Gabi Garbutt & The Illuminations)
We all know about the 50th anniversary gig in London on the 31st October but does anyone believe that Gerry Cott might turn up and play a few songs?.I cannot see Johny Fingers turning up as he lives in Japan but Gerry might surprise us.
Hi- if anybody's got the time would like to see the set list or what you can remember of it. Did they do any surprise numbers or anything out of the ordinary. Were there covers of non Boomtown Rats tracks and were they taking personal requests? Did anyone get to meet Simon or Garry? Was Garry wearing on of h...
Well its the 50th birthday of the Rats next year so what can we expect.I am guessing some new songs possibly with a kind of best of and some live dates(both festivals and my gut feeling Dublin).Time will tell.
Sad to hear rainbow presenter Geoffrey Hayes has died. This programme was part of. My childhood also it was my era for pop music as well I'm sure a few on this forum remember rainbow something else we can lament for but have good memories of bungle zippy and the brilliant George RIP Geoffrey we will mis...
Dream support and setlist I would like Julian Cope to kick things off with a Teardrop Explodes retrospective. The Damned, The Stranglers and The Pistols with Frank Carter could follow with hit filled sets, before The Rats play two sets with a short interval with Happy Mondays filling in. Set One(I n...
I doubt there will be any, but it would be nice if the original LPs were reissued in the original running order. Also a new greatest hits with single mixes and ALL the B-sides, which would look something like this. (Has to be 50 tracks for obvious reasons!). Songs in italics not issued as singles.The s...
In the main I am quite happy with all my UK and US originals, but if they do go down the road of re-issuing LPs then I would be tempted to buy a new Mondo Bongo as the original UK pressing was pretty poor. Of course, having got one then I would have to get the rest (except debut if they dont fix it).
2 new festival dates 13 July Exit Festival,Novi Sad,Serbia 1 August Wacken Open Air,Germany. The Rats played Wacken in 2017 and clips can be found on YouTube.
I have 3 VHS tapes filled with clips of The Rats/Bob Geldof.If anyone wants them they can have them free.You might get asked for VAT when they reach the UK shores. Just message me your adresse if you are interested.
Suss wrote Find it very hard to believe that in 2040 someone will put out a compilation of the calibre of say 'Going Underground' as released a month or so backI checked this out on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Going-Underground-Various-Artists/dp/tracks/B004VSAHZA/ref=dp_tracks_a...
The Boomtown Rats Rat Trap 154,000 Jade Hot Stuff 108,000 Marc Almond Say Hello etc 127,000 Jungle Let's Go Back 104,000 Roger Taylor Under Pressure 223,000 Well and truly holding their own. The other acts did not even get to 6 figures. I'm fairly sure if BBC Music had uploaded Mondays, might the Rats...
... as it is nearing Christmas, I note that the usual batch of greatest hits albums are doing the rounds. I was thinking about what the greatest of all of these albums was. In my opinion they have to have all the best tracks and singles of the artist in question with no omissions (which rules out the Rat...
I went to see Fontaines D.C. last night at Alexandra Palace and it put me in mind of The Boomtown Rats circa 1980. I Love You is as scathing an attack on Ireland as Banana Republic was back in the day, and there was a vibe that was akin to what I imagine Leixlip was back then. Incredible live band like the Ra...
Is it just me, or was this compilation a true best of? The new version twenty years on looks insipid by comparison. Maybe a few tracks could be swapped out, but on the whole, I would rather have this on vinyl."Shes So Modern""Mary of the 4th Form""Rat Trap""Lookin' After No. 1""When the Night Comes""...
https://youtu.be/vzlSMEIapDI?si=e5Cc92x3gEntLvwG Simon Crowe and Bob Geldof in December 1984 trying to promote Dave, which was up against the Band Aid single. The interviewer is poor but Geldof spinning slightly by denying it's been a couple of years since the Rats were in the charts, thinking...
https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/band-aid-40-do-they-know-its-christmas-2024-ultimate-mix/Do They Know It's Christmas? 2024 Ultimate Mix will include vocalists from three chart-topping versions of the single release...
Hello... I couldn't be bothered to put the setlist in order so I've just gone chronological. (I'd also love to see them with a horn section) Joey's On The Streets Again I Never Loved Eva Braun Rat Trap Do The Rat Someone's Looking At You Diamond Smiles I Don't Like Mondays When The Night Comes Elephant'...
https://youtu.be/TGXE0pWncCo?si=iE_tmO84BiZ4D99j Fascinating interview, amongst the plethora of Band Aid 40 stuff, from February 1979. Apologies, I couldn't start a new topic under Bob Geldof.
https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/bob-geldof-boomtown-rats-film-beyond-tnc-launch-1203368578/Bob Geldof and the re-formed Boomtown Rats will talk about their legendary punk band in a new feature documentary filmed in Dublin, London and New York. It featur...
