Friday 1st November 2013 - Academy, Manchester, UK

thewolfinwales · Mary of the 4th Form

Friday 1st November 2013 - Academy, Manchester, UK

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Hi, won't be going myself, but I'm sure someone else mentioned Manchester. Changed your post title and made it sticky, so people see it.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
If you're on Facebook, there is bound to be loads of people over there going (see link below to BG page). If not and you don't want to be,you could suggest a meeting place and I post it on there. Could let you know the feedback. .

Stop with the people mining! Getiing all the emails and now nicking new members. I'd go on to facebook and stick hundreds of links to here if I had access confuse

Though seriously, there are probably more people going to Manchester on facebook...

... but the more interesting people post here. Well, maybe.

-- Edited by ArrGee on Thursday 10th of October 2013 08:18:45 AM

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

If you're on Facebook, there is bound to be loads of people over there going (see link below to BG page). If not and you don't want to be,you could suggest a meeting place and I post it on there. Could let you know the feedback.

.

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

ArrGee wrote:

... but the more interesting people post here. Well, maybe.

-- Edited by ArrGee on Thursday 10th of October 2013 08:18:45 AM

Definitely! smile Though admittedly I'm not going to Manchester .. cry

suss · In the Long Grass

I'm going, and I think Mark L might be, and possibly Noel? Wes might if he's not rehearsing for his own gig next day I guess.

I'm happy to have a look online at pubs in the vicinity and suggest one, but obviously if anyone is local-ish and knows a good one please say.

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

Nothing wrong with a bit of poaching now and again

thewolfinwales · Mary of the 4th Form

Thanks Jules,just had a quick look and I was going to suggest The Oxford which is around 5 mins from the venue..let us know if you get any feedback..

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

Just heading for Dublin right now. Remind me on Monday, when I get back and I will post it got you.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

suss wrote:
I'm going, and I think Mark L might be, and possibly Noel? Wes might if he's not rehearsing for his own gig next day I guess.
I'm happy to have a look online at pubs in the vicinity and suggest one, but obviously if anyone is local-ish and knows a good one please say.

I'll leave it a bit longer to decide about Manchester. Let's see how the Dublin gigs go first. I'm fully signed up for London and with those three gigs and the three times I've already seen the Rats since they reformed, that will be a total of six times I've seen them this year.

Funny thing is some others(no names mentioned) put me in the halfpenny place. smile

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:

Funny thing is some others(no names mentioned) put me in the halfpenny place.

What is the halfpenny place?

noelindublin · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
noelindublin wrote:

Funny thing is some others(no names mentioned) put me in the halfpenny place.
What is the halfpenny place?

Maybe it's just an Irish idiom, more usually the 'ha'penny place' meaning than in comparison to others my efforts will seem small, or amounting to a lot less. Did you really not know what this means? confuse

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

Never heard that before either

Marti-Anne · Like Clockwork

thewolfinwales wrote:
Anyone going to the Manchester gig interested in meeting up? Travelling on my own from South Wales and staying over for the night..Pub meet would be great..

-- Edited by ArrGee on Wednesday 9th of October 2013 08:48:39 PM

Not sure if the meet has been set up yet. I'm in Manchester and hope to get to see them. The Oxford was mentioned and I have asked around. It's a student pub now but is used by people to meet up who are going to the Academy.

Let me know if the meeting is still on. Will be nice to meet some other fans

thewolfinwales · Mary of the 4th Form

as far as i know nothing as been arranged but i'll be in The Oxford if anyone wants to meet there..

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

I've posted The Oxford out on Facebook. I'm sure Suss will be there

.

suss · In the Long Grass

Will be if my ticket ever arrives blankstare

Pub sounds good to me and location is great. I'll no doubt sport a Rats shirt or hoody but apart from that I'm afraid I'm entirely nondescript wolfinwales. I'm hoping to meet up with an old friend for Manc gig though, so could be with a blond woman if that helps narrow it down.

Hopefully see you and poss others (Mark L??) in the Oxford late PM/early evening.

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

Suss I didn't get my London ticket until Tuesday. If it starts getting too near the gig you can tweet @ticketmastercs. More helpful than phoning up and going through millions of menus etc.

suss · In the Long Grass

I wouldn't know how to tweet if you glued feathers on me and strapped on wings cry

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

Lol. Ok here is the email address they gave me: Please email details of your query (inc order ref # and last four digits of payment card) to twitterhelp+k1e@ticketmaster.co.uk

suss · In the Long Grass

Ok - thanks for all the helpful info smile

Marti-Anne · Like Clockwork

Hope to meet a few rats fans in the Oxford this evening. First time I am going to a gig on my own. Picked my ticket up from the Academy yesterday and I cant wait for the gig tonight. Never thought I would look forward to the reunion gigs of a band who had hits thirty years ago but seeing the Isle of Wight footage they still have what it!

