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We have had a brilliant 2 years since the Boomtown Rats returned.But I now wonder is it time for a change in the set list?.I for one would love to hear Joey,Elephants Graveyard,Drag Me Down,House On Fire etc.What do people think,stick with what is working or change it up a bit?.
It would be nice if they made a few changes. However, they pretty much haven't. I doubt there will be much change as we go on. Although we did get the occasional surprise and some songs came and went.
I agree Derek although I cant get to gigs when recordings are done it would be nice to her some different songs but as long as they re still touring is a good thing
We have had a brilliant 2 years since the Boomtown Rats returned.But I now wonder is it time for a change in the set list?.I for one would love to hear Joey,Elephants Graveyard,Drag Me Down,House On Fire etc.What do people think,stick with what is working or change it up a bit?.
i suppose the more gigs you attend the increased likelihood of hearing an unexpected song. Not sure how many of the gigs I've been at , possibly about 10, give or take, and I did get to hear a few songs that were a bit of a surprise.
Recently at Bristol they only played for 45 minutes, so all the songs were pretty predictable. The usual headlining set is around 90 minutes, so more opportunity for that unexpected or neglected gem.
I've heard Joey and Elephant's Graveyard at least twice though not Drag Me Down or House on Fire. The tendency is to play album tracks from the debut or Tonic when they have longer on stage. Otherwise it's pack in the hits for a crowd that is likely to be familiar with their top 20 hits. Luckily the Rats have enough hits they don't have to feel too embarrassed, unlike some other bands!
Wonder will they perform Do the Rat live? The video rehearsal of Do The Rat saw Bob looking a bit half heated about it, I thought, though that can be deceptive. I've never seen him not fully engaged when he gets up on stage.I think Bob always likes 'the big parade..'
I just wish they would write one or two new songs and that those songs would be up to scratch.I'm actually surprised Geldof has so little to say-certainly in the old days he would have been writing songs about anything that annoyed him or bothered him.
-- Edited by noelindublin on Thursday 18th of June 2015 02:30:59 PM
We have had a brilliant 2 years since the Boomtown Rats returned.But I now wonder is it time for a change in the set list?.I for one would love to hear Joey,Elephants Graveyard,Drag Me Down,House On Fire etc.What do people think,stick with what is working or change it up a bit?.
I have heard them play Joey a few times (Barton/Bradbury Rats always played it) and Elephants Graveyard once or twice. Joey and When the Wife Comes were casualties of the set shortening after the 2013 October/November tour.
One issue is that they are not a full time band and probably don't have the time to extend the repertoire. The songs off the first couple of LPs are easier to play and less dependent on keyboards and horns.
The other issue is that the average concert goer will probably know The Rats only for Rat Trap and Mondays. A few will know them from #1 to Banana Republic. And very few will even know what came after that. The set has a core of the first nine singles no matter what. There is an established running order which means Eva Braun and the Eponymous Song get played, so there isn't much scope to add/remove songs.
If you saw The Rats in 2013 then you would be looking as seeing pretty much the same show two years later. It might be OK for a repeat or two but after that you might think twice about shelling out another thirty quid or so.
I think the set should change, but I don't believe it will. Best you can expect is something interesting in the encore.
Wonder will they perform Do the Rat live? The video rehearsal of Do The Rat saw Bob looking a bit half heated about it, I thought, though that can be deceptive. I've never seen him not fully engaged when he gets up on stage.I think Bob always likes 'the big parade..'
I just wish they would write one or two new songs and that those songs would be up to scratch.I'm actually surprised Geldof has so little to say-certainly in the old days he would have been writing songs about anything that annoyed him or bothered him.
They could play Do The Rat, Kicks, Never Bite The Hand That Feeds and others that have not made the established set along with the nine singles and it would be a different show.
It is a part time job for Geldof. In fact, it is more like a hobby. He might be bothered, but what is the incentive? Back in the seventies he was trying to make it or at least trying to out do his peers so there was a desire and hunger that cannot be replicated these days. Maybe now he has has left Ten Alps he might have some time to write some decent songs.
You hit the nail on the head ArrGee.£30 and the same set list as before.I love The Boomtown Rats but I am not sure I will travel from Denmark to hear the same songs again.And yes Joey must be played at any Rats concert.
You hit the nail on the head ArrGee.£30 and the same set list as before.I love The Boomtown Rats but I am not sure I will travel from Denmark to hear the same songs again.And yes Joey must be played at any Rats concert.
