SIR Bob Geldof has gone back to a time when he was not held in such high esteem by the establishment.

The man behind Live Aid has reunited with the band that made him famous - The Boomtown Rats - who were once described as "leprous anti-establishment scumbags".

The Rats split in 1986 by which time Geldof's arrogance and disrespect for authority had become a trademark for the band which had a string of hits including Rat Trap, I don't Like Mondays, Someone's Looking at You and Banana Republic.

The band is back together for a tour to promote a greatest hits album released earlier this year and Sir Bob has been talking about their new lease of life.

He said: "Age,curiosity and cash prompted our interest in getting together again. Age and cash are self evident. Curiosity about each other and what we did together in the '70' and 80's. Curiosity about those songs that seem to have endured and the music and band that powered them.

"On re-hearing, on re-singing them I understood that they could have been written yesterday, the circumstances within which they were written hadn't changed. This isn't nostalgia rather perhaps a time to be angry again. A time to hear a great band like The Boomtown Rats again. If only for a short while...”

The Boomtown Rats will be playing live at the O2 Academy in Birmingham on Wednesday November 6.

Listings

Thursday October 31

Comedy Night - The Holly Bush, Cradley Heath.

Rock and Blues Vinyl Night - The Mitre, Stourbridge.

Open Acoustic Night - The Garibaldi, Stourbridge.

Open Mic Night - The Cross Inn, Kinver.

Suede - O2 Academy, Birmingham.

Foghorn Improv, Most Haunted - Old Joint Stock, Birmingham.

Kevin McCarthy, Ian Moore, Geoff Norcott plus Prince Abdi - Glee Club, Birmingham.

Jared Christmas - Glee Club Studio, Birmingham.

Randolph Matthews - The Public, West Bromwich.

Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream - NIA, Birmingham.

Arctic Monkeys - LG Arena, Birmingham.

Halloween Zombie Party - Cellar Bar, Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Halloween Harry Potter Party - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Lloyd Cole - Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton.

Hadouken plus Sonic Boom Six - Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton.

Walter Trout - Federal Charm - Robin 2, Bilston.

Friday November 1

Rhythm Beat 25+ - Benjamin's, Halesowen.

Out of The Shadows - Royal British Legion Club, Stourbridge.

36 Crazyfists, Armed For Apocalypse, THERA plus Frozen in Fear - O2 Academy 2, Birmingham.

Kobra and The Lotus plus Santa Cruz - O2 Academy 3, Birmingham.

Bring Me The Horizon, Pierce The Veil plus Sights and Sounds - O2 Academy, Birmingham.

Kevin McCarthy, Paul Thorne, Andy Robinson plus Taylor Glenn - Glee club, Birmingham.

Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream - NIA, Birmingham.

The Remedy - The River Rooms, Stourbridge.

Straight Aces plus Rockin' Daddy O - Cellar Bar, Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Psychic Sally - Civic Hall, Wolverhampton.

Laugh Out Loud: Steve Shanyaski, Adam Rowe plus Benny Boot - The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton.

Fleetwood Bac - Robin 2, Bilston.

Saturday November 2

UK Foo Fighters - O2 Academy 3, Birmingham.

Peter Hook and The Light plus Slaves of Venus - O2 Academy 2, Birmingham.

Bring Me The Horizon, Pierce The Veil plus Sights and Sounds - O2 Academy, Birmingham.

Stacy - Ex-servicemens' Club, Dudley.

Apollo, ADHD, Mudball, Rip Tyde plus The Argonauts - Base Studios, Stourbridge.

Kevin McCarthy, Paul Thorne, Geoff Norcott plus Taylor Glenn - Glee club, Birmingham.

Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream - NIA, Birmingham.

Magical History Tour (Beatles) - The River Rooms, Stourbridge.

Halloween Hellacious Acres with Riff Raff (AC/DC) - Cellar Bar, Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Hayseed Dixie - The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, 6pm start.

Forever Young Rock Night - The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, 10pm start.

Skid Row plus Ugly Kid Joe - Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton.

Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel - Robin 2, Bilston.

Wayne Allen - Sports and Social Club, Cradley.

Sammie Lou - The Laurels Social Club, Colley Gate.

Sunday November 3

Viv's Vinyl Jukebox - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Free and Easy with Mel Thomas - The Laurels, Colley Gate.

The Stylistics - Civic Hall, Wolverhampton.

Bastile - O2 Academy, Birmingham.

