Simple Minds complete a live trilogy with a 2024 show in Amsterdam. All the hits and more!

Release Date: 25th April 2025

Label: BMG

Format: 2CD / 2LP

FROM CITY TO CITY

From the city of light to the city of angels, the city of diamonds/Amsterdam completes a Simple Minds live trilogy. Recorded in April 2024 a mere month after we saw the band in Manchester. Now as then, the core of Jim and Charlie are backed by Gordy Goudie (acoustic guitar), Ged Grimes (bass), Cherisse Osei (drums), Erik Ljungggren (keyboards) and Sarah Brown (vocals).

While ‘Light’ made the most of their Once upon A Tome/ Don’t You breakthrough and ‘Angels’ (just six years ago) offered a broader selection, ‘Diamonds’ is an out and out career of hits retrospective. That’s bar the moveable feast in the three song section early doors. On this occasion, Sons And Fascination, Sweat In Bullet and This Fear In Gods join Love Song to provide the deep cuts that on the one hand are given a contemporary treatment and fit perfectly, yet on the other, contrast sharply with the familiarity of the saturation of ‘hits’.

LET ME SEE THOSE HANDS

As Jim encourages”Come on Amsterdam,” we know what’s coming. The Waterfront throb, an “Are you ready?” a “one, two,” (the crowd know the rest) and dah-dah! and Amsterdam is coming in, coming out of the rain. Before a minute has elapsed, not only do we get the bouncing pulse to the iconic song, but the similarly iconic phrase: “Everybody please, let me see your hands.” Hardly has there been a better opening song by any band.

The early Eighties sequence at the start of the set is tremendous. Given a thorough dusting down and new lease of life by the ’24 Simple Minds big band – Jim and Charlie plus a supporting cast that deserves the mentions in dispatches. However, the tsunami of wall to wall hits are hard to argue with. Any deeper cuts might be fighting a losing battle against the tide of arena anthems pumping out.

Save a drum solo in the crashing beats and fantasies of New Gold Dream, the “girl power” of Cherisse Osei – great if you were there – there’s little let up. A constant flow of crowd pleasers immaculately played. The fanfares in Once Upon A Time, often lacking oomph get their day and Charlie’s guitar decorations provide a permanent sparkle (in the rain). However, the centerpiece is Belfast Child that becomes a full ten minute brooding epic. Forget that it was a chart topper, The Minds milk it for all its worth and it’s glorious with an overblown and bombastic finale that’s extra-inspirational amongst a polished and inspirational set.

COMMUNAL

One thing is to be there, but ‘Diamonds’ feels like bottling lighting. A sense of capturing the atmosphere of the communal event that is Simple Minds live. Lifted up, Jim does fall into a bit of a Vic Reeves club singer style for Alive And Kicking, but after a full set and with the backing vox support, it’s forgivable. A tour – Simple Minds Global – that saw a million testifying, all along the way. Don’t follow the Waterfront and walk away. The beat goes crashing. It’s the new gold dream of 21-22-23-24.

Listen here – and chant “hey, hey, hey, hey!“

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