Knight Bob at Fort Manoel  

His crude language may not befit a person with an honorary knighthood but his dazzling late-night performance at Fort Manoel, on Manoel Island, was as powerful as the manner in which he champions the plight of the world's poor.

The 4,000-strong audience - at least that was the figure mentioned by Ira Losco during her supporting act - had to endure quite a long wait before the Irish star appeared on stage wearing a dark suit a few minutes after 1 a.m. (yesterday).

"There is only one thing worse than waiting in a dressing room and that is having to wait in the f... audience," Bob Geldof told the audience in his usual flowery language as he apologised for the delay.

"This being our first time in Malta we shall do lots of Boomtown Rats songs," he added, inviting the audience to shout out if there was any particular song they wanted to hear. Many did; he must have heard one mention I Don''t Like Mondays: "Don't worry, we'll do that later," he was quick to answer. And he did.

During the very short intervals between one song and another, the singer spoke a little about Malta and about his home country but a lot about South Africa: "I go there quite often; it's so beautiful".

Apart from the compulsory I Don't Like Mondays, Bob Geldof performed some of his better numbers: The Great Song Of Indifference, Harvest Moon, Banana Republic, Mary Of The Fourth Form, Rat Trap, Mudslide, The Birthday Suit and Scream In Vain.

The great star and champion of the poor bid his audience goodnight as the clock was about to strike 2.30 a.m. Just over 12 hours later he was in London giving a press conference on the situation in Africa.