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01. Feb 2022
Fascinating and valuable record of Simple Minds from 1989
This is the single DVD, correctly titled Simple Minds: Seen The Lights - Live In Verona. Not Seen The Lights - A Visual History. That is the title of the original 2 Disk box set which included this DVD and another containing the band's full set of promotional videos. This DVD was originally available as Disk 2 of that box set.
Essential for people with interest in Simple Minds. This is one of the few commercial recordings they have produced. Simple Minds are Michael MacNeil keyboards, Mel Gaynor drums, Charlie Burchill lead guitar, and Jim Kerr vocals. At this time Malcolm Foster was the bass guitarist. It shows the band at a high point in their career and just before MacNeil, the original keyboard player left, greatly altering the Simple Minds sound. Their most recent albums Big Music and Walk Between Worlds are an updated and welcome return to the mid 80's spirit and soul of Simple Minds.
Live in Verona is taken from the September 1989 dates in Verona Italy during the 'Street Fighting Years' tour. It is neither a straight one complete concert recording or even an equivalent length of a full concert, but a beautifully filmed montage with scenes of Verona street life, the audience reactions, snippets of promotional videos and the band members busking in the street all spliced into the concert footage in the ancient Roman amphitheatre Arena di Verona. Included are sound bite interviews with Burchill, Kerr, MacNeil, Gaynor and the band's manager Bruce Findley.
Sadly the SFY album, with it more political theme and slower pace was a commercial failure despite containing the band's only No.1 UK hit 'Belfast Child'. This album had much going for it artistically and is a favourite album for so many fans, but as Kerr would state later, it lacked 'a groove' and the band now without MacNeil, set out to correct this with the next album Real Life.
The concert includes many of the well known songs, such as Alive and Kicking, Don't You Forget about Me, Kick it In, Mandela Day and an expansive rendition of Waterfront. It starts at 21.38 minutes. Be prepared for the blast. Personally the acoustic Celtic medley with Liza Germano on violin and the busking outside the Arena di Verona are highlights. There is a little unintended drama when during the concert the wooden floor installed in the arena gave way under the audience at the front rows. This montage of Mandela Day shows the crew and arena staff moving the barrier back revealing the broken boards in front of the stage.
But this DVD includes a second Simple Minds concert at a much earlier time in their development. Thirty five minutes of the very tightly knit band of Gaynor, McNeil, Forbes, Kerr and Burchill and their own original style. Filmed in Newcastle 1982 the contrast with 'Live in Verona' is stunning. Here they are a very popular but still a small 'cult' band. It is a sound that so many still describe as the real Simple Minds. An invaluable window into the culture, fashions, sounds and raw emotions of this extraordinary new wave era. You could purchase this DVD for this history alone.
Viewing this on a computer will give you access to the ROM extras. This consists of a web-link to the band's official site and another which appears to be out of date, a discography up to 2003 when this re-masted DVD was issued, a screensaver and three album cover wallpapers. All installed on my laptop without a problem. I do however recommend watching the features on larger screens.
This DVD is recommended for anyone wanting to return an era of good music and the freedom we knew before the world was tied to the internet and for sharing with the recent generations who never had it this good.