1. Simple Minds are coming to town next year... Alive and kicking! And also playing a FREE concert in San Sebastian.

  2. Anyone has the Edinburgh 2015 gig (which is on Simple Minds YouTube in parts) as a whole together, without the same intro before every song?
  3. Tour postponed till 2022 😒
  4. Have tickets for December 2021 - already delayed 12 months, and really hoping Australia doesn't get bumped to late 2022 but becomes an early leg of the tour.
  5. https://we.tl/t-vGQcMQkUXL

    Simple Minds
    April 26, 1986
    Greek Theatre
    Berkeley, California
    A Walt K. First Generation Tape (Vol. VI) via JEMS and slipkid68 + low-gen. alt. source

    Tracks one thru 14:

    Walt K. Recording: Sony ECM-150 > Sony WM-D6C > Master Audience Cassette (Maxell XLII-S 90) > verified 1st. gen Maxell XL-II 90 > Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1 azimuth-adjusted transfer > Sound Devices USBPre 2 > Audacity 2.4.2 (24/96) capture > iZotope RX 7 > resample 16/44.1 FLAC > Audacity 3.0 (tracking) > RX 7 and TLH (finishing)

    Tracks 15 thru 18:

    JEMS transfer: 2nd or 3rd-gen cassette > Nakamichi CR-7A (azimuth adjusted transfer) > Sound Devices USBPre 2 > Audacity 2.4.2 24/96 .wav capture > iZotope RX7 > downsample to 16/44 > FLAC> Audacity 3.0 (tracking) > RX 7 and TLH (finishing)

    run time: 1:58:36

    Musicians:

    Charlie Burchill (guitar)
    Mel Gaynor (drums)
    John Giblin (bass)
    Jim Kerr (vocals)
    Mick MacNeil (keyboards)
    with Robin Clark (vocals) and Sue Hadjopoulos (percussion)

    01_intro
    02_Waterfront
    03_Speed Your Love to Me
    04_Come a Long Way
    05_Book of Brilliant Things
    06_Ghostdancing
    07_(Don’t You) Forget About Me
    08_Promised You a Miracle
    09_Once Upon a Time
    10_Oh Jungleland
    11_All the Things She Said
    12_Alive and Kicking
    13_Sanctify Yourself
    14_Someone Somewhere in Summertime (incomplete)
    15_ambiance (Source II)
    16_Someone Somewhere in Summertime (Source II)
    17_East at Easter (Source II)
    18_Love Song w/ “Sun City,” “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin),” “Dance to the Music” (Source II)

    Not long ago, fellow fan cdmackgreen sent a note, asking whether Walt K. had taped Simple Minds when they opened for The Pretenders in Berkeley in 1984. Probably not, I responded, but it reminded me of a cassette I had in hand, recorded at the very same venue in 1986. Why not hear what was on it?

    An audition revealed a great capture: the sound, as BK might say, was better than cotton candy. I transferred it on the spot. Playback was like stepping into a time machine and landing at a high-point for the Minds, where almost any song could have been the set-closer. That’s when you know your band is good. Got Mel Gaynor playing drums? Then your band is really good. We’re fans of Mel's, “the best young drummer in the world,” as Jim Kerr used to say.

    The setlist featured one killer composition after another: nearly all of the "Once Upon a Time" LP appeared, along with a can’t-miss selection from previous ones, and, of course, “(Don’t You) Forget About Me,” the song Simple Minds ran with to the top of the U.S. singles charts in 1985. Berkeley was the band’s second headlining gig in the Bay Area in six months.

    Amidst a sea of fans, Walt stood on the floor (listen for instances of “down in front!”). In places, enthusiasm crowds that rich Walt K. sound; mostly the music plays great, with a dip or two as Walt gets set. Using iZotope RX 7, we removed scores of extraneous sounds.

    During the encore break, Walt moved to a different place, leading to a slightly different imprint for “Someone Somewhere in Summertime.” That’s where his tape ends, so we moved to a second source (which could be a higher-generation copy originating from Walt’s master) for a complete take and the last two songs. Though it doesn’t rise to the quality of part one, we’re grateful that the JEMS Archive had it.

    I owe a debt of gratitude to Walt, my late friend and guide to so much music. We shared an affinity for U2 and Pearl Jam, and he was instrumental in turning me on to both jazz and the Grateful Dead. His tapes, his wisdom, and his friendship were indispensable. In addition to The Pretenders gig, previously-torrented Walt K. field recordings include concerts by Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, and the Grateful Dead. Collect 'em all!

    Thanks to BK, who helped stitch this one together (and whose own 1986 Simple Minds recording from Vancouver, and an ’85 capture he made in Seattle merit tracking down if you haven’t already). Proper sourcing took detective work: I’d placed my ticket stub in with the J-card — something I usually did only if I’d recorded. (I’d surely recall making something this good.) While our 2018 retrieval of Walt’s master tapes didn’t include his Simple Minds master, recognizable voices on the tape confirmed him as the taper. Dolby C and labeling indicated that I’d made the copy from his master shortly after the show. Mystery solved!

    As we often do, we asked mjk5510 for his input, and he graciously provided guidance. Thank you, sir.

    Lastly, thanks to cdmackgreen for the prompt. He tells me that this gig has never circulated, so Simple Minds fans everywhere are in for a treat. We’ll keep watch for a recording of the band’s ’84 opening set.

    Now, who opened for Simple Minds? The Call, the pride of Santa Cruz, California. The band opened again at the Greek Theatre in August, 1987, that time for The Psychedelic Furs — both shows were great.

    Maybe you taped or know someone who did. If so, send that DM today, and see what happens.

    As Walt himself said, share it freely, and for free!

    - slipkid68
  6. great thnx
  7. Uncirculated 1982 sbd master sample