What is the best (and worst) act that was on the same bill as The Rats?

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

What is the best (and worst) act that was on the same bill as The Rats?

Mark L · Loudmouth

As above

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

Eve worse than PF, Fine Young Criminals. Their horrendous music and over loud base made me feel ill. Have to think about the best.

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

From the Jam the best.

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

Fun loving Criminals, getting them mixed up.

suss · In the Long Grass

Have to agree Republica probably the best for track familiarity, performance and generally lifting crowd ahead of Rats, although I think (having found out more since) Mighty Stef would go down really well if more people knew songs at the time.

From the Jam also excellent but I'm struggling to think of when they've been 'support'. More often they've come after Rats, definitely in pre-2013 days, and probably fairly so. At Butlins they were next night from memory so direct competitors at best.

Can't think of anyone I've walked away from. More likely just not engaged. Numerous 80s festival acts fit that bill, although there's always the 'hit' song(s) to look forward to gauge if they really can sing/play live.

I didn't mind Patrik Fitzgerald myself (even got the CD) and seem to be the only one who thought Cork support last year was decent too.

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

The Might Stef and The Trouble Pilgrims are up there with the best. From the Jam have been on at least once. If not, I'd have missed them because I'd have left. I can't think where it was. They may have 2-3 acts before. Butlins appearance is separate.

The first Cork support was great, Fred. Believe they've split up since. Not impressed with Cork II support. They were down withe lowest. Suss you were in the minority there.

.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

suss wrote:
Have to agree Republica probably the best for track familiarity, performance and generally lifting crowd ahead of Rats...

Republica are a band I would have seen in their own right back in the day. Odd that I didn't, cos I saw pretty much every britpop band of note. I was too young for Eddie & The Hot Rods in their pomp.

Vibrators, Fred and Trouble Pilgrims were OK, but not bands I would search spotify for after hearing them.

I have yet to experience The Rats in a field, so I have avoided most of what I would consider shockers.

PS From The Jam were on same day at Chilfest, so they count.

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

Chilliest, that was it. Thanks, ArrGee. I bought a Trouble Pilgrims CD.

I can't remember the name of the band or much about them from my 1979 show. They were Irish, that's about it. It was my first ever gig and I extremely excited for the Rats, so they didn't figure much.

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

I had never taken much notice of Republica before and wasn't interested. I did get to enjoy their performance and downloaded all the tracks they played, after seeing them.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
I can't remember the name of the band or much about them from my 1979 show. They were Irish, that's about it. It was my first ever gig and I extremely excited for the Rats, so they didn't figure much.

Vipers, Protex or The Atrix most likely. All handy to know in Scrabble.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
Chilliest, that was it. Thanks, ArrGee.

I don't know how cold it was, but if you say so.

Mark L · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
Jules wrote:
Chilliest, that was it. Thanks, ArrGee.
I don't know how cold it was, but if you say so.

Love it! Autocorrect strikes again!

suss · In the Long Grass

ArrGee wrote:
PS From The Jam were on same day at Chilfest, so they count.

I'd forgotten that. Bona fide support then, in which case they get my vote for best because I love the catalogue and the way they do it justice.

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

Mark L wrote:
ArrGee wrote:
Jules wrote:
Chilliest, that was it. Thanks, ArrGee.
I don't know how cold it was, but if you say so.
Love it! Autocorrect strikes again!

Quite warm, I seem to remember. biggrin Font too small for my ageing eyesight to notice.

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

ArrGee wrote:
Jules wrote:
I can't remember the name of the band or much about them from my 1979 show. They were Irish, that's about it. It was my first ever gig and I extremely excited for the Rats, so they didn't figure much.
Vipers, Protex or The Atrix most likely. All handy to know in Scrabble.

Doesn't ring any bells, but that means nothing.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

The best has to go to Republica Great at the Oxford gig nov 15. All the rest are the worst. The Rats never seems to have a good band on B4 them??

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
ArrGee wrote:
Jules wrote:
I can't remember the name of the band or much about them from my 1979 show. They were Irish, that's about it. It was my first ever gig and I extremely excited for the Rats, so they didn't figure much.
Vipers, Protex or The Atrix most likely. All handy to know in Scrabble.
Doesn't ring any bells, but that means nothing.

I saw The Atrix but don't remember them. The other gig I only bunked in just before The Rats came on, so never saw the support.

