Citizens of Boomtown: The Story of The Boomtown Rats will be screened on Monday, November 20, in the University Concert Hall, featuring an exciting treat for Bob Geldof fans.
Monday, November 20, sees The Boomtown Rats take over University Concert Hall in the University of Limerick. Directed by Billy McGrath, Citizens of Boomtown: The Story of The Boomtown Rats follows the story of the successful Irish band, fronted by Bob Geldof.
Professor Eoin Devereux, Co-Director of UL’s Centre for the Study of Popular Music and Popular Culture, will introduce the screening, also revealing some particularly interesting and exclusive details to Limerick Voice readers.
Speaking about the film (which was first released in 2020) ahead of the screening, Professor Devereux said: “As a life-long music fan, I was thrilled to be asked to be in the film and now introduce it at this screening. The Boomtown Rats were a really big part of my initial interest in music.
“As a teenager I loved their raw energy and sound. I would never have imagined that I would, much later in life, be lecturing and writing about popular music, let alone take part in a documentary like this.”
Providing exclusive details for readers of Limerick Voice, Professor Devereux shared that the event in UCH will also feature an exclusive conversation between Bob Geldof and Professor Eoin Devereux about the making of the documentary and the history of The Boomtown Rats, prior to the screening itself.
“This really special event will also feature a Zoom based interview with Bob Geldof. I am thrilled that he will speak about the film and about his band. This is an honour for UL and for our research centre,” Professor Devereux commented.
Citizens of Boomtown offers a personal insight into the tumultuous journey of the first Irish band ever to reach No.1 in the UK charts with their songs ‘Rat Trap’ and ‘I don’t like Mondays’.
The film features exclusive interviews with the four members of the re-grouped Boomtown Rats, Bob Geldof, Garry Roberts, Pete Briquette, and Simon Crowe. It also showcases noteworthy figures such as Bono, Sting, Sinead O’Connor, Jools Holland, Dave Stewart, Joseph O’Connor, and Eoin Devereux as special guests.
Additionally, Bob Geldof’s contribution to revolutionising global music broadcasting with his highly successful Live Aid concert in 1985 will be explored, preceding the band’s breakup in Dublin in 1986.
The screening takes place in the University Concert Hall on November 20. Tickets cost five euro and can be purchased directly from UCH.
More information about the screening can be found on the UCH website – here!