Originally published by L.S. Media. July 22nd 2009.

With a brand new album fresh out of the packaging to showcase to the loyal fans at the Liverpool Echo Arena, it was perhaps unavoidable and surprising for Jim Kerr and the band to dip their toes into nostalgia and open the show with the bass driven Waterfront, which from the very start had the assembled crowd on their feet dancing away and they didn’t let up till the very end of the show.

Along with some other bands of the eighties, a period that is often derided by those who weren’t there, Simple Minds produced some of the most iconic and well written songs of that decade. Yet nearly 25 years later they still sound polished and attention grabbing.

It is perhaps with a certain amount of irony that the third song they played was Changeling, a track that when released in 1979 didn’t trouble the charts but showed the band’s arena aspirations.

Lead guitarist and other founder member Charlie Burchill seemed to be having the time of his life as he taunted the crowd with a stunning show as he also rolled back time on such songs as I Travel from the 1980 album Empires and Dance, Big Sleep and Promised you a Miracle from the studio album New Gold Dream.

Perhaps the biggest roar of approval from a genuine crowd was for one of their best loved and commercially successful songs, the wonderful Don’t You Forget About Me.

Simple Minds finished an exhilarating set with one of their top ten hits Alive and Kicking from the 1985 studio album Once upon a Time. Not wanting to waste a moment, the band soon came back on stage to loud applause and went straight into the encores which included the sad lament and of its time Belfast Child from the album Street Fighting Years, and Sanctify Yourself.

A night for all fans of all ages to have enjoyed themselves, because the band certainly did!

Simple Minds go on tour to promote the new album Graffiti Soul in December.

Ian D. Hall