On This Day 06/01/1981 Boomtown Rats

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On this day, 6 Jan 1981, Irish Punk rockers The Boomtown Rats played Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens supported by fellow Irish band, The Atrix.

Formed in Dublin in 1975.Between 1977 and 1985, they had a series of Irish and UK hits including "Like Clockwork", "Rat Trap", "I Don't Like Mondays" and "Banana Republic".

The original line-up comprised six musicians; five from Dún Laoghaire in County Dublin; Gerry Cott (rhythm guitar), Simon Crowe (drums), Johnnie Fingers (keyboards), Bob Geldof (vocals) and Garry Roberts (lead guitar), plus Fingers' cousin Pete Briquette (bass).

The tour Bongos Over Britain was to help promote their fifth album Mondo Bongo, produced by Tony Visconti and released the same month. The album peaked at No 6 in the UK album charts and included the singles Banana Republic and Elephants Graveyard.

The Boomtown Rats

Bob Geldof - lead and backing vocals

Johnnie Fingers - keyboards, backing vocals

Gerry Cott - guitar

Garry Roberts - guitar, backing vocals

Pete Briquette - bass, keyboards, backing vocals

Simon Crowe - drums, backing vocals

Setlist

Mood Mambo

Straight Up

(I Never Loved) Eva Braun

Me and Howard Hughes

This is My Room

Banana Republic

The Elephant's Graveyard

Nothing Happened Today

Having My Picture Taken

I Don't Like Mondays

Someone's Looking at You

Keep It Up

Rat Trap

Encore:

Under Their Thumb Is Under My Thumb

Looking After No. 1

Encore 2:

Diamond Smiles

On This Day 03/10/1977 Boomtown Rats

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On this day, 3 September 1977, Irish punk rockers the Boomtown Rats played Cardiff University.

Originally formed in Dublin in 1975. Between 1977 and 1985, they had a series of Irish and UK hits including "Like Clockwork", "Rat Trap", "I Don't Like Mondays" and "Banana Republic".

The original line-up comprised six musicians; five from Dún Laoghaire in County Dublin; Gerry Cott (rhythm guitar), Simon Crowe (drums), Johnnie Fingers (keyboards), Bob Geldof (vocals) and Garry Roberts (lead guitar), plus Fingers' cousin Pete Briquette (bass).

The Boomtown Rats broke up in 1986, but reformed in 2013, without Fingers or Cott. Garry Roberts died in 2022. The band's fame and notability have been overshadowed by the charity work of frontman Bob Geldof.

Initially known as The Nightlife Thugs, the group changed their name to The Boomtown Rats, which Geldof had taken from Woody Guthrie's autobiography Bound for Glory.

In the summer of 1976, the group played their first UK gig before moving to London where they signed with Ensign Records later that year. Their first single, "Lookin' After No. 1", released in August 1977 after a year of touring, including a support slot with Tom Petty. It reached the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart at No. 11.

Their first album The Boomtown Rats was released the following month and included another single, "Mary of the 4th Form" reached No. 15 in December. Music journalist Martin C. Strong commented, "Geldof's moody charisma helped to give the band a distinct identity".

On This Day 17/06/1977 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

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On this day, 17 June 1977, American rock legend Tom Petty and his band The Heartbreakers played Cardiff University with support from the little-known punk band, The Boomtown Rats.

It was a quick returm for Petty having supported Nils Lofgren at the Capitol Theatre the month before.

Comment left on a Rats website described the evening -

Anonymous said...

I live in Cardiff - and saw the Cardiff gig at the students union - actually it was the UWIST building which formed part of the university. Good as the rats were, I can catagorically assure you that they did "ANYTHING BUT" blow Petty off stage. In fact, there were a number of duff notes played and for some reason that night, Geldoff couldn't hold a tune in a bucket.... sorry, but thats the truth....

EmJay said...

I was there too. Anon is right. If you watch the Tom Petty doc they say Cardiff was the gig where they first realised they were going to make it. I was part of the Ents crowd and went and saw Petty support Nils Lofgren at the Capitol a month before (didn't stay for Nils). I pushed the legendary Dave Scott who ran Ents to book Petty as a main band - he got them to play the Great Hall of the Union (it was joint UC and Uwist union) for a crate of beer and a couple of hundred quid cos no-one had heard of them and they hadn't headlined before. Petty played Top of the Pops on the Thursday night for the first time and sold out Cardiff on the Friday. We'd never heard of the Rats and they were arrogant, obnoxious and rough but full of energy and fired up crowd for amazing Petty gig. After helping hump out Petty and the Rats kit, the next morning I stuck out my thumb and still singing "American Girl" hitched down to the last Stonehenge Free Festival...

On this day 26/08/1977 Boomtown Rats

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On this day, 26 August 1977, Irish punk rockers Boomtown Rats played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

Formed in Dublin in 1975. Between 1977 and 1985, they had a series of Irish and UK hits including "Like Clockwork", "Rat Trap", "I Don't Like Mondays" and "Banana Republic". The group is led by vocalist Bob Geldof.

The original line-up comprised Geldof, Garry Roberts (lead guitar), Johnnie Fingers (keyboards), Pete Briquette (bass), Gerry Cott (rhythm guitar) and Simon Crowe (drums). The Boomtown Rats broke up in 1986.

In the summer of 1976, the group played their first UK gig in London followed by gigs in the Netherlands (Groningen and The Milky Way Club in Amsterdam and De PUL in Uden) before moving to London where they signed with Ensign Records later that year.

Their first single, "Lookin' After No. 1", came out in August 1977. It reached the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart, the first of a long string of successes.The album The Boomtown Rats was released the following month; it included another single, "Mary of the 4th Form".

Set List

Close as You’ll Ever Be

Never Bite the Hand That Feeds

Neon Heart

So Strange

I Can Make It If You Can

Kicks

Joey’s on the Street Again

(She’s Gonna) Do You In

Its All the Rage

Do the Rat

Mary of the 4th Form

Looking After No.1

Encore

Barefootin’

On This Day 6/1/1981 The Boomtown Rats

On this day, 6 Jan 1981 Irish Punk rockers The Boomtown Rats played Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens supported by fellow Irish band, The Atrix.
The tour Bongos Over Britain was to help promote their fifth album Mondo Bongo, produced by Tony Visconti and released the same month. The album peaked at No 6 in the UK album charts and included the singles Banana Republic and Elephants Graveyard.

The Boomtown Rats
Bob Geldof - lead and backing vocals
Johnnie Fingers - keyboards, backing vocals
Gerry Cott - guitar
Garry Roberts - guitar, backing vocals
Pete Briquette - bass, keyboards, backing vocals
Simon Crowe - drums, backing vocals


Setlist

Mood Mambo
Straight Up
(I Never Loved) Eva Braun
Me and Howard Hughes
This is My Room
Banana Republic
The Elephant's Graveyard
Nothing Happened Today
Having My Picture Taken
I Don't Like Mondays
Someone's Looking at You
Keep It Up
Rat Trap

Encore:
Under Their Thumb Is Under My Thumb
Looking After No. 1

Encore 2:
Diamond Smiles