Rosenhof, Osnabrück, Germany
19th June 2013
Bob Geldof
His latest solo album ‘How To Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell’ was released in 2011, being presented live at an exclusive show case in Berlin and is presented now to a wider audience. BOB GELDOF, the legendary Live-Aid initiator and ex front-man of the BOOMTOWN RATS, who was knighted by the British Queen, always said that he – as a child of the sixties – is generally only interested in two things: music and politics. And so, he connects those two interests in his music. We took our chance to see this extraordinary musician live on stage on Osnabrück on the so far hottest day of the year, turning the Rosenhof into some kind of sauna.
Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist BOB GELDOF rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band THE BOOMTOWN RATS. With this band, he released such famous hits as ‘Rat Trap’ and the widely known ‘I Don't Like Mondays’. First working in different jobs and also as a music journalist, Geldof soon started making music himself, having quite some success with THE BOOMTOWN RATS. In the early eighties, he already started his social engagement, founding Band Aid together with MIDGE URE and organising the world-wide live concert Live Aid in 1985. Since 1986, Geldof it pushing his solo career, releasing the album ‘Deep In The Heart Of Nowhere’ and continuing the style of his former band. Starting with the album ‘Vegetarians of Love’ (1990), his style turned towards Irish Folk. 
After the 2001 album ‘Sex, Age & Death’ it took him ten more years to release a new album, namely ‘How to Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell’ in February 2011. The live band consists of Bob Geldof (lead vocals, backing vocals, electric & acoustic guitar, ukulele, harmonica), Pete Briquette (bass, keyboards, electric guitar, programming, percussion), Alan Dunn (piano, keyboards, accordion, backing vocals), John Turnbull (electric and acoustic guitar, ukulele, backing vocals), Vince Lovepump (a.k.a. Bob Loveday - violin, mandolin, Portuguese guitar, backing vocals), Jim Russell (drums, percussion, backing vocals) and Niall Power (drums, percussion, backing vocals). http://www.bobgeldof.com / https://www.facebook.com/BobGeldofFans
Music & Performance
It was hot outside when I arrived and seeing people past their forties waiting outside. And while outside a thunderstorm was developing, inside the venue it felt like a sauna. The air stands still, it’s hot and sweaty, and people first got some cold beverages to cool down. The show was supposed to start at eight, but then, someone probably recognised how hot it was really inside the hall and brought some ventilators to build up on stage. Finally fifteen minutes later, anything was set and the evening was going to start. It was an early start without any support band, but probably perfect thing due to the heat. I have never seen Sir Bob before live on stage and mainly had his BOOMTOWN RATS songs in mind. So I was really curious what was coming up and let me say one thing at the beginning: Bob really has it! He’s a great performer and sets up a rousing show.
As known from past shows, Geldof started with some folky tunes, the warm-up version of ‘The Great Song of Indifference’ and ‘A Sex Thing’ when any musician on stage got a little solo time with some extra lighting. Then it was finally time to welcome the audience, first claiming that it was really sweaty inside, and then promising that they will play songs from up to forty years ago. “WE do songs from BOOMTOWN RATS… and from us… today we are the Bob Rats…” Following hard-rocking ‘Systematic 6-Pack’ gains some speed and people start dancing despite the heat. ‘Dazzled by you’, a love song from the latest album, calmed down things again. Also quite calm was a rousing version of ‘When the Night Comes’ from the 1979 album ‘Fine Art of Surfacing’. When ‘Walking Back to Happiness’ started, I was really wondering how Bob could stand still wearing a jacket over his shirt. It was really hot and he was sweating like hell. His band mates were already standing on stage without any jackets. 
In-between the next songs, when Bob finally pulled of his jacket, he also introduced his band and talked a lot to the audience. His main topic were the various shirts he spotted in the audience. First one was a blue one with the famous ROLLING STONES tongue. He just funnily asked the guy to show some respect and not wear such a shirt. Another one was a shirt he found very amusing, commenting with “what is that? It’s a fucking potato”. When the set went along, he later claimed that there are so many different band shirts in the audience but no one of himself. People should buy his shirts, bands like the STONES don’t need the money. Of course the whole crowd was laughing. Of course, there was the first BOOMTOWN RATS song within the set, ‘Banana Republic’. The songs coming next, ‘Harvest Moon’, ‘scream in Vain’ or ‘One for me’ were very varied, there once was a Reggae feeling, then you had the use of accordion, violin or harmonica, and then there was kind of bluesy feeling.
Knowing from Geldof’s history, he was very active with band aid and fighting hunger in Ethiopia. Of course this was also a topic when he spoke to the audience. He spoke about his visit to Africa, to Ethiopia, and what people achieved with the help of band aid. The land is poor, there is mostly desert and not many things were growing there. But one thing was, sweet yams roots, some kind of sweet potato. People were very proud of this, inviting Bob to a meal where they shared their yams roots with him. He was very impressed and touched, he told us. From those serious topics and the song ‘Mudslide’ following soon afterwards, finally the song came up that many fans were waiting for, the famous and beloved BOOMTOWN RATS classic ‘I Don’t Like Monday’. Geldof presented a stripped down version, no guitars, just piano, drums and his voice. People loved it, were loudly singing and clapping along and finally showed some real enthusiasm. Well, it was simply too hot to dance along during the whole show…
Following that was ‘How I Roll’ from the latest album. Another BOOMTOWN RATS song followed, ‘Joey’s on the Street Again’ from the band’s first LP. Seems we were in the BOOMTOWN RATS chapter now. The set ended with two more songs of Bob’s former band, an astounding version of ‘Mary of the 4th Form’ and another number one hit, ‘Rat Trap’. What a set! People were excited and of course no one wanted Bob to end the show already. Soon, the band came back. Official last song and first one of the encores was poppy ‘Silly Pretty Thing’ from the latest album. But there were some more songs, amongst them the lively version of the opening song from today, ‘The Great Song of Indifference’. When the show was finally over, audience and band were dripped with sweat, but anyone was excited by this great show, including me. Was a great premiere of a BOB GELDOF show for me. 
Setlist
01. The Great Song of Indifference
02. A Sex Thing
03. Systematic 6-Pack
04. Dazzled by You
05. When the Night Comes
06. Walking Back to Happiness
07. Banana Republic (The Boomtown Rats song)
08. Harvest Moon
09. Scream in Vain
10. One For Me
11. Mudslide
12. I Don't Like Mondays (The Boomtown Rats song)
13. How I Roll
14. Joey’s on the Street Again (The Boomtown Rats song)
15. Mary of the 4th Form (The Boomtown Rats song)
16. Rat Trap (The Boomtown Rats song)
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17. Silly Pretty Thing (official end according to printed setlist)
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8.5 / 10
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.black-cat-net.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/vorndranphotography / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
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