CityLife

Guided Tour

Simple Minds

THIRTY years as a live act is the catchline to pull us into this latest Simple Minds excursion into arenaland.

It really has been that long since Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill brought us inspiration, adulation and stagnation. In that particular order.

The latter two are reflected in set opener Waterfront. Still a big, pompous, tuneless wet fart of a song. But you do get a top lightshow and video screens to watch your one-time heroes on.

And things didn’t improve with the pedestrian version of the usually poetic Speed Your Love to Me.

But a Love Song that had all the right bumps and grooves restored faith. And it was nice to hear that under-rated gem Factory pumped out, complete with appropriate dedication to Tony Wilson.

Very brave

The jury is still out on the Jim Kerr-Mel Gaynor duet of Chelsea Girl. Nice and cute but possibly best kept at home on a family film.

Playing the whole of the New Gold Dream was very, very brave. It is, after all, an album where their previous trans-Europe experimentation melted into baroque pop…to beautiful effect. 

And, maybe it was just me, but did Kerr suddenly get sucked into extra passion as he gave his heart to Someone Somewhere in the Summertime?

And how great was it to hear the title track? And didn’t The Big Sleep and the big pop hits sound ace?

But playing the full album made us all jewellers eyeing a gem for flaws.

Big guns

And many of the thousands present were not impressed with the likes of Colours Fly and Hunter and the Hunted. And, rightly so, because they’re not quality.

So it might’ve been nicer to knock out the odd Premonition, Changeling or Theme for Great Cities instead of following the album theme.

It will come as no surprise to say that they saved their big guns until last. And this was what could’ve been the worst.

But while we got the obvious Alive and  Kicking, Sanctify Yourself and, earlier on, Don’t You Forget About Me, it’s still fair to say that there’s more to Simple  Minds than mere stadium rock.

Even permanent sceptics would have to agree that Kerr’s turning in of Belfast Child was one of the most, heartfelt, ballsy vocal performances seen on the Arena stage.

It may have revived the Minds’ career nearly 20 years ago but Kerr made it something for all of us.