Tour
01.07.08 Summer Pops, Liverpool, UKSetlist
Click here for tonight's setlist.
Tour Diary
Here are some photos from Liverpool:
The venue and stage were enormous compared to the other shows, the band still managed to have a laugh at soundcheck though...
The band rehearsed Gaitor Bait and added it into the set later
Dave concentrating at soundcheck to get things just right and production manager Kenny celebrates his birthday in catering
Here's a view from the side of the stage and Mick afterwards saying goodbye to Kristyna and Ben
Photography by Kevin Marchant
Reviews
Email your reviews to reviews@mickhucknall.com to have them added here. Don't forget to say which show you're reviewing.
thanks to mick & band for a great night sorry the crowd were a bit quiet- maybe it takes a bit of time getting used to the new stuff
felt sorry for mick as he looked a bit disappointed, maybe the venue just too big
we enjoyed ourselves and love the new stuff
look forward to seeing you next year for farewell tour, although we will be really sad.........
thanks again
- tracey sue karen & carolyn
I would say this glitch was down to the Promoter getting the wrong venue not down to Mick etc. It 's like he said he was excpecting our usual Tent.... We had Empire, Royal Court or Phil which would have captured what this tribute is all about. I still enjoyed it, so thank you. Love Alex x
- Alex (Liverpool)
I have to say, i have booked to see Mick twice before, and for whatever reason beyond my control and very disappointingly, i have never been able to make the concerts. In total it must have cost me about £600, Well 3rd Time lucky. I thought this show was superb, musically and vocally, well worth all the wait. The professionalism of both musicians and vocals was astounding. I look forward to seeing Mick again if and when the opportunity does arise. Superb, keep up the good work lads !!!!
All our best
- Debbie and Chris
Just wanted to say how much my husband and I enjoyed the concert in the Liverpool Echo Arena. I was shocked to see how quiet the audience was at first, obviously they didnt know how to appreciate "simply great" music. I'm American....in fact from Nashville, Tennessee...just down the road from Memphis. I knew all about Bobby Bland and all the blues from good old Beale Street! I was thrilled that Mick decided to do a tribute to this great man and his music. Mick....you did him proud! My husband is from Liverpool and a huge fan of Simply Red. I've taken him to Memphis before and he thoroughly enjoyed the music scene there. I bought him the concert tickets for his birthday and he was thrilled and thought that Mick and the band were exceptional. Look forward to seeing Mick and the Band the next time on tour. Well done Mick! Cheers, Suzanne and Mike
- Suzanne
Mixed feelings about the show in Liverpool, Mick and the band are exceptional and this music is totally diferent from what we know as Simply Red, I think some of the audience who did not know what to expect felt disapointed that no Simply Red songs got played and I think this reflected on how Mick was with the audience. I've seen Simply Red at their best and they are totally brilliant, however you can not take away the fact that Mick has an outstanding voice and the band are one of the best in the business, look forward to the farewell tour next year and seeing what Mick does best! Good luck for the rest of the tour Mick and the boys.
- Shirl - Liverpool
I thought it brave for Mick to perform a tribute session to Bobby Bland as 'Mick Hucknall' especially after 25 years as 'Simply Red'. What a challenge in converting an audience of Simply Red followers to a different style of music! It was obvious that many people at the Liverpool Pops were expecting some sliver of Simply Red music in the show (has there been enough publicity?) and this was reflected in their response which was polite but not as enthusiastic as normal. Maybe a smaller more intimate venue would have been the platform for this tour (the Arena appeared to be only two thirds full anyway). The video at the beginning was a good idea in introducing Bobby Bland and his music and the reasons for Mick's tribute but I felt uncomfortable when a few in the audience started to slow clap ... because all they wanted to see and hear was Mick (I won't argue with that!) but it leads me to think who the target audience should be (hence the smaller more intimate venue targeted to those who accept that after 25 years why not do something different). I enjoyed it because I love Mick's singing and I love his band and I like blues music too so I was happy. I had the Tribute to Bobby bought for my birthday so I had chance to listen to it before the event. I shall be seeing Simply Red on their final tour and after that whatever musical direction Mick follows ...
