''Fuck the rest, this is the greatest rock band to ever come out of Ireland!''
You could never accuse Bob Geldof of lacking in self-belief - or having the ability to piss off fans of U2/Thin Lizzy/Snow Patrol/The Frames/Cactus World News (insert your fave Irish combo here).
Actually, having donned that pretend snakeskin suit of his, I should say Bobby Boomtown. Currently on a 40th anniversary lap of honour with the Rats, yesterday was all about putting on a fuck off rock 'n' roll show for the fans and curious types thronging the Stradbally Main Stage.
The hair may be greyer and the waistlines more expansive, but the Boomtown Rats still make a fearsome R’n’B racket, rooted in Dr. Feelgood and the older masters like John Lee Hooker who got a namecheck during ‘Mary Of The Fourth Form’. They also sneaked in a few bars of Golden Earring’s ‘Radar Love’ before hurtling to the finish line of a song which might lyrically be considered imprudent today!
‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ and ‘Rat Trap’ still sound like two of the greatest pop songs ever written, while ‘Banana Republic’ sadly remains as relevant now as it did back in the day with its "Banana Republic, Septic Isle/ Sufferin' in the screamin' sea, sounds like dyin'/ Everywhere I go, yeah everywhere I see/ The black and blue uniforms, Police and Priests" refrain.
Bob barely had time to slip out of that pretend snakeskin suit before he was whisked off to the Hot Press Chatroom where he was greeted by our biggest crowd of the weekend.
‘70s Ireland, hanging with John Lydon, the Rats popping their Top of the Pops cherry, being banned in their homeland and the genius of Van Morrison were all discussed in an action-packed interview that will be appearing shortly on hotpress.com.
We were also treated to Bob's uncannily accurate Philip Lynott impersonation, and some suitably salty language.
It’s lovely to have the old rascal back!

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