Bob Geldof - Gig Review

Our lastest exclusive gig review has been very kindly submitted by James O Mahony.

Saturday 23rd Feb
Cork Opera House, Cork City, Ireland.
Review by James O Mahony

It's Saturday night and I had persuaded my twelve year old son to accompany me to see the "great Bob" at the Opera House.

I had been looking forward to the concert for weeks and had been playing songs from "In the Long Grass" in the car for a few weeks prior to the gig. The thought of listening to a "Hold of Me" live was the deciding factor in his decision to come along.

Anyway we arrived in the revamped Opera House approx. 8:20pm and we were in two minds on having a pre gig drink when a booming voice came over the PA. asking patrons to take their seats for the Bob Geldof concert.

We decided to forget our drink and to take our seats which were in the dress circle for fear of missing the entrance of the great man.

As it turned out a lady called "Dawn Kenny" was supporting and she used her half hour well to promote herself , proudly displaying her name boldly on her instrument and imploring us to buy her new CD.

At the break I could see that the Opera house was about two thirds full and the age group was a mixture of 40 something's like myself, 50 something's as well as the younger set.

I did wonder beforehand about the Opera House being a suitable venue and thought the Savoy would be more suitable but this was block booked for three nights by Irish Folk Legend "Christy Moore".

This certainly took away from Bob's attendance, a fact acknowledged by Bob during the gig when he mentioned that Christy was staying in the same hotel as him. Bob mentioned that he did not do any Christy Moore's songs but Christy certainly did some of his. One back for Bob!

At 9:18 on the dot, Bob and the band arrive on the stage, Bob looking gangly as usual wearing his customary pin strip suit and red/white polka dot shirt. I have seen this outfit at several concerts, wonder does he have a wardrobe of the same.

They burst straight away into the Great Song of Indifference, too late God (I think) and Chains of Pain. He then chats to the audience and seems in good spirits. He then proceeds to play Walking back to happiness (remembering walks with his father in Dun Laoighaire) and Gospel song from the Veg. of Love Album.

Bob curses the quality of the guitar whilst playing Walking back and its "take two" after going a few bars. The sound assistant is like a greyhound out of the traps and fetches a suitable replacement.

Bob then announces that he will be playing some tracks from his new album and that the songs are very personable to him, so hope that we don't mind if he disappears into himself for a while.

"You must of seen me on the tele with Parky singing This Ones for Me " says Bob and away he goes. This song and "Inside your Head " were the highlights for me from the new album on the night. The audience gave the respectful applause the songs deserved.

The mood changes significantly with the classical intro to Mondays and continues with Room 19 , Mary of the 4th form and the crowd are on their feet.

Bob invites requests and shouts of Banana Republic , Ride on (Christy Moore again) are thrown back in his face in jest. Bob then proceeds to tell the story behind Soft Soil and has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand.

He mentions his cousins in Youghal and how he likes to sing a song from the locality that he is visiting. Some whit shouts back " The banks" ( the Cork local Anthem ) and Bob is disdainful and informs us that the "End of the World " is the song his cousins have chosen. They end with Rat Trap and the place is buzzing.

The band receive two encores and perform Banana Republic, Diamond Smiles (This should have been a bigger hit ), Pale white Girls, and end with a stirring version of the Great Song again.

It was 10:25 , we may not of heard Dave, Drag me down, A Hold of Me etc. but Bob certainly had a hold of all who visited that night , an audience who had came out of the Long Grass and went home exhausted and content.