I thought it brave for Mick to perform a tribute session to Bobby Bland as 'Mick Hucknall' especially after 25 years as 'Simply Red'. What a challenge in converting an audience of Simply Red followers to a different style of music! It was obvious that many people at the Liverpool Pops were expecting some sliver of Simply Red music in the show (has there been enough publicity?) and this was reflected in their response which was polite but not as enthusiastic as normal. Maybe a smaller more intimate venue would have been the platform for this tour (the Arena appeared to be only two thirds full anyway). The video at the beginning was a good idea in introducing Bobby Bland and his music and the reasons for Mick's tribute but I felt uncomfortable when a few in the audience started to slow clap ... because all they wanted to see and hear was Mick (I won't argue with that!) but it leads me to think who the target audience should be (hence the smaller more intimate venue targeted to those who accept that after 25 years why not do something different). I enjoyed it because I love Mick's singing and I love his band and I like blues music too so I was happy. I had the Tribute to Bobby bought for my birthday so I had chance to listen to it before the event. I shall be seeing Simply Red on their final tour and after that whatever musical direction Mick follows ...
- Alison Fishwick
Mick and the band were fantastic!!!!!!!!!!
I had not gone to see "simply red" (i had just come back from cyprus ,so i was being greedy!!) but being a simply red fan i had bought "mick hucknalls a tribute to bobby bland cd on the day it was released ,i think some of the audience should have done the same. beautiful songs!!!!! fantastic voice !!!!!! fantastic band!!!!! = PERFECT!!!!!
Thank you................
- marjoh
Time to vent my frustration. WHAT are these people on? Anyone who has half a brain cell and is interested in buying concert tickets should at the very least know what they are going to see. The publicity on radio, in the press on the website (websites!) has been completely transparent. That people insist on slow clapping the film at the beginning is pure bloody ignorance.
At the end of each show Mick has thanked the audience for their patience and promised more familiar stuff next time round. Frankly I don’t feel that he has to bother. Had he recorded this under the SR banner, done the show and sprinkled with a dusting of the same old SR tracks, then most people would simply have been knocked out at the performance, quality of songs and sheer quality of the show.
I love simply red beyond the need to justify it (though I constantly find myself arguing with people blinded by press representation of the band / Mick) so I am the first to endorse the catalogue and ability of the band live or on record. However, I am not ashamed to say quietly that it is quite nice to hear so much new stuff. Let’s be honest, would any of us have known these were covers had we not been told? As far as I am concerned, chains of love now has just as much as of an effect on me as “Holding back the years” or “for your babies”, it has that hair tingling effect as if it has been around for years.
As has already been repeated on the forum at various points already…move on people, let’s hear the band stretch themselves, let’s see Mick enjoying this stuff and having clearly more passion in it than anything else I have ever seen him do before (how many times have we seen a tear after a song?) and get off this hobby horse of musical snobbery or ignorance. Some people expect pre packed “same old” “same old” rather than enjoying what in front of them.
The real fans, those who see the show to see the band and Mick, those that enjoy the musical odyssey, those that are along for the ride, those that have bookmarks of their lives marked by the songs as they go, “they” are the ones who want more of this, they are the ones that can forgo a bit of stars, new flame or the right thing. Those are the ones that would INSIST that Farther on up the road is incorporated into a Simply Red show next year!!
Just think about the diversity of the Simply Red portfolio, from “sad old red” to “night nurse”, from “fairground” to “Jericho”, is the bobby stuff that different? Is it that unusual to see Mick do it? I don’t think so. I think however that it totally vindicates Mick’s decision to call time on SR to allow the shackles to be taken off and explains to the imbeciles who questioned what he was splitting from, as to why he has done it this way round.
