SIMPLY RED + RUMER – BRIGHTON CENTRE 7.10.25
Simply Red are best known for the soul pop exuberance of ‘Fairground’ and Mick Hucknall’s flame-red Sideshow Bob hair. The hair is still in full force, as are the band, arriving at a sold-out Brighton Centre for their 40th anniversary tour.
Their name is synonymous with British pop; they have five UK No.1 albums and have sold over 60 million albums worldwide. A more cynical reviewer would dismiss them as Radio 2 fodder; however, a two-night O2 Arena run with a hastily added third night at Wembley Arena following this show is nothing to be scoffed at. In fact, it shows a truly impressive pulling power for a band in their fifth decade of activity – this is also evident by the numbers on show tonight. Whilst lacking in audience below the age of 60, this never feels like a cash grab – instead, it feels like a victory lap. A wedding anniversary we’re all invited to.
First to take the stage is Rumer, whose real name is Sarah Joyce. Once touted by legends such as Elton John and Carly Simon as ‘the next big thing,’ she never quite reached the heights expected of her. Despite this, Rumer has built a career in easy-going pop, with a vocal tone comparable to Karen Carpenter.
Setting the tone for the night, Rumer impresses, backed by a truly impressive backing band – one member seemingly holding a different instrument every song. She strategically deploys classic covers in her generous 40-minute slot, maintaining audience focus. These songs act as crutches, rather than hindrances, supporting a set anchored by her debut.
Her cover of ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ – from a rarely explored woman’s perspective – is a genuine highlight. Understated, piano-led and forlorn, it cements her sound. While perhaps too nostalgic for its release a decade ago, it fits perfectly in a retro-inflected 2020s. In fact, it doesn’t feel far removed from current chart phenom Olivia Dean. Despite the occasional falter – ‘Pizza & Pinball’ is a particularly bizarre setlist choice for a British crowd – her voice and clear respect for the legends she is influenced by shine through, in a similar manner to tonight’s headliner. Rumer’s nostalgia pop fits perfectly as an artist of similar cultural influences to Simply Red. Hype builds, promising more than an anniversary, but a genuine party.
Rumer setlist:
‘Come To Me High’ (from 2010 ‘Seasons Of My Soul’ album)
‘Am I Forgiven’ (from 2010 ‘Seasons Of My Soul’ album)
‘Saving Grace’ (from 2010 ‘Seasons Of My Soul’ album)
‘Dangerous’ (from 2014 ‘Into Colour’ album)
‘Sara Smile’ (Daryl Hall & John Oates cover) (a 2012 single & from 2021 ‘Live From Lafayette’ album)
‘Slow’ (from 2010 ‘Seasons Of My Soul’ album)
‘Pizza And Pinball’ (from 2014 ‘Into Colour’ album)
‘Aretha’ (from 2010 ‘Seasons Of My Soul’ album)
‘How Deep Is Your Love?’ (Bee Gees cover) (from 2022 ‘B Sides & Rarities Vol. 2’ album)
‘That’s That’ (from 2014 ‘Into Colour’ album)
Fans in red dotted around the venue are the loudest in desperate shouts of ‘come on Mick,’ as the band are 10 minutes late to the stage. Simply Red adopt an ironically rock star attitude to timekeeping, later explained by Mick: “I had an inflammation and had to wait for the tablet to kick in. I knew it was going to be 9:15, not 9.” Rock ‘n’ Roll, indeed.
A film reel counts us down from 5, showing an 80s era clip of Mick Hucknall stating, “I want to be a great singer.” Finally, Hucknall strolls on, dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and leather jacket – a truly vintage 80s combo. ‘Sad Old Red’ – a sleazy bass-led track, reminiscent of smoky jazz clubs – kicks off a run of 3 tracks from their debut album. A microphone is held slightly distant but still captures seemingly powerful vocals. The lateness is further made up for when ‘Money’s Too Tight To Mention’ is unleashed – a Mexican wave of recent retirees test their newly minted hip replacements, earning the first legitimate dance and sing-along of the evening. Despite being 40 years old, the lyrics “money money money/ the economy’s got a hold of me and you” seem particularly apt for today’s cost-of-living crisis. Some things never change.
However, it is a truly tight backing band that immediately catches attention, a unit containing no original members. The longest serving member is Ian Kirkham on saxophone, having been with the band since 1986. This is, unless we count the audience, who occasionally have to act as an extension of Mick Hucknall when he can’t handle the vocals of his youth on this anniversary tour.
The show acts as part autobiography, akin to late-stage book tours. It regales us with various stories of songwriting sessions, sandwiched between songs from a whistle-stop tour of hit albums. It feels like a veritable Eras Tour for 60-somethings. ‘A New Flame’ is the next album to have its highlights aired – with a cover of Barry White’s ‘It’s Only Love’ – introduced as a cover of “the love walrus.” The crowd clearly loved the Brit-spin on an American soul classic as much as they did in 1989.
A ‘Holland-Dozier-Holland’ homage and reference to Tamla Motown proves Hucknall has the grace to admit where his influence comes from. Despite the risk of name-dropping, recounting meetings of these writers and subsequent sessions never come across as such. Instead, it shows genuine gratitude for working with people who clearly influenced his sound. A whistler interrupts this monologue – and is met with the quip, “There’s no taxi in here.”
