Anti-poverty campaigner Bob Geldof has reportedly had to cancel two concerts in Italy after too few people bought tickets.

The former Boomtown Rats singer, who organised Live 8 concerts across the world last year, had been scheduled to perform in Milan and Rome over the weekend.

But Italian newspaper La Stampa said that fewer than 50 people turned up to see him in Milan's 12,000-seater Arena Civica, prompting him to cancel the gig.

The 54-year-old Irish rocker, who said he had flown in from South Africa for the gig, sought to placate angry fans afterwards by promising to give a free concert in September.

The Rome concert, for which 300 tickets had been sold, was subsequently also scrapped.

Geldof's website only said the Rome show was cancelled and said a free show would be announced later.

Francesco Iacovone, the organiser of the two gigs, said he could not understand how the concerts could have failed to raise interest among Italian fans.

He said: "I feel we have been boycotted."

Geldof has become better known for his humanitarian work than for the music that originally made him famous.

The man behind 1985's groundbreaking Live Aid concerts - which raised millions to relieve starvation in Ethiopia - had hits with I Don't Like Mondays and Rat Race with the Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s.

and the only thing he really wanted in life was recognition for his music.
When he shook hands with the devil (as he admitted he was happy to do) the Devil took a terrible toll.

First Paula; then his music... all tragedies.
And, most cunning of all, it didn't make an ounce of difference to those dying.
In fact, Bob's simplistic and attractive method of salving conscience probably killed more than it saved; millions stopped going to well organised proper charities like Oxfam and Save The Children - none of which could complain but just suffered in silence as Bob shouted and swore and became very very famous.

He's now discovering how empty media adulation is.
And I fear his days of misery are far from over.
Watch his kids grow up.

The Live Aid concerts were awful musically and as performances.
The project seemed and indeed did have noble intentions (who could doubt Bob's genuine passion) but it was and is ill considered, based on a fickle foundation, media inflated and totally superficial.

Truly and in every sense the Devil's work.
You have to be far more cunning and clever to outwit Lucifer.

Interesting spin being put on it too

Tell me why....they don't buy friday's
Tell me why....they don't buy sunday's
Tell me why....they don't buy weekdays
They're gonna se-e-e-e-e-ell just 80 seats

What promoter in their right mind would expect someone who hasn't made a decent record (in terms of sale) in 25 years to actually attract a big audience ?

They will pay huge money for charidee... he's so no-bull

In this day and age when liking a record isn't good enough - you have to have charitable motives - you can salve your conscience and ease your guilt by knowing that ALL PERFORMING, WRITING AND PRODUCTION royalties from the sale of this GREAT, CLASSIC, TWO HEADED smash single will go to a CHARTABLE FOUNDATION about to be formed - THE JONATHAN KING HOME FOR FAT EX-POP STARS, TIRED OLD TV SHOW HOSTS, KNACKERED COLUMNISTS and WILTING D.J's, NON-TRENDY PRODUCERS and BATTERED RECORD EXECUTIVES.

Sadly moral blackmail has not prevailed for record companies, dealers, factories, concessionaires and all to donate their profits to this WORTHY CAUSE. Their pathetic claim "we've got to live too" - is their only excuse. But NEVER MIND - a BIG CHUNK of your hard earned cash will go towards the fine , moral and justifiable aim of feeding, clothing and entertaining the sole beneficiary of this charity, Jonathan King.

Come on. Fork out the bread. WORTHY CAUSE!!!