BMG release today a newly recorded live version of Simple Minds’ 1985 Billboard number one and 3x Platinum selling single, “Don’t You (Forget about Me)” (Live in the City of Diamonds). The track, that recently joined the Billions Club on Spotify, appears on the forthcoming live album, “Live in the City of Diamonds”. The album will be released in full on April 25th, 2025.
Simple Minds are one of the greatest live bands of their generation. From their roots as a nascent post-punk art rock band, through their arena and stadium straddling days in the 1980s and ‘90s, and up to the present day, Simple Minds have always prided themselves on their live reputation, having last year played to approximately one million people around the globe.
“Live in the City of Diamonds” completes the triptych of Live in The City series dating back to 1987 and captures the visceral excitement of a Simple Minds concert. Recorded at a sold out Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome on April 6th 2024, to an audience of 17,000 people, the band play a perfect mixture of songs from throughout their dynamic career.
The album includes early pioneering tracks such as “Love Song”, “Sons and Fascination” and “Sweat in Bullet”, tracks from their era-defining album “New Gold Dream”, including their first Top 20 UK single “Promised You a Miracle”, 1985’s international hit “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” and songs from the multi-platinum album “Once Upon a Time” (both celebrating their 40th anniversaries this year), 1989’s number one single “Belfast Child”, songs from 1991’s “Real Life” album, including fan favourite “See the Lights”.
“Live in the City of Diamonds” is the perfect summation of Simple Minds current live prowess and the ever-evolving sound of a remarkable band, which features the extraordinary talents of lifelong members and friends Jim Kerr (vocals) and Charlie Burchill (lead guitar), with Gordy Goudie (rhythm guitar), Ged Grimes (bass), Cherisse Osei (drums), Erik Ljungggren (keyboards) and Sarah Brown (vocals).
“All we wanted was to be in ‘a great live band’ and to spend our lives taking our music with us around the world. Decades later we still relish that challenge every night on tour. Live In The City of Diamonds captures both the spirit and fever of Simple Minds live at this moment in time”, says Jim Kerr.
Simple Minds recently announced new European shows, you can check the dates here.
Pre-order & pre-save “Live in the City of Diamonds” here.
Tracklist:
CD1:
1. Waterfront
2. Love Song
3. Sons snd Fascination
4. Sweat in Bullet
5. This Fear of Gods
6. Let There Be Love
7. She’s a River
8. Once Upon a Time
9. Glittering Prize
10. New Gold Dream
11. Promised You a Miracle
12. Belfast Child
CD2:
1. Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)
2. See the Lights
3. Book of Brilliant Things
4. Don’t You (Forget About Me)
5. Alive and Kicking
6. Sanctify Yourself
7. Vision Thing
8. The American
9. Solstice Kiss
10. Premonition
11. Hunter and the Hunted
12. Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel
