Bob Geldof's Boomtown Rats kick off a world tour in NZ in May. Photo / Supplied
Bob Geldof has reunited his Boomtown Rats and they are heading to New Zealand for a show at Vector Arena on May 25.
The band, best known for hit singles Rat Trap and, most notably, I Don't Like Mondays, were last here in May 1980. Of course, four years later
Geldof became the brains behind charity song Do They Know It's Christmas? and Live Aid in 1985, which raised relief funds for the ongoing Ethiopian famine. That earned him a knighthood.
But before that he was the leader of the Rats who formed in Ireland in 1975 before moving to London in 1976 and becoming immersed in the UK punk scene. They were the first Irish band to have a British number one with Rat Trap in 1978.
They got back together to play the Isle of Wight Festival in June but before that they head Downunder for a string of Australasian dates - and possibly some badly needed practice since they haven't played together since splitting up in 1986.
When the reunion was announced Geldof was in typically grand and outspoken fashion.
