{"id":494381,"date":"2025-10-12T20:08:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-12T20:08:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/494381\/"},"modified":"2025-10-12T20:08:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T20:08:11","slug":"rats-off-to-yah-boomtown-rats-sparkle-in-birmingham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/494381\/","title":{"rendered":"Rats off to yah! Boomtown Rats sparkle in Birmingham"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The<\/a>The Boomtown Rats<\/strong>
Birmingham Symphony Hall<\/strong>
11th October 2025\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saint Bob and his Irish upstarts strut back into Birmingham to celebrate 50 years of the good, the rat and the ugly. Sam Lambeth reviews.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even if you are familiar with Bob Geldof\u2019s origins as a snotty-nosed frontman, it takes a little bit of time to adjust when seeing the mouthy Dubliner tonight. Over the past few decades, the chief Boomtown Rat\u2019s forays into locking horns with presidents, chumming it up with Bono and other forms of activism have rendered his rock \u2018n\u2019 roll career more of a side hustle.<\/p>\n

However, after a few moments of seeing the snake-hipped, shaggy-haired Irishman prance around the Symphony Hall stage with reckless abandon, you realise tonight isn\u2019t going to be a rally or a summit \u2013 Bob is here tonight for one reason and one reason only, to celebrate The Boomtown Rats\u2019 50th birthday in defiant, rock \u2018n\u2019\u00a0 roll fashion.<\/p>\n

In fact, the only time Geldof slides into concerned elder mode is during an elongated breakdown of rousing piano ballad I Don\u2019t Like Mondays, which he takes as a moment to pontificate on the multifarious atrocities currently being committed across the globe. Other than that, he uses his erstwhile opinionated gob to spout nothing more than the odd laryngitic, expletive-laden roar about being alive, being here and being \u201cfucking mega.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

And if that claim has a typical air of Geldoffian arrogance, tonight he\u2019s on a mission to prove it\u2019s more than just frontman bluster. Prior to the show, there are numerous \u2013 excessive, if truth be told \u2013 segments of archive footage and celebrity talking heads to not only celebrate the Rats\u2019 birthday, but also to whip up some nostalgic joy and fresh energy for the gig.<\/p>\n

This all means it takes a little bit of time for the band to begin, but from the moment Geldof bounds onstage, he gets the sold out crowd on their feet and they stay there until the final chord is played.<\/p>\n

Looking like fellow wild showman Wayne Coyne, the white-haired Geldof resembles a new-wave scarecrow in tight bellbottoms and a swirling, multi-coloured shirt. Throughout the gig, he\u2019s manic and restless. He jumps and frolics through the theatrical pomp of classic opener Rat Trap, gently ribs the crowd to sing along (\u201cI know you\u2019re all feckin\u2019 90, but come on\u201d) on the Muscle Shoals swagger of Whole World and flays his limbs goofily on the breakneck She\u2019s So Modern.<\/p>\n

The Symphony Hall is filled to the brim with middle-aged punters still showing the accoutrements of punky individualism \u2013 pre-show, the foyer is littered with the odd flash of red hair, anarchic pin badge and even a pink feather boa. One fan proudly dons a tight-fitting pork pie hat, perhaps as a tribute to the recently departed Mickey Pearce. All of them, though, are here for the memories \u2013 some drunkenly proclaim that these songs defined their childhood, others lock ageing lips with their beaus and are transported back to halcyon days.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>If it seemed at the time that Geldof had outgrown his fellow rat comrades, tonight the rest of the group \u2013 including original members Pete Briquette and Simon Crowe \u2013 prove they\u2019re a valuable anchor to their frontman\u2019s febrile showmanship. Neon Heart is built around sparse, nimble drums and a chunky, strutting guitar riff. Like Clockwork is flamboyant and kitschy fun, buoyed by atmospheric pianos and six-string stabs. There\u2019s a rambunctious spirit that runs through (I Never Loved) Eva Braun and a melodic bent in the uproarious Someone\u2019s Looking At You.<\/p>\n

50 years in, tonight is a golden reminder of an era when The Boomtown Rats infested the mainstream. They might not be the first name that comes to mind when recalling that golden era of glam rock majesty, but they reaped much from their potential. As Geldof screams his final goodbyes \u2013 and leaves no demands to give him your fockin\u2019 money \u2013 tonight has been a pretty good birthday party all round.<\/p>\n

~<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Boomtown Rats can be found on their website<\/a> or on Facebook<\/a>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

All words by Sam Lambeth.<\/strong>\u00a0Sam is a journalist and musician. More of his work for Louder Than War is available on his\u00a0archive<\/a>. You can find his music on\u00a0Spotify.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

All photos by Paul Reynolds. He can be found on\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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