Kirkham shines during ‘Enough,’ with a sleazy sax solo anchoring its soul pop. The late bassist Steve Lewinson gets a brief eulogy before introducing Oreko Orakwue, a stellar replacement in the face of tragedy.
‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’ – though a genuine hit for the band – nearly falls into awkward parody. Fortunately, it is rescued by a chorus of adoring fans, using phone flashes as spotlights and lending themselves to an impromptu choir, preventing catastrophe. This saves the track from falling into over-serious and overly dramatic parody akin to David Brent’s style.
Despite some stumbles, nearly every song earns at least muted applause. Hucknall deftly controls the crowd’s energy. Think Jamiroquai, but with outlandish hair instead of hats. This energy carries into ‘Stars’ – our first smash hit of the evening, as hardly anyone remains seated. Even the minority that do have a phone in their hands, ready to share overlong videos on Facebook. “I wanna fall from the stars/ straight into your arms” gets hands in the air; another cliché ticked off.
Chatter fades approaching the halfway point of the set, perhaps prompted by the threat of a truncated set. In any case, the latter end of the set lets the songs speak for themselves. Only ‘Say You Love Me’ – a saccharine song dedicated to “the children of the world” gets an explanation which feels slightly self-serving. “Darling, say you love me” – the lyric reads as if he’s unsure whether he’s singing it to a lover or one of the many children this track is dedicated to.
Orakwue on bass is again given time to shine – a wobbly line sounding like a light Thundercat is unleashed for ‘The Air That I Breathe,’ lending a more contemporary effect that wouldn’t be out of place in 90s Hip-Hop. The intersection between Simply Red and classic soul provides a surprising bridge to Hip-Hop – proving they’re not as far from modernity as once thought.
Handwritten lyrics on screen invite the crowd to sing along – to which only some comply. This is never more apparent than in ‘You Make Me Feel Brand New’. Building on the reluctant singalong, energy picks up with 2003’s ‘Fake’ – built on a Robert Miles reminiscent piano line. An undeniable earworm that shows we are firmly in a surprisingly adaptive band’s later era. However, this strutting disco dance number doesn’t quite land with a crowd that is growing impatient from the hits omitted.
With a burst of energy, ‘Sunrise’ picks up a slightly lethargic crowd. This is another track carried by Orakwue, assisted by a whistle effect. It then breaks into piano-led joy, delivering a promise from its predecessor. It is an energiser bunny of a track – impressive for a latter stage single.
This leads into the showstopper: Simply Red’s only UK number one, ‘Fairground.’ It is a joyous blend of samba-inflected groove with a Phil Spector-style chorus. The line “And I love the thought of coming home to you” cuts through the usually formal conference hall of Brighton Centre – a venue more accustomed to SEO conventions and graduation ceremonies. It even gets a rapturous response in spite of Hucknall’s truly dreadful dad dancing. This concludes the set, mercifully before the dancing gets worse.
The crowd stomps and claps, demanding an encore. One glaring omission finally gets its airtime. ‘Holding Back The Years’ – a retooled song from the very start of their career, when Mick was a member of Frantic Elevators. Instead of feeling fearful of the future, it feels like a victory lap – a back-to-the-start moment of their career. The ballad changes meaning. Whilst initially about his 17-year-old self’s fear of the future, it transforms into a nostalgic plea for a career already lived. The perfect showstopper for an anniversary tour is met with a seemingly endless standing ovation – a powerful statement: where did the time go?
Whilst Simply Red may not be particularly cool, trendy, influential, or a critical darling – they’re certainly not garnering Pitchfork acclaim anytime soon – they can do one thing well. They get people out of their heads and into their bodies. That is exactly what I witnessed tonight, a joyous anniversary celebration for longtime fans of a band who know their craft, in spite of detractors. 40 years on, and more weathered than ever, Simply Red prove why their fanbase has never dwindled; a testament to their contribution to British pop music.
Simply Red setlist:
‘Sad Old Red’ (from 1981‘Picture Book’ album)
‘Jericho’ (from 1981 ‘Picture Book’ album)
‘Money’s Too Tight To Mention’ (from 1981 ‘Picture Book’ album)
‘The Right Thing’ (from 1987 ‘A New Flame’ album)
‘A New Flame’ (from 1987 ‘A New Flame’ album)
‘It’s Only Love’ (from 1987 ‘A New Flame’ album)
‘You’ve Got It’ (from 1987 ‘A New Flame’ album)
‘Enough’ (from 1987 ‘A New Flame’ album)
‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’ (from 1987 ‘A New Flame’ album)
‘For Your Babies’ (from 1991 ‘Stars’ album)
‘Stars’ (from 1991 ‘Stars’ album)
‘Thrill Me’ (from 1987 ‘Stars’ album)
‘So Beautiful’ (from 1995 ‘Life’ album)
‘Say You Love Me’ (from 1998 ‘Blue’ album)
‘The Air That I Breathe’ (from 1998 ‘Blue’ album)
‘You Make Me Feel Brand New’ (from 2003 ‘Home’ album)
‘Fake’ (from 2003 ‘Home’ album)
‘Sunrise’ (from 2003 ‘Home’ album)
‘Fairground’ (from 1995 ‘Life’ album)
(encore)
‘Something Got Me Started’ (from 1991 ‘Stars’ album)
‘Reach Out I’ll Be There’ (Four Tops cover)
‘Holding Back The Years’ (from 1981 ‘Picture Book’ album)
