ShareSimple Minds with special guests Del Amitri performing their Global Tour at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Sunday 24th March 2024.
Images and Review by Kevin Cooper
Simple Minds were back at the Motorpoint Arena on Sunday night as part of their Global Tour and they managed to sell out what promised to be a night of pure nostalgia.
The arena was pretty much full by the time special guests Del Amitri strutted on to the stage with their renowned air of confidence and opened with sing along song Always The Last To Know, which they quickly followed with Opposite View.
With John Currie taking centre stage, and Iain Harvie at the rear, Kiss This Thing Goodbye had the crowd dancing and singing along before the haunting harmonies of Lonely filled the arena. Still intent on generating emotion, new song Missing Person from their seventh and latest studio album, Fatal Mistake, before the wonderful pop rock of Stone Cold Sober was followed by set closer, Nothing Ever Happens that had the arena in full voice.
With Currie having been diagnosed with Parkinson’s earlier this month, it was great that they were able to deliver a set fuelled by strong riffs, an assured presence and tight musicianship which built up an exciting atmosphere for Simple Minds.
The opening chords to Waterfront had the crowds excitement levels at fever pitch which didn’t lessen when the band walked on to the stage. With Jim Kerr commanding his area as he conducted the sing along, this Scottish clan delivered a nostalgic set list.
They found room for the obscure but brilliant This Fear Of Gods, a glorious Once Upon A Time and the marvellous Love Song. Prowling the stage over Ged Grime’s superb bass lines and Charlie Burchill’s familiar guitar sound, Kerr had the crowd in the palm of his hands with the slower Let There Be Love and newish song Solstice Kiss.
But it was the songs from 1982’s New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) that stole the show. There was the dazzling Glittering Prize, Promised You A Miracle which saw Kerr pointing his mic towards the audience and the album title track followed each other in quick succession, culminating with a very impressive drum solo from the very talented Cherisse Osei.
Belfast Child was followed by Someone Somewhere In Summer Time with its sensational melodies and for set closer Don’t You (Forget About Me) the crowd were besides themselves which saw them extend the song by refusing to end the ’la, la, la’s.’
Delivering an encore that included Alive And Kicking and Sanctify Yourself, it was as good a place as any to finish a superb gig which was only slightly marred by the backing musicians sometimes drowning out Kerr’s voice which is as good now as it was almost fifty years ago.