Will look out for the Rats clothed individuals tonight

Mark L · Loudmouth

Wasn't sure if I could make it at Manchester tonight due to major work project but the sun was smiling down on Mark's face tonight so I don't find myself in someone's nightmare scene but outside the Academy with a very attractive ticket. Hope to identify Suss inside (who's with an attractive blonde apparently) and Noel?

Great atmosphere even outside. Can't wait.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
What did they play?

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music/review-boomtown-rats--bridgewater-6269499

Pretty good review, though not sure about the observation that Briqutte and Geldof sound 'unfamiliar with performing together'. After nearly 40 years, lol.

Would be nice to hear from some of our 'own correspondents' about Manchester gig. It was either knock out brilliant or awful, we await their verdicts.

PS Mark will be going to Birmingham gig on Wednesday night. Meet up is Witherspoons Dragon Inn, Hurst St, B5 4TD. See Birmingham thread.

-- Edited by noelindublin on Monday 4th of November 2013 01:58:22 PM

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

What did they play?

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
ArrGee wrote:
What did they play?
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music/review-boomtown-rats--bridgewater-6269499
Pretty good review, though not sure about the observation that Briqutte and Geldof sound 'unfamiliar with performing together'. After nearly 40 years, lol.
Would be nice to hear from some of our 'own correspondents' about Manchester gig. It was either knock out brilliant or awful, we await their verdicts.
PS Mark will be going to Birmingham gig on Wednesday night. Meet up is Witherspoons Dragon Inn, Hurst St, B5 4TD. See Birmingham thread.

I suppose it wasn't really Gerry Cott playing either. Odd review.

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

I heard it was knock out brilliant.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
ArrGee wrote:
What did they play?
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music/review-boomtown-rats--bridgewater-6269499
Pretty good review, though not sure about the observation that Briqutte and Geldof sound 'unfamiliar with performing together'. After nearly 40 years, lol.
Would be nice to hear from some of our 'own correspondents' about Manchester gig. It was either knock out brilliant or awful, we await their verdicts.
PS Mark will be going to Birmingham gig on Wednesday night. Meet up is Witherspoons Dragon Inn, Hurst St, B5 4TD. See Birmingham thread.
I suppose it wasn't really Gerry Cott playing either. Odd review.

Again the journalists are still swallowing the 'banned in Ireland' line. If the Rats were 'banned' they managed to play Leixlip Castle and Belfast in May 1980. Someone explain that. The did have to reschedule a gig due to safety concerns, but this is not the same as being banned.

Banana Republic was not banned either- it was played on a lot of radio stations including RTE 2 the new pop station at the time. I used to hear it all the time before going to school!

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

We all know how easily Geldof rewrites history, in order to tell a good story.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
We all know how easily Geldof rewrites history, in order to tell a good story.

Sadly, people believe it. Is That It? is simply fiction at many points.

An example, that **** and bull story of seeing the telex about the San Diego shootings, some people even claim to have been at the station on the day in question.

Geldof initially said was in London at the time the shootings took place. He said this when he first performed the song in San Diego, one month after the event. San Diego concert took place in February 1979 and the San Diego shooting took place in January 1979. So this is highly likely to be the truth.

However according to Is That It? , he was in Atlanta when he heard about the incident, four months before performing the song live in San Diego. Maybe Geldof can predict future events from a telex machine...

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

Maybe it comes from his days as a journalist.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
Maybe it comes from his days as a journalist.

He didn't even write his own book, it was ghost written. Badly.

Anyway, never mind that bOllOcks, what the fcuk happened in Manchester? Someone must have been there...

Marti-Anne · Like Clockwork

Have just read the MEN (Manchester Evening News) review just to see what he said. They arent the finest journalists in teh world and dont really do research! Think he must have been referring to Gerry Cott in the past tense cos he wasnt there. I think the reference to Bob and Pete was as a result of Bob tripping up and disappearing from view. (I'm only 5 ft 3 and had a few tall people in front of me but it looked like he fell over Pete! LOL Maybe it was karma for cutting Pete's head earlier in the tour!)

To say that they did not seem to be used to playing together! He should have asked his guide dog.

Bob did spin the banned in Ireland line when it would appear every council was slapping an injunction to prevent the band playing. I do remember my dad and his mates (all ex pat Irish) going berserk when they heard about Banana Republic. But everyone of them had a tale to tell about the Christian Brothers!

The gig was awesome!!! Although I had reservations about "The Boomtown Rats" when I have viewed it on youtube, I loved hearing it live. It has all the energy of some of their earlier stuff like Shes So Modern. And what self respecting Rats fan can not join in with the line " Its a tonic for the troops" which was belted out with gusto by the audience.

The band were in great form and seemed to be enjoying the gig as much as we were.

Spent the gig dancing and singing and wanting to do it all again!!!