The hard core are proud of what is being done, commercially it is a huge risk and for that he should be entirely applauded. Mick has said since the beginning that he wants to leave behind a legacy of timeless music. If he were to retire tomorrow, he could retire knowing that he has achieved just that.
That mere mortals cannot comprehend that- probably explains why the music business is so desperately devoid of quality and substance. Frankly I am prouder than ever of he who we follow!
Frustration over!!!
- Alex O'Neill
It was always going to be a tricky move going solo, with a tribute night.
Coincidentally, the music of Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland came full circle – back to Liverpool, well it did for Manchester’s blue-eyed soul boy Mick Hucknall. It was at a Liverpool club, Eric’s, he first heard Bland’s music whilst then playing with his first band the Frantic Elevators. It was never going to be an easy task, because for nigh on 25 years, we’ve expected a huge volume of Simply Red songs to relish. With SR due to disband in 2009 it was time for Huckers to win us over with his new direction. Despite his immaculate pop credentials, it was still a big gamble, and a drastic one at that. The crowd was probably made up of SR diehards, Soul aficionados, and the plain curious. When you’re a multi-millionaire it’s must be reasonably easy to make an artistic change. One American asked for Simply Red tickets at the box office, which kind of summed things for many I’m sure. With barely 45 minutes worth of material from ‘Tribute To Bobby’, you somehow got the feeling that many of the audience, prior to this gig, were unaware of Bland’s work. This would probably account for the ‘educational’ 15 minute docu-film (extracts found on the album’s DVD trailer) before the gig started, a good filler for a show we knew wouldn’t be much longer than 1 hour 15 minutes, short by his standards. It wasn’t a sell out by any standards. The upper tier was sealed off, and there were many empty seats in the ten thousand capacity brand spanking new arena on the Albert Dock. Looking lean and fit in grey suit, blue shirt and sharp tan boots, he was welcomed with the usual fervour of whistles and screams. It was a cool and slow start. Cry Cry Cry’s steady beat unfolded with Mick’s impeccable voice still in great form as he moved endlessly across the stage, beaming with delight that his die-hard fans had embraced his venture, though there was some uncertainty. He asked them, “How many of you know Bobby Bland’s music?” A few hands went up, including mine in the snapper’s pit. He spotted me and said,” This fella knows him!” Thankfully, I’m a big Soul fan and aware of many of his songs, so it helped to enjoy the night. It was obvious he’d need to introduce every song, to help us along. Then came I Wouldn’t Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated Me) a mellow southern soul R&B gem, followed by Hucknall sitting on a stool for slithering ballad I’m Too Far Gone with the ‘house’ set fully back -lit. One of the main highlights came when he sang beautiful ballad Chains Of Love. SR sax stalwart Ian Kirkham dressed the song with some sensual splashes, bringing the biggest cheers of the night until then. He then slipped into I Pity The Fool. Simply Red guitarist Kenji ‘Jammer’ Suzuki was given the chance to show his finely tuned solo skills with some top bluesy fuzzy licks. “We love you Mick,” came a shout. Mick returned a blown kiss. Rip-roaring Stormy Monday Blues allowed Mick to finally open up those tubes, (and what tubes they are too) finally getting sections of the crowd onto their feet, just like the good old days. The opening of single Poverty kept things going nicely as he romped through this dazzling version which raised the roof. As he finished the song he raised his fist, satisfied he’d done a great job, which he had.
Back for an encore, an appreciative Mick said, “You’re very kind. Thank you very much,” launching into what might be the next single, the full-on and classy Farther Up The Road, Bobby Bland’s signature tune. He finally got the reaction, and conformation he’d been waiting for all night as the crowd went for it. Closing on another mellow note, Lead Me On proved that Mick is still one of the greatest singers Britain has produced. So, would Bobby have approved? Definitely.
The big question is, where does he look for inspiration next?
More covers albums?
File under: Still one of the best.
- Elly Roberts
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