Not so sure about this? Look at Suss I think he does more gigs than the Rats and fair play to him. Regards the set list. I bet that most rat fans play the same songs all the time LP singles/CDs what ever form you might have them in. I for one have read all this and can say hand on heart that I would tend to play the same songs over and over again. And lets face it the 1st 3 albums are the better of the 6. But that's not to say that there are not some good if not great wee songs on the last 3 albums
I am happy to see them as often as possible, despite the fairly rigid setlist and the same old jokes and banter. There are enough small changes to give it something slightly different, the atmosphere is different and crowd in general different. Despite the similarities each gig has its own uniqueness. If I could do what Suss does I would . .
I would love to se them sing any thing as iam house bound so any thing live on dvd whether te same songs or not are abonus. Let's face it did we ever think after1986 that the rats would be back?
You hit the nail on the head ArrGee.£30 and the same set list as before.I love The Boomtown Rats but I am not sure I will travel from Denmark to hear the same songs again.And yes Joey must be played at any Rats concert.
Not so sure about this? Look at Suss I think he does more gigs than the Rats and fair play to him. Regards the set list. I bet that most rat fans play the same songs all the time LP singles/CDs what ever form you might have them in. I for one have read all this and can say hand on heart that I would tend to play the same songs over and over again. And lets face it the 1st 3 albums are the better of the 6. But that's not to say that there are not some good if not great wee songs on the last 3 albums
Would surprise me if suss has done more than the Rats
I have to admit that having seen the latest incarnation of the band over half a dozen times I am not likely to do much more than turf up to see them in London when they play again. And a lot of that is the fact that it will inevitably be the same even down to the running order.
There are other bands like Pulp and Franz Ferdinand that I have seen umpteen times, but they do vary the shows quite considerably. When Pulp made their recent comeback 2011-2012, the sets at Hyde Park, Brixton (two nights) and Albert Hall all differed. The festival sets were the hits, the other dates delved deeper into the back catalogue.
Dedicated, obsessive fans will always go. But if let's say this was The Damned or The Buzz****s or any number of other bands I like from the era, if I had seen the same show on the two previous tours, then I suspect I wouldn't go again. The Rats don't have many dedicated, obsessive fans.
... did we ever think after 1986 that the rats would be back?
No. However having seen them a few times since 2008 when The Barton Rats started this whole thing off it would be nice to hear some more of the back catalogue.
Even if Mrs. ArrGee permitted it, I wouldn't. There are too many other things I want to do and feeling obliged to do one thing no matter what can screw up your life. In my late teens/early twenties I pretty much arranged my life around going to football matches. No matter where Arsenal played, I had to go. And to be fair it was easier then because every weekend game took place on Saturday at 3pm. However at some point, I realised that it had taken over, so I got rid of my season ticket and started working abroad.
I remember when I read Fever Pitch it was uncanny...
As I get older, the tyranny that football exerts over my life, and therefore over the lives of people around me, is less reasonable and less attractive. Family and friends know, after long years of wearying experience, that the fixture list always has the last word in any arrangement; they understand, or at least accept, that christenings or weddings or any gatherings, which in other families would take unquestioned precedence, can only be plotted after consultation. So football is regarded as a given disability that has to be worked around. If I were wheelchair-bound, nobody close to me would organise anything in a top-floor flat, so why would they plan anything for a winter Saturday afternoon.
The irony of this is that my wedding day was initially arranged for the weekend Arsenal won the league in 1998. It was only changed because Mrs. ArrGee found her dream venue after we set the date, and it wasn't available that weekend. I was way beyond arranging my life around football matches at that juncture
-- Edited by ArrGee on Friday 19th of June 2015 09:16:05 AM
Like ArrGee I was an obsessive football fan but simply became disillusioned with the return for my money, in other words the players' attitude and commitment too often not matching mine. It was also a far more regular undertaking and therefore more invasive to family life, although I was taking my boys along. Once they got old enough to go it alone it helped me break the habit, plus this happily coincided with Rats resurfacing. As mentioned elsewhere, I didn't bite when I first heard about Barton Rats, for fear of disappointment I suppose, but once I'd seen the band it was an obvious replacement for football, with the guarantee of committed and enjoyable performances every time.
Nowadays it's become pretty much a hobby, with the bonuses of seeing new places and new faces. Like to think have made some good friends along the way, including getting to know band a little. The actual set is of lesser concern to me, but can see why others might want more. Comments here are spot on I think about the need to satisfy casual attendees probably outweighing the needs of the regulars or obsessives, and there have been a number of tracks included over last 2 years to greater or lesser extents, so it's not always same old same old. Every performance, venue, crowd is a little bit different anyway so I don't get restless about it.
