BOB GELDOF – Sir Bob – is known best these days for his fight to feed the world, or to the Heat generation, as dad of wayward Peaches.

But his new tour promoting studio album How to Compose Songs That Will Sell is part of a mission to remind audiences that Geldof the original political animal was a Boomtown Rat.

Geldof was on the second date of a tour taking in only a handful of UK venues.

He and his six piece band got off to a rollicking start with the folksy Great Song of Indifference from album Vegetarians of Love. Geldof, a lean and energetic figure in a shiny bronze suit, with grey hair flopping onto his face, was on fine form on acoustic guitar, never overshadowing his fellow musicians, variously playing the fiddle, tin whistle, accordion and drums. It was completely irresistible and got legs bouncing and hands clapping everywhere. The show’s songs, said Geldof, were a mixture of those written long ago and as recently as last month. The recent ones from the new album, like Systematic Six Pack, pretty much all had something to offer even if you couldn't really catch the lyrics in Geldof's fast Irish growl.

Never one to do things by halves, he immersed himself in the strangeness of Mudslide, eyes closed, arms wavering. “It's just like he's a teenager,” remarked one concert-goer wonderingly.

Surprisingly the theatre was only about a third full – only around 200 people were in attendance – and the band deserved to be seen by more. What puts people off? Perhaps the fear he'll start ranting about what they should do with their money.

I Don't Like Mondays was the climax of the night; enthusiastically supplied and just as happily received. Merseyside might be home to the Beatles but there's certainly space for a Rat.