Let's Rock Bristol photos

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

Let's Rock Bristol photos

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Great performance, but for those not there,the Rats only did about 45 mins on stage. Billy Flippin Ocean was the headline act.

Rats went down very well,great crowd reaction but unfortunately the organisers deemed Billy Ocean more worthwhile. Spend all day today 'sightseeing' in Bristol, getting 9.10 pm flight soon. smile

Songs played- Mary/Someones Looking/Rat Trap/Mondays/Lookin' After No 1/Modern/Boomtown Rats/Clockwork.

Impressive, improved visual projections but it all felt a bit like the Rocky Horror show, doing the timewarp again. Started gig in sunlight but as the night kicked in the thing looked better,all the visuals just seem better in the dark. Same old jokes from Geldof, Garry sighing at it all( the old jokes that is)

Garry had weird silver coloured guitar.

-- Edited by noelindublin on Monday 8th of June 2015 06:34:03 PM

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

Garry has had that guitar for a while. I've seen it before. Perhaps not at gigs you were at?

It felt like it was over in a flash.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Jules wrote:
Garry has had that guitar for a while. I've seen it before. Perhaps not at gigs you were at?

It felt like it was over in a flash.

Geldof had the crowd whipped into a frenzy. Not sure of how many were there, but to my eyes at least 5,OOO. Pity it had to end so soon. As usual all the crowd seemed to know the songs. The Rats should have been top of the bill. In fact they cheekily performed only one eighties number, Someones Looking at You, all the rest were from the seventies!

The prob with festivals is that for many, they just accept the whole package, and may not be there solely for one particular act. Hopefully the Rats will tour again in the autumn/winter with a good support act, and we wont have to settle for these 'catch all' type '80's festivals.

Really notices how everyone was chanting 'The Boomtown Rats' just before they came on, helped by the eponymous little number Geldof wrote, and again while the same song was performed at the end. Who'd ever have thought that kind of thing would happen a few years back?

Again a minus for festivals is that the Rats, unless headlining, will get a 45 minute run out at best. Just when it starts to get exciting it's all over. As usual the Rats and Geldof give everything, so one is never disappointed. smile

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
The prob with festivals is that for many, they just accept the whole package, and may not be there solely for one particular act.

I don't see that as a problem! If I have to go to a muddy field somewhere then I'd like a few decent acts rather than just one. The only time I went to see one act was to see Franz Ferdinand @ Field Day (sadly The Vaccines were on another stage at the same time). I turned up at about 8pm when many were leaving cos of the rain, but I did wander into a tent and caught the end of what appeared to be a really interesting set from some unknown band. Wish I had turned up earlier.

I'm not really sure why The Rats play these 1980s festival aside from the big bags of ca$h. They have little in common with the other acts, and I don't think the average 80-festival goer would be inclined to turn up for the October/November tour. Rebellion and Butlins are better suited. The Rats certainly have a place at the eclectic Latitude and Isle of Wight, but Let's Rock and Rewind are possibly the worst festival line ups ever.

suss · In the Long Grass

noelindublin wrote:
Not sure of how many were there, but to my eyes at least 5,OOO.

Pretty sure Dave Benson Phillips said 'we have 9000 people in here today', but agree that many were way back or at bars and stalls etc so 5000 plus actually watching feels about right.

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

He did announce 9,000 in attendance at that point. As you say, not all watching the Rats.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

suss wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
Not sure of how many were there, but to my eyes at least 5,OOO.
Pretty sure Dave Benson Phillips said 'we have 9000 people in here today', but agree that many were way back or at bars and stalls etc so 5000 plus actually watching feels about right.

Certainly when the Rats were on the place was rammed. Very like Cheltenham,Devon, Guildford etc. Up front around 5,000 and as you say, there were the rest, lying in the long grass, drinking West Country zider. smile

I had a walk around after I arrived, and as usual there were lots of stands and amusement rides and various things that they have at festivals. Not everyone is there for the music, many just come to drink and chat and hang out.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Not everyone is there for the music, many just come to drink and chat and hang out.

Which always puzzles me. Once, some fcukers brought foldable chairs to go along with their picnic blanket and were stage centre at the barrier. Well they were before Elvis Costello came on...

If I wanted to hang out I'd just arrange to meet mates down the pub and spend the ticket money on booze and grub. I could have one hell of a day out for £90 (Latitude is £91). Generally when I go to an outdoor gig I find a half decent spot near the stage and nurse a bottle of water for the whole day. I won't even go to the bar as there is the double whammy of getting a drink and then having to get rid of it at a later stage.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
Not everyone is there for the music, many just come to drink and chat and hang out.
Which always puzzles me. Once, some fcukers brought foldable chairs to go along with their picnic blanket and were stage centre at the barrier. Well they were before Elvis Costello came on...
If I wanted to hang out I'd just arrange to meet mates down the pub and spend the ticket money on booze and grub. I could have one hell of a day out for £90 (Latitude is £91). Generally when I go to an outdoor gig I find a half decent spot near the stage and nurse a bottle of water for the whole day. I won't even go to the bar as there is the double whammy of getting a drink and then having to get rid of it at a later stage.

One of The Saints albums is called A little Madness To Be Free- sort of sums up festival behavior. Geldof's line about you're crouching in your corner/ till they open up your cage' always seems pretty apt. Festivals allow people to get away from it all for a few days.

The Beatles might be on stage but still a good 40% of most festival audience would still be oblivious, in my festival experience. smile

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

After the Rats had finished we moved out to the back to catch the first 2 Billy Ocean songs. The crowd had really thinned out at this point. There was space. Odd choice of headliner, when you've got the Rats playing.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
...a good 40% of most festival audience would still be oblivious, in my festival experience.

Probably, but in my experience there can be up to 40% who ain't paid to be there. I once went to a gig at the Mean Fiddler where people with tickets couldn't be admitted due to a very extensive guest list. I have been at a number of post gig parties which where absolutely heaving. Bit like corporates at the FA Cup Final. Only there for the beer.