Simply Red: Live At The Albert Hall

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Elly Roberts reviews

Simply Red: Live At The Albert Hall
Distributed by
Warner Music VisionCover

  • Cert:
  • Pressing: 2007
  • Region(s): 0, PAL
  • Running time: 101 minutes
  • Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
  • Languages: English
  • Widescreen: 16:9
  • Disc Format: DVD 9
  • Price: £17.99
  • Rating: 10/10+
  • Extras (30 mins):Documentary, Live In Amsterdam, Documentary extras, Photo Gallery
Mick Hucknall interviewed on GMTV
(24th October 2007)
Recorded before the birth of his first child and the announcement of the band’s demise in 2009,Mick Hucknall reminds us of the quality music he’s written and performed for22 years.

Due to impending fatherhood, Mick Hucknall chose to do an exclusive one-offshow at Manchester’s Life Cafe on Saturday 3 February, followed by a sold outsix night residency at the Albert Hall in May.

Lifting tracks from a range of albums, this is a walk in the park for theblue-eyed soul boy from Manchester.

Kicking-off with Soul Theme, the band plays a souped-up jazzy intro withoutHuckers – it’s the build-up of course. It’s impressive, especially IanKirkham’s sax solo, and the crowd loved it. It’s the best opening of the 13shows I’ve seen since 1987.

A couple of stick clinks and they’re into The World And You Tonight withMick casually making his entrance. Predictably, the crowd go nuts. It’s clearthe voice is still in great shape, and the band’s hot too. A relaxed Mickdelivers, “Thank you very much. Good evening. Welcome to the wonderfulRoyal Albert Hall on a Saturday night. It’s quite posh isn’t it? Are youfeeling posh? A little bit posh, got your best clothes on? Your dapperclothes. Hey, I’ve got another bit of news for y’all… this is being recorded,so you can really show off.”

A grinning Mick went on, “You can be celebrities. Isn’t that great? We’reall celebrities these days. It’s wonderful. So hey celebrities come with meon this journey…”

So Beautiful, a tribute to Lou Reed’s Walk On The Wild Side bringsloud cheers. It’s followed by an poignant and emotional introduction toFor Your Babies”. “And on the very subject of beautiful things, forsome reason this song has a particular relevance to me right now.” – Thetender observational ballad (about all around having children except him inthe ’90s) is sublime.

Mick Hucknall performs on GMTV
“The World And You Tonight”
Leaving the slush behind, they go up-tempo on They Don’t Know from newalbum Stay. Simply Red always do great reggae. Night Nurse,originally featuring Sly and Robbie, is cruise control, with Stay, hisbest song in years, raising the roof, as the vocals hit a major high beltingout the chorus.

The only time Hucknall embraces a guitar is for signature tune Holding BackThe Years, so we know what’s coming, and it’s the best yet, with the fansjoining in, they raise the roof once again. They didn’t need much egging onbut he says .. “Come on”, and they do. Unusually, he uses another onefor Ronnie Laine’s Debris from Stay.

Firing on all cyliders, Oh! What A Girl turns into a Latino romp magnifique:they’re on their feet now. The party’s started and they’re gong for it, withmulti-camera angles catching it all. They storm through hits Thrill Me, Stars,Sunrise, Money’s Too Tight and they’re off to a massive ovation. Back formore, they launch into Fairground, their only chart topper. Penultimatesong Something Got Me Started is the best version to date.

“I’ll give it up for you…” is a kind of indicator of the looming endof SR. He leaves them on a high: If You Don’t Know Me By Now rings aroundthe magnificent venue, helped by 4,000 fans.

Yet another glorious night for the greatest pop singer Britain has ever produced.

On the extras we get exclusive interview and rehearsal clips along withthree songs from Amsterdam.

For lovers of great music.

Weblink: Simply Red.com

The full list of tracks included are :

1. The World & You Tonight
2. So Beautiful
3. For Your Babies
4. The Death Of The Cool
5. So Not Over You
6. They Don’t Know
7. Night Nurse
8. Lady
9. Stay
10. Holding Back The Years
11. Debris
12. Good Times
13. Have Done Me Wrong
14. Oh! What A Girl!
15. Thrill Me
16. Stars
17. Sunrise
18. Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)
19. Fairground
20. Something Got Me Started
21. If You Don’t Know Me By Now

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