The group is on their first U.S. tour since 2018
One of Scotland’s most famous exports, Simple Minds, took the stage at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland on Tuesday (June 10th). Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill, two mates who have been friends since school, remain in great form as they play through the decades of hits and fan favorites.
Over top the airy new wave bedrock of their sound is real rock music. Take “Oh, Jungleland,” the expansive number features a driving guitar and thumping beat over wide-open keys, creating a big sound that reached beyond the amphitheater’s lawn.
Jim Kerr’s voice is vibrant, that recognizable ache still ever-present in every note he sings. He enthusiastically engages the crowd by waving his microphone around and looking audience members dead in the eye.
The eight video walls, jagged across the stage, played various techno elements throughout the night. With the blend of new wave synth and traditional rock, each number had a distinct sound, each more delicious to the ears than the last. “Love Song” had a distinctive drum groove, and “Theme for Great Cities” was both funky and spooky.
A new feature length documentary about the band will premiere in theaters and on-demand starting on June 13th via Greenwich Entertainment. Simple Minds: Everything Is Possible chronicles the remarkable journey of one of the UK’s most iconic bands, best known for the global anthem “Don’t You (Forget About Me).” The film, directed by Joss Crowley, blends social history, political activism, and a moving portrait of artistic resilience.
Fellow 80s groups Modern English (“Melt With You”) and Soft Cell (“Tainted Love”) delivered brief and entertaining opening sets, for a night of new wave immersion. And the fans through themselves
As the group approaches nearly 50 years as a staple of rock from across the pond, Simple Minds shows no sign of slowing down. Their last studio album came in 2022, and concert album Live in the City of Diamonds came just six weeks ago. For a band that asks us not to forget about them, it was clear by the reaction at Merriweather, that won’t happen any time soon.