Guess the acid test is if/when the band tour again. Festival sets will always be formulaic and predictable, and with good reason. I always enjoy the less familiar bands if they concentrate on songs I know first and foremost.
Both last year and the year before there was one main support band/artist travelling with the Rats. I'm not sue Suss sees too many festival acts, just appearing late on . I don't see that many either, if I can help it - too much standing around for too long. Usually a couple of acts before to try for that front row middle spot.
I was an obsessive football fan but simply became disillusioned with the return for my money, in other words the players' attitude and commitment too often not matching mine. It was also a far more regular undertaking and therefore more invasive to family life, although I was taking my boys along.
My brother in law still manages to do it. He recently told my sister and their daughter that they have all summer to do things that they didn't do during the season. Only thing is the season ended so late (30 May) and starts so early (2 Aug) that there are barely 8 weeks and they are abroad for effectively three of the weekends. My sister gave up and just booked herself a couple of tickets to the theatre with me and my family for a Saturday matinee in mid-August!
In the past football used to be more regular, so after 5pm on Saturday you could do something in the evening as long as it wasn't coming back from somewhere up north. Nowadays the weekend games are a nightmare. You book a ticket two months in advance and then they move it to Sunday Afternoon or Saturday morning. And next season it will be Friday night as well. Anyway, most of it is online or on TV so I just record it and watch it when I get the chance. Often it's Sunday evening by the time I have fulfilled all my various duties (double gymnastics at the moment).
I do the taking my son along excuse, but the only trouble is he decided to support Chelsea! More likely to end up at Stamford Bridge at the weekend. Mainly go to Highbury for the midweek games. Which is for the best as the post match drinking time is shorter.
Largely depends on the line up - sadly majority of the festivals have what seem incongruous acts to the Rats (NB. It's not the other way round! ) so I can take or leave. Like you, the thought of standing in on place for hours and hours doesn't appeal to me at all.
Exceptions have been Whitehaven, with Big Country and Stranglers, and also Tring, Wychwood and All Cannings had good line ups as I recall, but they're smaller in scheme of things. IOW and all the 80's ones are too big for me, with less appealing acts to boot.
By far the best was Butlins, with many decent bands spread over a longer period across a weekend, plus Rats twice! (I count that as 2 gigs btw )
Both last year and the year before there was one main support band/artist travelling with the Rats. I'm not sue Suss sees too many festival acts, just appearing late on . I don't see that many either, if I can help it - too much standing around for too long. Usually a couple of acts before to try for that front row middle spot.
I try to see as many bands as I can in fields. Decided against blur this weekend as the only other act I was interested in was The Horrors, whereas with The Who, I also get Paul Weller, Gaz Coombes, Johnny Marr and Kaiser Chiefs. I did miss most of the support for Oasis and Franz Ferdinand for their field gigs simply because it was chucking it down with rain and staying in the pub was a far more appealing prospect. The Oasis one was a shame because they had The Charlatans and BRMC as support who I would have like to have seen.
... the need to satisfy casual attendees probably outweighing the needs of the regulars or obsessives...
Getting back on the subject, I think it will be necessary to change the set to keep people coming back. She's Gonna Do You In, Close As you'll Ever Be and Neon Heart could be dispensed with and replaced with more familiar tracks from Tonic and Surfacing. It wouldn't be revolutionary, it would be the same sort of progression that occurred in the seventies. Just as long as they don't get ahead of themselves and start thinking about reintroducing Another Piece of Red into the set.
Hear hear. Would like Wind Chill Factor, the return of Picture, Keep it Up and Go Man Go in the set. Will it happen? Only when the Knight comes (round to the idea)
Hear hear. Would like Wind Chill Factor, the return of Picture, Keep it Up and Go Man Go in the set. Will it happen? Only when the Knight comes (round to the idea)
They should do some extra from Tonic first like Living In An Island, Blind Drunk(sic) and Don't Believe What You Read, but certainly the above along with Nothing Happened and Nice n Neat would be good set changes. However, I suspect there won't be many changes simply because of lack of rehearsal time.
Great reading about the football.I have it the same way.I would go every saturday and enjoy it but now it has become tainted by all the money and plastic fans.As for the match kick of dates and times,please do not get me started on that.Now going back to the Rats I would love to hear more from FAOS,some of that stuff I have never seen live before.
