http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151008759450799.481838.28922035798&type=3

Photos.  Sorry about the link, ArrGee helppppp

Great to see so mnay of the forum there, all down at the front. Think Jules has a pick. There were Jules, Suss, NoelinDublin, DerektheDane, JoanOf Ark,  Scottie Joke and probably a few more we did not see. met Eddy at the gig too 

First the roll call: good to meet however briefly Scottie, Jules, Joan of Arc, Derek the Jutlander,Joke, Lisa, Suss, and various partners and family members of the aforementioned.

The gig for me was a mixed bag. More of less what I expected in terms of the songs covered. Part of the problem with live music is that it is always going to be a sort of career review, somewhat artificial, and generally I prefer  the cd's and records to live gigs. Off the top of my head the songs that worked the best for me were two in particular One For Me and Mudslide.Just dealing with the solo songs first he started with A Sex Thing which I have never been to keen on, competent versions of Walking Back To Happiness, How I Roll, Scream In vain, and a few songs I have never really liked such as Silly Pretty Thing (annoyingly chirpy) and Here's To You.

On stage dynamics between the band was good. I particularly noticed Briquette being genuinely amused by some of Geldof's on stage banter. Pete Briquette, being an ex Rat was always going to be cool for me. Noticed he got the biggest cheer during the band intros too!

To be honest Geldof's band covering the old Boomtown Rats songs didn't do too much for me. The band except for Bob n Pete have always seemed like session journeymen, completely lacking the original Boomtown Rats stamp of authority on the songs. I just listen to the original and best Rats if I wan't to hear how great a band they were. However 'interesting' it is to see and hear Geldof perform the songs they do not  do too much for me done live at his gigs nowadays. Banana Republic was not helped by an additional ten minutes jam at the end, totally muso self indulgence, when the record just gets to the point in five minutes or less. And sorry but Vince's violin does not suit Boomtown Rats tracks like Joey or Banana Republic or Diamond Smiles it just sounds out of place and hardly the sound of the new wave.

Of course Geldof is entitled to perform these old Rats hits- that's why people come to the gigs, or at least one of the reasons. If I want the real thing I can just get a scratchy old record or CD and hear the real performers play when the music sounded urgent and vital and necessary rather than a lame modern take done purely for nostalgia. There are enough old Rats bootlegs to listen to if one wants to try an authentic 'live' experience from 1977-85.

I will always have time for Bob Geldof and his music. I can take or leave the live experience- I like the recordings better. Sometimes I don't understand what the big  deal is about bands playing live, as if to prove yes we really did record these songs. Listening to one proper album is for me better the the live smorgasbord of greates hits and odds and ends live music entails. Not saying I didn't enjoy it and it was good to see Geldof live, but somehow I can't see myself following him around on tour like some others! Live gigs have a tendency to satiate me.

Finally despite the venue being relatively small it was pretty packed, or certainly not undersuscribed, so yes enough people do care about Bob's music for him to carry on, not as a major recording star but  as someone with a good enough following to  make it worthwhole. Age wise there were enough youngish people there who seemed to know the songs, both solo and Rats to make one wonder why Geldof wasn't getting UK gigs not so long ago. And yes I did detect Geldof hamming it up for the press photographers and video camera guys and indeed the camera phone crowd in the audience, but he was a star again with a loving audience playing in his favourite city and I won't begrudge him that.

-- Edited by noelindublin on Monday 4th of June 2012 01:22:40 PM

Joan of Arc and I have pulled some of his speeches apart lol.  As adults you can criticise, as a teenager, yes you hang on to every word.  Not that I disrespect him or anything he does at all.  Far from it.

I was at the front in the middle, perfect spot, right in front of Bob

Shame we didn't get to meet up properly, we'll do that sometime.  I'd definitely what to chat to you more.

Sorry to hear about your son, hope he's feeling a lot better now.  Maybe the adreneline held back the pain?  It often helps me get through the gigs, I wouldn't normally be able to stand up for so long and so late in the evening.  Talking of poorliness, Bob has had a chest infection - can you imagine that?  I don't know where he gets the energy from.  I wish I could have a quarter of it.