Citizens of Boomtown: The Story of The Boomtown Rats
The story of The Boomtown Rats who fought a conservative Ireland, broke through the UK punk scene, scored global No 1 hits, and with Bob Geldof鈥檚 Live Aid, revolutionised the world.
With guests including Bono, Sinead O鈥機onnor, Dave Stewart, Jools Holland, David Mallet and Sting, as well as music writers, photographers and historians, this film explores the musical and social legacy of Ireland鈥檚 first rock superstars The Boomtown Rats, who changed their own lives, helped to change Ireland and, with Bob Geldof鈥檚 Live Aid, changed the world.
In this entertaining, dramatic and absorbing film, director Billy McGrath digs deep into the band鈥檚 history and remarkable songbook and highlights the key moments of its huge success and subsequent fall in 1985. And after over 30 years, why did the band regroup in 2013?
Last on
Music Played
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
D.U.N. L.O.A.G.H.A.I.R.E
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Close As You'll Ever Be
-
![]()
Woody Guthrie
All You Fascists
-
![]()
Bob Geldof, The Boomtown Rats
Shes Gonna Do You In
-
![]()
Sex Pistols
Anarchy In The U.K.
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Joey's On The Street Again
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Neon Heart
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
My Blues Away
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Lookin' After No. 1
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Kicks
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Mary of The 4Th Form (From The Boomtown Rats [1977])
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
She's So Modern
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Me And Howard Hughes
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Like Clockwork
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Rat Trap
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Having My Picture Taken
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Don't Believe What You Read
-
![]()
City of Prague Philharmonic: Paul Bateman
Taxi Driver Main Theme
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
A Second Time
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
I Don't Like Mondays
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Nice N Neat
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Someone's Looking At You
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Nothing Happened Today
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Whitehall 1212
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Banana Republic
-
![]()
Visage
Fade To Grey
-
![]()
Visage
Fade To Grey
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Elephant's Graveyard
-
![]()
Dan Cassady
Into Thin Air
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Never In A Million Years (V Deep [1982])
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Tonight
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Talking in Code
-
![]()
Pink Floyd
Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2 (Live)
-
![]()
Pink Floyd
Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
A Hold of Me
-
![]()
Band Aid
Do They Know It's Christmas?
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
Fall Down
-
![]()
USA for Africa
We Are The World
-
![]()
Bob Geldof
Pale White Girl
-
![]()
The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Interviewed Guest | Bob Geldof |
| Interviewed Guest | Sting |
| Interviewed Guest | Sin茅ad O鈥機onnor |
| Interviewed Guest | Bono |
| Interviewed Guest | Jools Holland |
| Interviewed Guest | David Mallet |
| Interviewed Guest | Paul Gambaccini |
| Interviewed Guest | Bob Gruen |
| Interviewed Guest | David Fricke |
| Interviewed Guest | Neil McCormick |
| Interviewed Guest | Dave Stewart |
| Interviewed Guest | Charles Shaar Murray |
| Interviewed Guest | Pete Briquette |
| Interviewed Guest | Simon Crowe |
| Interviewed Guest | Garry Roberts |
| Interviewed Guest | Gerry Cott |
| Director | Billy McGrath |
| Producer | Billy McGrath |
| Editor | Michael O'Sullivan |
| Production Manager | Pamela Lee |
| Animator | Anna K Wright |
| Composer | Pete Briquette |
Broadcasts
Featured in...
![]()
Music
Showcasing the best music content from 大象传媒 Two
![]()
Rock & Indie
Rock out with the best Rock and Indie content the 大象传媒 has to offer.
![]()
Margaret Thatcher's Britain
A collection of programmes exploring the life and times of the UK's first female PM.
![]()
Music Through The Decades
Tracing the history of popular music through its formative decades.
![]()
Music Documentaries
For music lovers, uncover the stories in this collection that explore all things music.
