Stay Live At The Albert Hall - Simply Red Album Review

Stay Live At The Albert Hall - Simply Red Album Review

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Album Review

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 for 22 years. Due to impending fatherhood, Mick Hucknall chose to do an exclusive one-off show at Manchester’s Life Cafe on Saturday 3 February, followed by a sold out six night residency at the Albert Hall in May. Lifting tracks from a range of albums, this is a walk in the park for the blue-eyed soul boy from Manchester.

Kicking -off with Soul Theme, the band plays a souped-up jazzy intro without Huckers – it’s the build-up of course. It’s impressive, especially Ian Kirkham’s sax solo, and the crowd loved it. It’s the best opening of the 13 shows I’ve seen since 1987.

A couple of stick clinks and they’re into The World And You Tonight with Mick casually making his entrance. Predictably, the crowd go nuts. It’s clear the voice is still in great shape, and the band’s hot too. A relaxed Mick delivers,

Thank you very much. Good evening. Welcome to the wonderful Royal Albert Hall on a Saturday night. It’s quite posh isn’t it ? Are you feeling posh? A little bit posh, got your best clothes on? Your dapper clothes. 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’re all celebrities these days. It’s wonderful. So hey celebrities come with me on this journey...

So Beautiful, a tribute to Lou Reed’s Walk On The Wild Side brings loud cheers. It’s followed by an poignant and emotional introduction to For Your Babies.

And on the very subject of beautiful things, for some reason this song has a particular relevance to me right now.

The tender observational ballad (about all around having children except him in the 90’s) is sublime. Leaving the slush behind, they go up- tempo on They Don’t Know from new album Stay. Simply Red always do great reggae. Night Nurse, originally featuring Sly and Robbie, is cruise control, with Stay, his best song in years, raising the roof, as the vocals hit a major high belting out the chorus.

The only time Hucknall embraces a guitar is for signature tune Holding Back The Years, so we know what’s coming, and it’s the best yet, with the fans joining in, they raise the roof once again. They didn’t need much egging on but he says ..

Come on,

...and they do. Unusually, he uses another one for 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, with multi-camera angles catching it all. They storm through hits Thill Me, Stars, Sunrise, Money’s Too Tight and they’re off to a massive ovation. Back for more, they launch into Fairground, their only chart topper. Penultimate song 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 end of SR. He leaves them on a high : If You Don’t Know Me By Now rings around the 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 with three songs from Amsterdam.

For lovers of great music.

Elly Roberts

Gigs

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