06 Don't Believe What You Read 07 It's All The Rage
08 Sleep 09 A Hold Of Me
10 Nothing Happened Today 11 (She's Gonna) Do You In (normal version)
12 Me and Howard Hughes 13 Banana Republic 14 The Elephant's Graveyard 15 Whitehall 1212
16 Like Clockwork 17 Never Bite The Hand That Feeds 18 Joey's On The Street Again 19 She's So Modern
Encore 1: 20 I Don't Like Mondays 21 Mary Of The 4th Form (normal version) 22 Lookin' After No. 1
Encore 2: 23 Never In A Million Years 24 Rat Trap
As far as I read the stories the Boomtown Rats aren't a full time band and some band members hate rehearsels, there is no time, etc. I read those stories for almost two years now and to me, considering myself as a real Rats fan (so not only for the hits), I'm a little bit disappointed how the comeback seems to turn out. Of course I was very, very glad two years ago when they decided to perform again, but now I don't know. Maybe I'm expecting too much or we are expecting too much, but, to be honest, I can't understand their attitude. If I were a Rat I would have been very proud to be a Rat and I would be very proud of the fact that there are still so many loyal fans to me after 30 years. And I would do everything to please these fans if they asked to play some other stuff. Their songbook is full of great songs and I can't understand that you can't rehearse let's say five of six "new" songs even if you have a full time other job. Come on, you're not the Boomtown Rats Tribute Band, but you're the best rock n roll band in the world, from Dún Laoghaire, The Boomtown Rats, FGS.
Still love the boys, but is it so much asked to play some other stuff?
I'm sure they could add in a few extras, and they may well do. Time will tell. Pete has said there's going to be an Autumn tour.
It would be nice to have a few tweaks, but I'm not complaining and still very, very happy to have them back. We don't know how long they'll keep it up (!) so I'm just making the most of it while it lasts. .
As far as I read the stories the Boomtown Rats aren't a full time band and some band members hate rehearsels, there is no time, etc. I read those stories for almost two years now and to me, considering myself as a real Rats fan (so not only for the hits), I'm a little bit disappointed how the comeback seems to turn out. Of course I was very, very glad two years ago when they decided to perform again, but now I don't know. Maybe I'm expecting too much or we are expecting too much, but, to be honest, I can't understand their attitude. If I were a Rat I would have been very proud to be a Rat and I would be very proud of the fact that there are still so many loyal fans to me after 30 years. And I would do everything to please these fans if they asked to play some other stuff. Their songbook is full of great songs and I can't understand that you can't rehearse let's say five of six "new" songs even if you have a full time other job. Come on, you're not the Boomtown Rats Tribute Band, but you're the best rock n roll band in the world, from Dún Laoghaire...
They aren't a full time band because they aren't that big a deal to the wider world and twenty to thirty gigs a year in modest venues ain't gonna pay the bills.
I suppose from afar, I believe you are in the US, it may be a little disappointing, but as a London based fan it has been absolutely brilliant. Two big dates in London along with an intimate radio show would be more than enough, but throw in a couple of accessible gigs in Cambridge along with the first gig at the Polo Club just outside London and that's six superb dates that wouldn't have happened without the reunion. I do have some regrets about not making the pub gig (far too busy with Elvis Costello and The Stone Roses) and Dublin though I suspect neither were as good as Cork.
The problem with any rehearsal is the band live in three parts of England that are all about five or six hour drive away. And even where I believe they rehearse is a bit of a trek from central London, so they probably don't get together that frequently. It's not like they are all in the same house in Chessington anymore.
But having seen the reformed band a few times, it would be nice if they did a few less familiar songs.
They will probably keep it up until they stop getting bookings. I'm not sure why they do the 80s festivals as I can't imagine they will get many converts that way, but Latitude and Rebellion might provide a boost to the audience in the October/November tour. It's a shame they don't do Glastonbury or Reading/Leeds and get some television coverage. That could be a game changer.
They had some limited coverage at the Isle of Wight. But that was then...
Sadly tucked away on Sky Arts and viewed by one man and his dog! Glastonbury, T In the Park and Leeds/Reading get a lot of BBC airtime. Dolly Parton ain't looked back since last year. I see no reason why the Rats couldn't steal the show with a hit packed afternoon set.
They aren't a full time band because they aren't that big a deal to the wider world and twenty to thirty gigs a year in modest venues ain't gonna pay the bills.
I suppose from afar, I believe you are in the US, it may be a little disappointing, but as a London based fan it has been absolutely brilliant. Two big dates in London along with an intimate radio show would be more than enough, but throw in a couple of accessible gigs in Cambridge along with the first gig at the Polo Club just outside London and that's six superb dates that wouldn't have happened without the reunion. I do have some regrets about not making the pub gig (far too busy with Elvis Costello and The Stone Roses) and Dublin though I suspect neither were as good as Cork.
