Skip to content
Elly Roberts reviews
Twenty years on and Manchesters love affair with Simply Red continues to grow.,
A couple of years ago, the band failed to sell out the arena. This night, itwas packed to the rafters once again. Manchesters favourite son, MickHucknall and co returned in triumphant fashion.
Looking decidedly podgy, Hucknall remains an enigmatic and unlikely pop star,but his amazing voice and sophisticated songwriting are as appealing as ever.He was given a heroes welcome as the ecstatic crowd gave him a standingovation when he casually sauntered on stage.
Flanked by a 12 piece string section, (otherwise known as the Simply RedOrchestra) and nine piece backing band, which is loosely named Simply Red:its actually made up of superb session musicians. Hucknall marshalled histroops through 90 minutes of hits and bits with proverbial style and class.
Starting at a slow romantic pace with Home, For Your Babies, it tookuntil song seven, Its Only Love, to raise the atmosphere as thecrowd went into party mode Hucknall was really glowing as the urban-jazzy classic unfolded.
Dropping into a Latino fuelled re-working of Holding Back The Years(featured on latest albumSimplified)he drew a huge chorus of approval as the string section threw lashings ofsways to the crowds singing a truly beautiful moment.
Soon after, another crowd pleaser, Sad Old Red brought out the handclappers as it always does, when the jazzy bass and brushes set a sensualtone. Reggae featured heavily at mid-set as he let rip on More, NightNurse and Fire Fire, revealing Cuban motifs and images on thesimple but stylish backdrop.
After melodic ballad Sunshine In My Soul it was lift-off: he launchedinto a rousing Stars, sending everybody delirious. Swaying arms couldbe seen everywhere around the huge arena. Thats where they stayed as latestsingle Perfect Love showcased his hottest band to date includingSantana-style lead guitar by Kenji Suzuki and divine backing by singersDee Johnson and Sarah Brown. Hits, chunky New Flame and Right Thingsent the band and fans into overdrive. Hall and Oates sampler Sunrisecapped a magnificent main set.
An encore brought yet another vocal stunner: the Stylistics cover YouMake Me Feel Brand New, bringing the best out of Hucknalls incrediblelarynx with the strings re-emerging. Topping a momentous night, twoLatino Simplifiedre-workings of Fairground and high-octaneSomething Got Me Started sent everyone home happy.
Mick Hucknall makes his peers and contemporaries sound ridiculous – hesstill the best singer on the planet.
Simply awesome.
You can order live CDs of each UK show by visitinginstantlive-europe.com
Weblink: Simply Red.com
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.