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SIMPLE MINDS
Metro Arena, Newcastle, 3 December 2008

Well, for those of you who like Simple Minds - this tour - the 'Celebrate 30 Years Live Tour' - has got to be one of their greatest so far as for playing "the old hits" go!

To begin with Scottish band Deacon Blue (or The Alarm if you were in Scotland!) opened the English shows which was like a breath of fresh air - (especially when - if like me - you can only think of one of their hits and then realise when they play that they have had half a dozen!!)

With Simple Minds, although only two of the original members (Jim Kerr & Charlie Burchill) now remain - the line up was still able to rock the arenas!

There was a time when Simple Minds would play few tracks from their epic New Gold Dream album - but on this tour there seemed to be a celebration of their songs which still sound as fresh now as back in the early 80s!

Beginning with the wonderfull Waterfront and with classics like Ghostdancing, Promised You A Miracle, Up On The Cat Walk and Don't You Forget About Me - the band managed to play a full two hour set list - which had the supposedly seated audience up out of their seats throughout the whole show! Even the colourful light show was one of the best I'd seen in a long time - very apt for Christmas time!

Simple Minds are (and always have been) a great band live, even if they forgot to play Speed Your Love to Me at Newcastle!!

Review by Ursula M Underhay

Photos by Lee Millward