If you’ve been waiting decades to experience Simple Minds live, your persistence has paid off. The Scottish art-rock legends kicked off their aptly named “Alive & Kicking” North American tour on May 16 at Cascades Amphitheater in Ridgefield, Washington, delivering a masterclass in how ’80s bands can stay relevant without becoming mere nostalgia acts.
The tour opener felt like a time machine with an upgraded engine – familiar enough to transport longtime fans back to their youth, yet powerful enough to remind everyone why these songs transcended their era. When “Waterfront” erupted from the speakers to start the show, you could feel the collective recognition ripple through the crowd like electricity through vintage synth circuits. It’s the kind of moment that bodes well for Vampire Weekend’s 2025 run, proving that for bands who evolve without abandoning their roots, the stage is still where legacy and modern relevance collide.
Why This Tour Matters
Absence truly makes the heart grow fonder. Simple Minds haven’t undertaken a North American tour of this scale in four decades, making this 24-date arena and amphitheater run feel like a long-overdue reunion.
The setlist struck that perfect balance between crowd-pleasing hits and deeper cuts that showcase the band’s artistic range. Six tracks from their 1985 masterpiece “Once Upon a Time” formed the backbone of the show, including the soaring “Alive and Kicking” and the propulsive “Sanctify Yourself” that closed the encore.
During “Promised You a Miracle,” Kerr transformed the stage into an intimate club despite the amphitheater setting, crouching down to lock eyes with front-row fans. The lighting shifted from cool blues to warm ambers, creating a visual heartbeat that synchronized perfectly with the song’s pulsing bassline. This wasn’t a band going through the motions – this was artists still finding new expression in decades-old material.
For anyone dismissing this as just another ’80s nostalgia cash grab, the performance quality suggests otherwise. Frontman Jim Kerr, now in his 60s, still commands the stage with the same enigmatic presence that made MTV executives swoon four decades ago. His voice has aged like premium whisky from his native Scotland – perhaps less raw, but with newfound warmth and character.
More Than Just Legacy Acts
This tour isn’t riding solely on past glories. Simple Minds’ 2022 album “Direction of the Heart” demonstrated their continued creative vitality, while the 2023 documentary “Simple Minds: Everything Is Possible” chronicled their remarkable journey from Glasgow’s punk scene to global stardom. The documentary reveals a band that never stopped evolving, even when the spotlight dimmed.
What makes this tour particularly significant is how it aligns with the expanded reissue of “Once Upon a Time,” which now includes their most famous track, “Don’t You (Forget About Me).” As Kerr reflected, “Forty years on and it now feels right for Simple Minds to have ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ included in this classy new nine-track edition.”
The decision to pair with fellow ’80s icons Modern English and Soft Cell creates a perfect trifecta of new wave brilliance, offering fans a complete immersion into an era when synthesizers, dramatic vocals, and emotional songwriting defined popular music.
Simple Minds’ enduring appeal isn’t just nostalgia – it’s validation of how forward-thinking their sound was. Listen to The Killers, M83, or CHVRCHES and you’ll hear unmistakable echoes of the sonic architecture Simple Minds pioneered. Their atmospheric synths, propulsive rhythms, and anthemic choruses have become fundamental building blocks in today’s indie and electronic landscapes. What once sounded futuristic now simply sounds essential.
This tour continues through June 22, concluding in Noblesville, Indiana. If the opening night’s energy is any indication, every date on this tour will be less about remembering the past and more about celebrating how vital these songs remain in the present.