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/leisure/music/4050741.Tickets_for_Paul_Well_at_Westonbirt_Arboretum_Forest_Tour_gig_on_sale_now/Garry Roberts, guitarist with The 1980s phenomenum that was The Boomtown Rats is now gnawing back into the music scene with his new band The Rats....
Anyone here seen Simple Minds lately.I am less than impressed with the clips I have seem and SM look more like Dexys Midnight Runners.Even the brilliant Mel Gayner on drums has been replaced.
I dont suppose anyone will vote, but now I am retired with nothing better to do I have been making playlists on Spotify with era defining tracks. There are acts that span the eras, but pretty much they all belonged to certain times, though not necessarily when they started. Sixties 1962-1971 : Beat...
.... I'm fed up with it. After twenty five years I feel that Geldof should sing another song when he turns up to sing. Anything! Crikey, even Another Piece of Red if he has to, but it's time to bury Mondays. Especially that reprise of the first verse (the album version).
Dar...
The Last Dinner Party https://www.thelastdinnerparty.co.uk/ Their debit LP kicks off like the offspring of David Bowie and Kate Bush and just gets better and better!
I saw there was a new Bowie LP coming out for RSD 2024. And then found out all the tracks had been previously released either on original Ziggy LP or the exclusive to the box set REcall 1. At least they put in a bit of effort making Divine Symmetry alternate mixes to Hunky Dory. https://www.davidbowie....
Hi Watched a programme on More 4 on 28/12 called Best Year Ever. It had an interesting 4 minute section on the Rats fairly early on. The programme was about life in the UK in 78 and had features on
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/kevin-sharkey-i-had-a-great-time-going-bankrupt-all-those-debts-were-written-off-gv0l2p9mzI used to write songs for Bob Geldof, although he didnt pay me much." Apparently has a credit for Shes So Modern, but what other songs did he write?
Fri 10 Mar Kulttuuritalo Helsinki - CANCELLED Sat 20 May Lets Rock The Moor, Cookham, Berkshire Sat 8 Jul Lets Rock Southampton Sat 15 Jul Lets Rock Shrewsbury Sun 29 Jul Cavan, Ireland - SOLD OUT Sat 5 Aug Lets Rock Northern Ireland, Bangor, County Down - CANCELLED Sun 6 Aug Rewind North, Capesthorn...
Despite CoVid, a fair number of gigs in 2021Boomtown Rats - Dagenham - Best live performance from The Rats since Cork. Short near perfect set. Even the eponymous song worked with the confetti cannons fired at the end.Maximo Park - Earth - stunning set from a band I have failed to see too often down the...
Maybe one of our Irish forum members can help. I looked at gaa.ie, but didn't see any tickets on sale there. I also tried Clare GAA. Anyone know where they are on sale? Planning to fly in an out on the day with my dad and number one son. My mum may come along if she wants to meet the family down the pub, do...
Seems like Geldof has resumed his solo career unfortunately only just read about it, so not much use if you wanted to attend, but for the record Friday 12 May Luitpoldhalle Freising, Germany PS Geldof also seems to have done some solo dates in 2022 https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/bob-geldof-3...
Listened to Bob Geldof today on the Gary Davies breakfast show on Radio 2. The festival dates are going ahead with Paul Cuddeford on guitar for Garry. They played the legend remix of No Tomorrow Like Today
After years of battling cancer Wilko finally passed away -an inspiration to a lot of punk/new wave bands of the late 70s. Maybe without the Feelgoods ,the Rats' may have never formed. Famed for his basic , choppy rhythm guitar he was my guitar hero - I made a few YT videos years ago - hope these do him jus...
Bob rated " Ghost Town" as the best song of the 80s. Who else thinks that song could of a been a Rats' classic - The falsetto backing singing, the hammond organ- the Rats were getting into ska /reggae at the time as well
Another great guitarist leaves the stage. Saw him in Ealing this summer at Ealing Blues Festival turning in another great performance. Dr. Feelgood were a big influence on The Rats who played Shes Does It Right (sung by Garry) and All Through The City (sung by Simon) live when they reformed back in 2...
