The Rats, Robin 2, Bilston

Wes[Wolverhampton] · House on Fire

Bilston gig

ratta · She's So Modern

Wes[Wolverhampton] wrote:

What can i say? just gets better and better--Will upload some pictures from here once i get time---London tonight--look forward to meeting the other guys

ayup matey,sounds like it was another crackin night,wish id gone now,if'd & ah'd all day.
av a good'un in london & i'll prob see y'in blackpool.
cheers Rat

BTR · Tonight

See yer tonight Wes at the 100 Club. I'm leaving to get the train down in a moment.

Smiling Diamond · Lookin' After Number 1

Exceeded even my wildest expectations. Darren on lead was a star and is a genuine Rat and as for Pete's vocals!! Bob who? Top marks boys, top, top marks. Can't make any of the remaining August dates but we will 100% be back in January. And I'll be reminding you then, Simon, of your promises to play Bristol.
PS. The final encore blew me away!

Garyfouroaks · Lookin' After Number 1

I was apprehensive about this. I first saw them at Leeds Poly in oct 1977 on their first tour in front of about 400 people. They were electrifying.Unlike several of their contemporaries, they had been playing together for some time - and it showed - and then there was that front man. Just five months later they played Leeds University which holds about 2000 for what is still one of my favourite gigs of all time.By the time that i caught them a year later at London's Hammersmith odeon they were flushed with the success of ' Rat trap' and in my opinion had passed their artistic peak, but right at the top of their popularity on a sell out theatre tour.

What i loved about them was their bluesy rawness, very reminiscent of early Stones and Who, with the youthful energy and stagecraft of their contemporaries, Dr Feelgood, Kilburn and the High Roads, Garham Parker, the Kurasal Flyers and Eddie and the Hot Rods. I recently bought the cd reissues of the first two Rats albums and all of those influences were gloriously reflected, I even remembered that they had stolen the 'Born to be Wild' riff for 'Mary' of the 4th Form and the opening line for 'I can make it if you can' from Springsteen's 'Thunder Rd' as well as the musical and thematic essence of 'Backstreets' for 'Joey' and 'Rat trap'.

It was great to meet Gary and Simon beforehand, and to realise that they were doing this for the fun and love of it.

The set was great, an hour and a bit. The opening 'Close as You'll Ever Be' took me back 31 years. The remainder of the set was heavily reliant on the strong early material and worked brilliantly as a result ( Neon Heart / Mary/ Do You In / Joey/ No 1 /I Can Make It/ Somebodys Looking/ Clockwork/ A Feelgoods tribute : She does it Right/ There's a Riot Goin' on (in cell block no9)/ Rat Trap/ Modern and a punked up Mondays).

Peter Barton on bass and lead vocals played brilliant bass and was a convincing vocalist with a stronger voice than Geldof. Howerever his heavyweight presence and power is possibly more suited to the 'Stranglers'. Darren Beale on guitar was excellent and miraculously succeeded in replicating the keyboard and saxophone parts with his lead guitar work. Stand out tracks? Joey/Rat trap/ and Modern.

As an exercise in unashamed nostalgia it was an unqualified success. Was Bob missed? Yes.

A band is a mysterious alchemy, and I have long argued that the quality of the early Rats live and recorded material was much under appreciated at the time, subsumed under the Geldof aura. in the early days he was one of rocks great frontmen, up there with Jagger, Bruce, Lou Reed, Bowie and Daltrey.Before the pursuit of fame per se consumed his music pretensions. Without his punky, gobby,spunky, leggy, anarchic, narcissistic presence his symbiotic relationship with the music was missing, and something is 'lost'. But then 30 years on it wasnt going to be the same anyway.

In summary, a good gig, a wonderful nostalgia trip for the old heads and a great opportunity to hear some long forgotten classics from a great era.

reevo · Banana Republic

Me and my big bruv went last night i cant begin to exsplain how good this was did not exspect much but got one of my best nights as good as bobs band any night of the week. were going to crewe sat but gary told us last night gig was pulled lack of sales! Come on you lot get of your asses and have a night out they were fantastic honest!! cant wait for to see em all again .
mondays was the big finish! and what a finish !! they should release that right now!

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Sounds absolutely fantastic. You are convincing me. Will sort out nearer the time for Newbury, unless they come to Oxford, of course. smile

markylfc · Lookin' After Number 1

Wow - what a surreal evening. I went to Bilston expecting nothing but got one of the most enjoyable experiences ever.
Bumped into Gary and Simon before the gig and had a great chat about the band. Two down to earth really pleasant blokes. Gary claimed the first album to be their finest work although we did disagree over the 'album filler' Kicks. They're hopeful Fingers will make an appearance mid way through the tour but don't hold your breath on Bob showing up - I hinted a tad of animosity. It was clear they would not be playing anything remotely 'calypso' from the later albums - 'they were just Bob being a bit too clever'.
The gig itself stood up well against anything I've ever seen the band do before. Mind you I missed the early stuff first time round as my first Rats gig was during the In The Long Grass tour.
Great mix of early tracks brilliantly reproduced vocally by Peter but special praise to Darren on lead guitar - what a performance and hope you enjoyed the Indian. Gary and Simon were awesome and took it all in their stride. Already looking forward to Solihull in January.
If you're thinking of going to see the Rats - don't think, just go - they rock!

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

That's interesting. When you hear Bob talking about the Rats, he says that the later albums were what the Rats were all about! biggrin

ArrGee1991 · Dave

http://www.birminghammail.net/what-is-on-in-birmingham/rock-and-pop/2008/08/08/the-rats-robin-2-bilston-97319-21492233/

The Rats, Robin 2, Bilston

Ian D. Hall

DURING the last few years there has been an abundance of 70s and 80s bands making comebacks but one act resisting the clamour to return was the Boomtown Rats - until now.

With no chance of Bob Geldof rejoining it has been left to two of the original members to fill the void. With Simon Crowe back to doing what he does best behind the drums and Garry Roberts on guitar, they were more than ably joined by Peter Barton on vocals and the impressive Darren Beale on guitar.

Opening with Close As Youll Ever Be and Looking After No 1, both from the original Boomtown Rats debut album, it initially appeared that theyd taken on a hard task but with a sympathetic audience urging them on it wasnt long before some of the old magic returned.

With the classic Someones Looking At You and the bouncy Like Clockwork in the set, The Rats gave their all and it was with some disappointment when the evening drew to a close. But it didnt end till wed been treated to two of their best known songs, Rat Trap and I Dont Like Mondays.

Garyfouroaks · Lookin' After Number 1

markylfc wrote:

. Gary claimed the first album to be their finest work although we did disagree over the 'album filler' Kicks.

I agree that the first album was their best. as for "kicks", it used to be a killer closer for their main set, i loved it.

Wes[Wolverhampton] · House on Fire

Pics from Bilston

ratta · She's So Modern

got any vids from this gig Wes??