And Now - Rats Fans Memories

It's Saint Patrick's Day! In Boston! 1980.

Written and kindly submitted by Steve Hogan

The Boomtown Rats are to be on stage at the Orpheum Theatre soon, so either get on the train now, or you lose. So, throwing caution to the wind, (considering the ugly incidents observed perpetrated by thugs of all race and creed irregardless). We boarded the red line for the short ride to Park Street Station and the Orpheum Theatre.

Amazed by a very friendly but tough looking kid, who was in a Devo suit who kept asking people if they had any "weed', though he seemed to be pumped up on something or other, we safely made our way into the alleyway leading to the gig. If there is a such thing as a time warp or time zone, God love my sis and my mates, because we were in it!

Lots of long hair cut kinda punky college types in leather jackets and denim. Lots of Fred Flintstone type leopard skin outfits, Lots of regular Joes and Jill's, freaks, Mods-and then there was us!

Scared out of my Chuck Taylor's, but determined to see this band who had started a spark in my musical awareness, the mission was on!

The first band on was called Luna. They seemed to me to be Spinal Tap goes punk. Next on was a band called Private Lightning, who had an electric violin girl player, who was great, who probably was into Fairport Convention, and had a Harvard PHD like the rest of the band (nothing wrong with that).

At last, the lights darkened. The roar of the crowd raised. The goose bumps rose, and I was enthralled! The pound of Wind Chill Factor Minus Zero reverberated through the hall. All 3,000 of us strangely assembled goofballs and saints felt at one!

Something that had been missing for a while was back. Passion, Love, Unity, Tolerance, Laughter. The clock prop lit up for 'Like Clockwork', the sax solo on Rat Trap was amazing (think it was a local player) the boys tirelessly raced around on stage, and at the end of 'Someone's Looking At You' Bob said "On A night like this I deserve to get F*ed, at least once or twice!"

There was not a person in the house who didn't laugh with him in his macho pisstaking! The sense of community, no fights, etc. might seem trivial, but growing up in the suburbs of Boston in the Seventies, it left an impression
of hope, which is being realized slowly but surely in these times.

It's Only Rock and Roll, but Rats we love Ya!

Truly, Steve Hogan, Quincy,Massachusetts, USA.

This concludes episode 1, stay tuned for the Mondo tour!

All materials and content on this website © BoomtownRats.co.uk unless otherwise stated.
All photographs © BoomtownRats.co.uk unless otherwise stated.