After seeing Simple Minds last time they hit Birmingham, we were really looking forward to seeing them again in the cavernous Utilita, which looked sold out. And you know when you’ve really enjoyed a gig so much, like last time, when you have that nagging worry that it won’t be that good again. We needn’t have even thought that, as Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill and rest of the band took to the stage in Brum and went straight into ‘Waterfront’. The audience all stood up, arms waving and singing their heads off, and to be honest this was par for the course for the night. Yes, the set had a 80s classic album content, but the latter stuff is like ‘Solstice Kiss’ from 2020s ‘Direction Of The Heart’, fitted in perfectly and received just as loud applause as any other classic.

The thing I respect about Simple Minds is that they have kept true to their music and not just rehashing the classic hits. They seem to want to keep producing quality music, and both are now in their sixties, and with 20 – yes – 20 albums to their name. They have a depth of back catalogue most would kill for, and they have a knack of producing songs, which need to be heard in this arena type of venue, big bombastic numbers. Jim Kerr informed the crowd they would be doing songs from all sorts of albums, but reassured them they will play the classics, which they did.

Jim Kerr never stopped moving, and at one point he knelt down, facing the crowd, stating “I can still do this”, and joking that Springsteen and Jagger can’t. Leaning back to touch the back of his head on the stage, he did get back up without using his hands, impressive for his age, but of course it’s about the music. ‘All The Things She Said’, ‘Once Upon A Time’, ‘Promised You A Miracle’, ‘Someone Somewhere In Summertime’, ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’, ‘Alive And Kicking’, and a sublime emotive version of ‘Belfast Child’, kept the crowd in rapture and doing whatever was decreed by Kerr. Arms swaying, clapping, and always ending with a thank you from Kerr.

Charlie Burchills guitar playing is immaculate, and obviously is a big key to Simple Minds’ sound, ably supported with backing vocals by the superb Sarah Brown, pure and simple. They are still a class act and a brilliant live band. Long may they continue.

Photos by Geoff Griffe
Review by Jenny Griffe