Carl Stevens - Ex-servicemen's Club, Dudley.

Eddi Reader plus Kieran Goss - Glee Club, Birmingham.

Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream - NIA, Birmingham.

Live Band of The Year 2013 feat. The Mokats plus Rosary and The Remedy - The Robin 2, Bilston, noon start.

Francis Dunnery - Robin 2, Bilston.

Monday November 4

Open Mic Night - Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge.

Open Stage - The River Rooms, Stourbridge.

The Toy Dolls - O2 Academy 2, Birmingham.

Robbie Boyd - O2 Academy 3, Birmingham.

That Shakespeare Show - Old Joint Stock, Birmingham.

Turin Brakes plus Kevin Pearce - Glee Club, Birmingham.

Tuesday November 5

Folk and Acoustic Night - The Plough, Wollaston.

Singles and Friends - The River Rooms, Stourbridge.

Cover Drive, Ironik, Jade Ellis plus Paighton - O2 Academy 3, Birmingham.

That Shakespeare Show - Old Joint Stock, Birmingham.

Mad Dog McRea, Steve Mercy plus Connor Hemming - Robin 2, Bilston.

Wednesday November 6

Jam Night - The Maverick, Amblecote.

Open Mic Night - Plough and Harrow, Kinver.

Irish Session - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Open Mic Night - The Laurels Social Club, Colley Gate.

Hawkwind - Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton.

The Boomtown Rats plus Patrik Fitzgerald - O2 Academy, Birmingham.

Young Knives - O2 Academy 3, Birmingham.

That Shakespeare Show - Old Joint Stock, Birmingham.

Big Country - The River Rooms, Stourbridge.

Laurence Jones, Mitch Laddie plus Federal Charm - Robin 2, Bilston.

Thursday November 7

Comedy Night - The Holly Bush, Cradley Heath.

Rock and Blues Vinyl Night - The Mitre, Stourbridge.

Open Acoustic Night - The Garibaldi, Stourbridge.

Open Mic Night - The Cross Inn, Kinver.

Acoustic Brew - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Slade Rooms, Dudley.

Catapult Club feat. Vexxen, Someone Said Fire, Ashes To Fall, See Delores plus Chemically Abused - O2 Academy 3, Birmingham.

Deap Valley - O2 Academy 2, Birmingham.

Dusk Rings a Bell - Old Joint Stock, Birmingham.

Luke Sital-Singh plus Ady Suleiman - Glee Club Studio, Birmingham.

Dave Fulton, Paul McCaffrey plus Jimmy McGhie - Glee Club, Birmingham.

Micky Flanagan - NIA, Birmingham.

Eddy Morton - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Drivetime Showcase - Cellar Bar, Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Friday November 8

Rhythm Beat 25+ - Benjamin's, Halesowen.

Face of a Stranger - The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton.

The Simon Deeley Trio with Mark Brown and Richard Baker - Bonded Warehouse, Stourbridge.

Absolute Bowie - O2 Academy 3, Birmingham.

Propaganda feat. Kodaline DJ set - O2 Academy, Birmingham.

Dusk Rings a Bell - Old Joint Stock, Birmingham.

Dave Fulton, Paul McCaffrey, Jimmy McGhie plus Paul F Taylor - Glee Club, Birmingham.

Tony Law - Glee Club Studio, Birmingham.

Micky Flanagan - NIA, Birmingham.

Billy Joel - LG Arena, Birmingham.

Kick Up The 80s - The River Rooms, Stourbridge.

Darkside (Pink Floyd tribute) - Robin 2, Bilston.

Saturday November 9

The Union - The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton.

Under Blackened Skies, Malandra, Sirens, Husk plus Urgize - O2 Academy 3, Birmingham.

Electrik Custard, Dubcherry, Illume, Left Below, Fake Obsession, Methodemic, Art is Fuction, Kontrast plus Pacific - O2 Academy 2, Birmingham.

Nikki - Ex-servicemen's Club, Dudley.

Dusk Rings a Bell - Old Joint Stock, Birmingham.

Eddie K - Sports and Social Club, Cradley.

Dave Fulton, Paul McCaffrey, Jimmy McGhie plus Paul F Taylor - Glee Club, Birmingham.

Jonson - The Laurels Social Club, Colley Gate.

Micky Flanagan - NIA, Birmingham.

Dirty DC - The River Rooms, Stourbridge.

Delray Rockets - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge.

Leo Sayer - Robin 2, Bilston.