I should qualify my opinion of Mr. Fitzgerald. I only caught the tail end of his set both times, but from what I heard and the level of heckling I don't think he was going to attract too many new admirers. I felt for him, but he is the worst. Obviously he won't be if I see The Rats at any of these 1980s throwback family days out. He'll be flying up the table faster than Leicester

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

I'm sure it be recorded somewhere who supported the Rats in 1979.

Tango · In the Long Grass

Oh man, Patrick Fiztzgerald, by a country mile, although there was some rubbish on at Rebellion. Clearly not that bad though as I'm going back this year, Ratless as it is, best comes from Rebellion too, Goldblade on the same stage in the afternoon, proper good.

Mike menzies · V Deep

In 82 the rats wer supported by a chap called Matt fret ton he had a minor hit with its so high this was the v deep tour he was ok & in 85 Long grass tour were Serra 1 who were horrendous awful (1983 uni of Aston I think the support were called the climb who were ok ) though the rats were fab & stole the show

suss · In the Long Grass

Can we count Queen at Live Aid as being on same bill? Best live set I've ever seen by anyone!

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

suss wrote:
Can we count Queen at Live Aid as being on same bill? Best live set I've ever seen by anyone!

Why not? I wasn't there, saw on TV, so I can't choose that. Live8 wasn't the Rats. wink

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

suss wrote:
Can we count Queen at Live Aid as being on same bill?

Sure. In that case, I'll have David Bowie as best and Phil Collins as worst.

(memo to self - must phrase questions more carefully)

Mark L · Loudmouth

Oh well, I'll go for Queen as best and Adam Ant worst

suss · In the Long Grass

Mike menzies wrote:
in 85 Long grass tour were Zerra 1

I remember the name and seeing them. Can't recall anything about the music or if I enjoyed it.

Set me thinking though; I'm sure around the same period (but presumably not in tour itself) I saw a band called Faith Brothers and I'm fairly sure it was ahead of Rats. They had a minor hit called Playground of Privilege. Anyone able to corroborate?

suss · In the Long Grass

Scratch that - Playground of Privilege was Time UK, so def saw them somewhere too but I'm still sure Faith Brothers were supporting someone around 85, and I thought it was Rats. Think I'll need google.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
Oh well, I'll go for Queen as best and Adam Ant worst

Is that the on the day rating? Or more general?

I wish I had seen Adam & The Ants back when they toured with Kings of The Wild Frontier but before Prince Charming. I thought they were pretty good up to that point. I thought he was OK on the day doing Vive Le Rock. He was only given time for one song, so he did his next/latest single which was pretty good, certainly streets ahead of Ant Rap. Also considering who he had to follow, how was he ever going to live up to that?

Poor Elvis Costello fared worse, only given enough time to play All You Need is Love in the wake of The Fat Jungle Man and then shunted off to make way for err Nik Kershaw and Sade

Mark L · Loudmouth

Definitely on the day. I always quite liked them too and am enjoying watching their rise in popularity on TOTP 1981. I was disappointed recently when I discovered Phil Collins had a hand in Goody Two Shoes, even though that was far from my favourite Adam track.

suss · In the Long Grass

suss wrote:
Scratch that - Playground of Privilege was Time UK, so def saw them somewhere too but I'm still sure Faith Brothers were supporting someone around 85, and I thought it was Rats. Think I'll need google.

Vindicated See review comment at https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002OBFXCS?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Basically confirms Faith Brothers supported Rats at Hammersmith (Mar 85) which ties in with my recollections. Track I got confused about title was 'Country of the Blind' I think.

Either way, a decent enough support act as I recall.

kirjen3112 · She's So Modern

Best for me was Protex,closely followed by The Attrix, with the worst by a country mile was Reggae Regulars!!

jamieuka · House on Fire

Anyone else remember Zerra One from the ITLG tour? I seem to remember they were good but then... I was in still in full time education at the time when I happened to overhear my latest crush saying Zerra One were her favourite band of the moment. Imagine the kudos I received when I bigged-up their fantastic performance I'd witnessed first hand at the Oxford Apollo the week before ...I may be misremembering the actual quality of the performance, of course.

Mike menzies · V Deep

Zerra1 awful on 5 deep tour and climb on college1983 tour wer ok but not brill

TIMBO · Someone's Looking At You

The first time I saw the Rats live (and my first ever concert) was at Brunel University, Uxbridge on/around Saturday 2nd December 1982.

Supporting the Rats that night was Stan Ridgeway, who soon afterwards (I think) had a hit called 'Camouflage'. Good song.

The concert was excellent (standing room only and absolutely packed), and solidified my liking of the Rats.

Tim