The problem with any rehearsal is the band live in three parts of England that are all about five or six hour drive away. And even where I believe they rehearse is a bit of a trek from central London, so they probably don't get together that frequently. It's not like they are all in the same house in Chessington anymore.
But having seen the reformed band a few times, it would be nice if they did a few less familiar songs.
Thanks ArrGee for your explanation.
As I read all the postings now to me it's rather obvious that my expectations are too high, and seen from a financial view I can imagine that without an new album or new material or publicity it's not easy to do a tour on a daily frequency. By the way, I'm not from the U.S.A. ha ha, I live in The Netherlands, and the last three years it's possible here to drive 80 mph on the main motorways. So no problem if you want to rehearse together...
But still it's feels a little bit disappointing. Five or six other songs rehearsing must be possible and if they're familiar with click tracks and cues (if they work with an in ear system), than it can be done in a short time. And we're not talking about Paganini compositions, we're talking bout very good, but rather easy to play rock songs.
Another thing can be that may be it's not easy to talk about changing the set list, because some don't even want to play song from mondo bongo or later. But that's pure speculation, it will not be easy to proof.
Anyway a lot of respect for the guys and hope to see them again in the Amsterdam Paradiso one day when they play a slightly different set list.
.... ha ha, I live in The Netherlands, and the last three years it's possible here to drive 80 mph on the main motorways. So no problem if you want to rehearse together...
You'd be lucky to do more than 30mph on some parts of the motorway at peak time around here. Or at weekends with all the roadworks. They should play the Paradiso, would be nice to have a weekend in Amsterdam.
You'd be lucky to do more than 30mph on some parts of the motorway at peak time around here. Or at weekends with all the roadworks.
Ha, ha, last year me and my wife went to the UK for a short vacation and the first traffic sign we saw was this one: REDUCE SPEED NOW. Unbelievable I didn't get any traffic fines in those two weeks. Strange thing is that most speed limits on urban roads are almost the same as in The Netherlands but the provincial way speed limit is (if 60 mph) faster than over here. Because of all the hedges and those small walls just alongside the roads it's rather exhausting sometimes I can tell you. We're not used to that. It's a strange thing why you don't have more motorways in the UK. Has it something to do with local taxes or something similar (not enough money from the governement???) But the motorways feels so slooowwww sometimes. For the average Dutchman. If you drive down a German Autobahn than it can be scary sometimes as the Germans are used to drive far above 100 mph. That's why they were here so fast in the first days of May 1940...
ArrGee wrote:
They should play the Paradiso, would be nice to have a weekend in Amsterdam.
Well, do everything you can to make them play the Paradiso, I know it will be a party for us and for them and for you British and Irish fans too. You're very welcome. By the way: a visit to Amsterdam is what most of the tourists will do when they visit The Netherlands, but if you will see some other nice towns visit Utrecht, Den Bosch or especially Maastricht. May be you can score an André Rieu autograph at the Vrijthof...
If you drive down a German Autobahn than it can be scary sometimes as the Germans are used to drive far above 100 mph. That's why they were here so fast in the first days of May 1940...
Well, do everything you can to make them play the Paradiso, I know it will be a party for us and for them and for you British and Irish fans too. You're very welcome. By the way: a visit to Amsterdam is what most of the tourists will do when they visit The Netherlands, but if you will see some other nice towns visit Utrecht, Den Bosch or especially Maastricht. May be you can score an André Rieu autograph at the Vrijthof...
I did drive my Peugeot on the Autobahn on my day trips to Koln and Dusseldorf from Amsterdam. Used to floor it at 98mph all the way. Rarely overtook anyone cos even if it was all clear in the rear mirror, by the time I got in the outside lane there would be a Merc/BMW/Porsche up my ar$3.
I went to a few cities in The Netherlands when I worked there. Utrecht was a popular haunt nice easy trip with all night trains home to Amsterdam.
Great reading about the football.I have it the same way.I would go every saturday and enjoy it but now it has become tainted by all the money and plastic fans.As for the match kick of dates and times,please do not get me started on that.
The Super League sadly will come one day.The clubs have not given a damn about the fans since Sky threw money at the PL.Just look at how much ticket prices and merchandise prices have risen since then.My last match against Huddlesfield I paid about £125 for a match ticket to sit with a brunch of tourist.
Football needs a reboot but it will not happen.