The Boomtown Rats are to re-form and will play their first gig in 26 years at this summer’s Isle of Wight festival.
Fronted by Bob Geldof, the Irish band will play the three-day festival’s Main Stage on June 16. Other acts on the bill over the weekend include The Stone Roses, The Killers, Bon Jovi, Paul Weller and Jake Bugg.
Speaking about the reunion Geldof said:
"Playing again with The Rats and doing those great songs again will be exciting afresh. We were an amazing band and I just feel it's the right time to re-Rat, to go back to Boomtown for a visit.
Also, I’ve always fancied playing the Isle of Wight Festival ever since I hitched there in the good/bad days when I was a kid. I saw The Who, Doors (I think) Hendrix and Leonard Cohen, who incidentally blew Hendrix off the stage, and Kris Kristofferson, who was also amazing - God, so many cool bands.
I also told several very boring frog anarchist types to go and fuck themselves and then stayed for a night in Hawkwind’s tent. That's pretty IOW. Maybe Hawkwind are playing again this year. Maybe I could use the tent again. It will be a privilege to be on that stage especially with a killer band like The Boomtown Rats."
The Boomtown Rats formed in 1975 in Dublin, going on to have a string of hit singles. They are best known for their song I Don't Like Mondays, which went to No 1 in 1979. Isle of Wight promoter John Giddings said: "It's great they have chosen the Isle of Wight festival as their reunion. Our audience will love them, their catalogue is classic… "
Tickets can be purchased from www.isleofwightfestival.com
