Review: Simple Minds - Brid there, done that

From the first to last, frontman Jim Kerr loves to see your hands and when he commands the audience obey.

Practically every one of their songs from the ultra-classic Don’t You Forget About Me to the new delights of songs such as Big Music, the title track of their latest album, demands to be clapped along to and the crowd at Bridlington Spa didn’t let him down.

In their near 40-year career, Scotsman Jim admitted Simple Minds had never played the East Coast resort before. Shame on you! I hope you had a paddle in the sea and went to Sewerby Park before the concert.

It has been a bit of a rollercoaster career for Simple Minds. Hard work, wonderful indie albums before New Gold Dream, one of the greatest albums of the 80s, no, ever really brought them to the wider public’s attention. Then they took off, become seriously huge, stadium huge. Their music took a new direction and split the fans, the original hardcore (including this reviewer) feeling a bit let down.

But in the last few years, there has been a renaissance. The recent album, Big Music, is one of their best for years and their concerts take in the old and new. They are back to the more modest venues. They are forgiven and Bridlington proved a triumph.

You get two sets for the price of one (quite pricey though). In the first you get such classics as I Travel (still their finest single), New Gold Dream, Waterfront and an acoustic version of The American. Wonderful.

The second had most of the classics belted out including Sanctify Yourself, All The Things She Said. The only slight downside was a version of The Doors’ Riders on the Storm for one of the encores - a bit baffling really but when Alive and Kicking has the hands clapping for one last time, normality is resumed.

Simple Minds, you deserve a clap on the back... but my hands are too sore!