True to tradition, the Boomtown Rats singer and humanitarian Bob Geldof returns to Dubai tonight for a special performance to mark St Patrick's Day. While the day of celebration actually falls on Sunday, Geldof will nevertheless ring in the occasion with good cheer, playing a selection of greatest hits from both his Boomtown Rats and solo careers. Though he may face stiff opposition from Sting, who will crank out the hits at Abu Dhabi's du Arena on the same night, Geldof has his own history of crowd favourites. While the Sting-led The Police were largely responsible for bringing new-wave music to the mainstream, the Boomtown Rats are acknowledged for giving the genre its first British chart topper with their 1978 debut single <em>Rat Trap</em>. Their follow-up, <em>I Don't Like Mondays</em>, cemented their place in rock history and karaoke bars. After leaving the band in 1986, Geldof's solo career peaked in the beginning with the hits <em>This is the World Calling</em> and <em>The Great Song of Indifference</em>. Since then, his albums have been relatively fans-only affairs. However, 2011's <em>How to Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell</em> found Geldof returning to the charts. Geldof's Dubai shows are intimate and charming affairs. Relaxed and in a city he clearly enjoys, these annual get-togethers are laden with hits and Irish favourites - laced, of course, with Geldof's dry wit. After playing <em>I Don't Like Mondays</em> early in a 2008 Irish Village performance, Geldof joked that "you guys heard what you wanted, you can go home now". It's no surprise that the crowd stayed, nor that they have just kept coming back. <em>Bob Geldof plays tonight at The Irish Village, 31A Street, Garhoud. Dubai. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are Dh120</em> Follow us
