The Boomtown Rats Announce 2025 UK 50th Anniversary Tour

The Boomtown Rats, fronted by the iconic Bob Geldof, have announced a major UK theatre tour to celebrate their 50th anniversary. This milestone event will take place in October and November 2025, featuring 12 performances across the country. The tour begins on October 10 at Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall and concludes on November 15 at Liverpool Olympia.

A Tour Worth 50 Years of Anticipation
Fans can look forward to an unforgettable experience as The Boomtown Rats revisit their extensive catalog of hits, including timeless classics such as I Don’t Like Mondays, Rat Trap, and Someone’s Looking at You. Adding a layer of nostalgia and significance, the band will perform at London’s Eventim Apollo on October 31, marking exactly 50 years since their first-ever live performance.

The Boomtown Rats: From Dublin’s Underground to International Fame

Formed in Dublin in 1975, The Boomtown Rats emerged as part of the late-1970s new wave and punk rock movements. With their energetic performances and socially conscious lyrics, the band quickly gained popularity. Their debut album, The Boomtown Rats (1977), and its follow-up, A Tonic for the Troops (1978), solidified their reputation as one of the most innovative acts of their time.

The band reached international stardom in 1979 with the release of I Don’t Like Mondays, a poignant commentary on a school shooting in the United States. The song topped the UK charts and became a defining anthem of the era. Bob Geldof’s charisma and the band’s knack for blending catchy melodies with thought-provoking lyrics set them apart from their contemporaries.

Bob Geldof: Musician and Humanitarian

While The Boomtown Rats made waves musically, Geldof’s efforts beyond the stage are equally legendary. In 1984, he spearheaded the Band Aid project, co-writing the charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas?. He also organized Live Aid, a massive concert event in 1985 to combat famine in Ethiopia, further cementing his place in cultural and philanthropic history.

Even after the band’s initial split in 1986, Geldof and The Boomtown Rats remained influential. The group reunited in 2013, much to the delight of fans, and released Citizens of Boomtown in 2020, their first album in over three decades.

The Boomtown Rats 2025 Tour

This anniversary tour will showcase The Boomtown Rats’ ability to captivate audiences, old and new. The venues, selected for their intimate yet vibrant atmospheres, ensure fans can experience the band up close, celebrating five decades of music and memories.

Tickets are expected to sell quickly, so fans should act fast to secure their spots for this momentous occasion.

The Boomtown Rats will play:

OCTOBER 2025
10 – Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall
11 – Birmingham, Symphony Hall
17 – Aberdeen, Music Hall
18 – Glasgow, Barrowland
24 – Sheffield, City Hall
25 – Cambridge, Corn Exchange
31 – London, Eventim Apollo

NOVEMBER 2025
1 – Southampton, O2 Guildhall
7 – Manchester, Bridgewater Hall
8 – Gateshead, Glasshouse
14 – York, Barbican
15 – Liverpool, Olympia

What to Expect

Besides the hits, fans may hear stories from Geldof and the band, reflecting on their career’s highlights and challenges. Their ability to fuse sharp wit, emotional depth, and explosive energy into every performance ensures this tour will be both nostalgic and thrilling.