Bob Geldof at Hull City Hall - Thursday 1st December 05 (2/4) By Steve Rudd

(1/4), (2/4), (3/4), (4/4).

I hastily fumbled around in my rucksack for a copy of his controversial but brilliant autobiography, Is That It?, which he signed ... to himself! To Bob he scribbled in permanent black marker on to the book's dedication page (that was dedicated to his late wife Paula, along with his daughter Fifi), before scribbling out Bob and asking my name, resuming in due course to sign his at the foot of the page. After jovially mocking me for the slight resemblance I bear to Chris Martin, he also had a laugh at the expense of the tickets that everybody needed for the gig, as there hadn't been enough room on the ticket to fully fit in Bob Geldof - The Man & His Songs, with the final two letters having been chopped off at the edge, thus reading The Man & His Son, which amused him somewhat - for that was news to him.

By this time another couple of people had spotted Bob. I don't know if they would have realised it was him if it hadn't been for me getting my book signed, but they might have. Who knows? He was otherwise doing a pretty good job of keeping a low profile. But he had to go; he had a gig to play. So he went, nipping into the side door, leaving me utterly star-struck and dazed, unable to comprehend what had just happened. I'd just met my biggest hero, and he was both the coolest and nicest guy imaginable. I think that he's the kind of guy who doesn't really realise how famous he is, or how respected and idolised. He was totally without ego.

Once inside the venue after my metaphorical brush with infamy, I couldn't stop grinning, thinking about all of the other fans gathering in their seats around me who would give anything to meet him. The people in the Hull crowd couldn't really get too upset if they didn't meet him in person, though, because it was enough for him just to be there.

He'd already cancelled a few gig dates before his evening in Hull, along with some of the dates a week or so after this one. Hull was lucky, even if he didn't make it on stage until 8pm, along with his backing band of five superb musicians. I was expecting him to tell more stories than sing songs, but aside from short anecdotes between some of the songs, the gig was nearly all music from start to finish. He only mentioned Live Aid once, and it seems that in many respects he likes to distance all the Band Aid, Live Aid and Live 8 stuff from him in certain situations.

His gigs, primarily, are about his music... not the world-famous and life-saving charity projects he has passionately spearheaded. Thus, the crowd was treated to an intoxicating mixture of classic Boomtown Rats anthems and material from his four solo albums. Sure, Bob's famous for having been the singer for the 'Rats, and obviously he's infamous for Band Aid and Live Aid, but unless you're a real fan, then you might not realise that Bob has released four stunning solo albums between 1986 and 2001. Four albums over a fifteen year period aren't many, granted, but the collective quality of them far outstrips the quantity.

Continued....next page (3/4)

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