Mark L · Loudmouth

An excellent evening. Set list has now settled to be the same each night, which disappointingly for me means no 'Picture' or 'Elephants Graveyard' and I would prefer either to 'Never Bite' but 'Close as you'll ever be' is a good substitute.

Came on stage at just a few minutes past 9 and didn't leave until 2 encores later at around 10.45pm. I skipped the support based on reviews, as Security said I could enter any time. Ticket bought at Box Office at 8pm which is open until 15 minutes after headline act takes to stage, I am told (not sure if this is at every O2 Academy venue, so best check).

Video screens played all gig. Loved the friendly, smiling, waving Rat at the start which converts to a two-fingered salute, once you've been taken in. Given the wealth of recorded Rats imagery over the years, I thought we could have seen more variation on that. Imagined how powerful clips of the 'Mondays' video would have been or the 'Travolta-rip' in Rat Trap.

Bob and Pete collided at one point and Bob came off worse but recovered quickly after being completely floored.

Sound quality good. Venue quite warm throughout but intermittent blasts of cool air kept things bearable. Drinks prices little steep but nothing criminal. Usual 'push to the front' customers and 'phones aloft' brigade but that'll be everywhere.

Never located Suss but chap next to me was from Northwich (Cheshire, where I live) and thought I was dedicated going to 2 gigs - heaven knows what he'd make of Suss and his 'all gigs' commitment! Also spoke to another Cheshire couple from Macclesfield next to me and Mr was the fan and Mrs declared she was the convert after what she described as 'the best concert she has ever been to'. She would have been better placed to review her phone I would venture to suggest than the concert, as this is what she saw more of throughout the gig, either recording or checking texts, Snapchat, What's App, Instagram et al. Bought a t-shirt for £15, may buy a cd at Birmingham. Me, not her.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and cannot wait until the Horsefair gig on Wednesday. I have 2 relatives in tow that night and have promised great things to them. The t shirt is a good start. It looks great. If you buy one, choose a size up from what you normally are, they are snug fitting!

Lots of 40/50 something guys complaining of leg ache/ear ache/ back ache afterwards but no-one had any complaints about the Rats and the overall experience. Energy in abundance, Geldof is a superb frontman and is brilliantly supported by the others.

Scottie · Loudmouth

Just slagged them off on twitter. Honestly!!!!!. Told them to get their facts right. And do research in future, Poor Garry lol

Mark L · Loudmouth

Well said Irene. Shows how badly researched some of these articles are and how coupled with fiction, re Bob & Pete, you really shouldn't believe what you read.

Hang on a second......there's a song in there somewhere!

suss · In the Long Grass

Mark L wrote:
Hope to identify Suss inside (who's with an attractive blonde apparently)

Ah...therein lies the problem as to why we failed to meet - you were looking out for an attractive blonde! biggrin

Shame that - I was in there sitting at far end of bar from about 6.45 till 8 ish, and the one obvious fan I accosted turned out to know nothing of forum.

Marti-Anne · Like Clockwork

I couldnt see anyone when I went in. I noticed a guy with a Stiff Little Fingers t-shirt on at the far end of the bar who might have been going to the Rats gig who was sat on a stool with someone who had their back to me. I actually asked the barmaid if there was anyone with any Rats apparel on and she couldnt help me.

Met one of my old work colleague from the 80s in there so it wasnt a complete disaster.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Sorry about that Suss - I was not sure til the very last minute that I could do Manchester and only got my ticket at 8pm from the Box Office. I went back to the car to update the other half by phone and wonder if you were outside just after that point, going back into the venue as I was going back to the car park - but I'm guessing purely by mentally updating the school uniform photos you've posted elsewhere. Probably not, as there seemed no blonde with you, attractive or otherwise!

Good to have you back on the forum Suss. We missed you while you were otherwise engaged on your national tour of the Rats venues. The question I'm wondering is, how did you manage to hold down a job and complete this mammoth task? Presumably some annual leave has had to be taken to complete this?!

suss · In the Long Grass

Took a half day on 31st to get to Leeds, then next 6 working days were leave, with another half day yesterday to fly back from Aberdeen then go into office. Other than that just worked flexibly to allow earlyish departures for Bournemouth/Cambridge/Norwich/Bristol/Nottingham, and before all those had a day off to allow for Belfast arrival on the Friday. Left Dublin very early on the Monday and was back in office by 9.45 smile .

Just lucky to have a flexible boss at work, and at home for that matter. Also had enough warning to plan the leave. Cost wise I got tickets one month, accommodation the next, flights another and spread it as much as possible, so only had to pay for petrol and sustenance over last 2-3 weeks. I'm an expert on the regional variations of price in a 'standard' Wetherspoon menu nowadays, ot to mention which night is curry club, steak club and so on biggrin

Was a tremendous experience all told, thoroughly enhanced by renewing and making acquaintance of so many on here and from FB.

suss · In the Long Grass

Venue - for the scrapbook; lousy pic though. No neon signs here cry