Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney, Australia
12th October 2010
SIMPLY RED
SET LIST
Sydney Opera House– 12th October 2010
1. Out On The Range
2. Your Mirror
3. Jericho
4. Heaven
5. To Be With You
6. Enough
7. For Your Babies
8. You Make Me Feel Brand New
9. If You Don’t Know Me By Now
10. It’s Only Love
11. Sunrise
12. Come To My Aid
13. Fake
14. The Right Thing
15. Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)
16. Ain’t That A Lot Of Love
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17. Stars
18. Fairground
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19. Something Got Me Started
20. Holding Back The Years
Dear Michael,i wish you and family a very Happy Christmas,
we will miss you and Simply Red..and have been waiting for the DVD to arrive from UK it has been 3 weeks due i guess to your great weather,but will enjoy living over the Amazing night at Sydney Opera house when it gets here.
Thank you.
Carol.x.
What a great concert!!!! I couldn’t believe I was there. It was an amazing night. Mick and the band performed wonderfully and the environment was fantastic!!!! Everything was perfect and I’m so happy the concert at the Sydney Opera House was chosen for the farewell DVD. I think it’s the best concert I’ve been to. My husband and my 23 year old daughter were there and, like me, enjoyed every minute of it. My daughter grew up listening to the Simply Red songs and she knows them all, so she sang all of them throughout the night!!!!! Thank you Simply Red for the most beautiful songs ever, for the quality, for the professionalism and for just being Simply Red. We’ll miss you lots, but at least I was lucky to see you perform once in my life xxxxoxoxox
Tuesday 12th October, 2010. What a concert!! I saw Simply Red back in the 90’s, I think, at the Sydney Entertainment Centre and my kids grew up listening to your music. Naturally my 21year old would take me to the show.
What a performance!! I would have to say that it has been one of the highlights of my life. The atmosphere was superb, the venue was the greatest and who could ask for a better voice than that of Mick Hucknall and Simply Red.
It’s been weeks since the show and I’m still on such a high after that show. Simply Red thank you for the last 25 years of entertainment and wonderful music. You will sadly be missed and I hope you enjoy your lives.
Good Luck
Lorraine XXX
Mick and the band were fantastic and to hear him sing my all time favourite song, Enough (as well as many others) was a bonus. A sensational show and a great venue too. Good luck in the future, hope to see you here again one day!!
Tom..you have made your comment,and the” middle age“know how to have a good time,i was there and felt the love,i was having a great time..and was not looking at the crowd,i was watching the Amazing show.
Tuesday 12th October was a magic, wonderful night. Michael and Simply Red made it a very special memorable night! Thank you for 25 years of excellence!!
What an amazing night. Mick Hucknall is without doubt the finest live performer of his generation. Its hard to believe that after 25 years Mick is still at the top of his craft. I cant think of any other band or performer who is performing to the level that Simply Red are after such a long career. What a voice, what a night, what an experience. I wish i would never end.
What a wonderful evening we had, Mick’s voice is just incredible, the band is great, we enjoyed every song and it’s sad to say farewell… will miss them!!! but so glad we were part of this last tour. Thank you!
Kicking off with the laid back “Home On The Range”, Simply Red were straight in the groove in what would have to be one of the most spectacular venues in the world. Standing on stage in the Opera House forecourt looking out at the famous white sails in front of him and the Harbour Bridge over to the left, main man Mick Hucknall remarked that he didn’t know who was getting the best deal, the crowd seeing the band or him looking at Sydney’s wonderful backdrop. If the reaction by the crowd at tonight’s show is any indication, it was certainly the fans that were getting their money’s worth.
The picture you have in your mind of what a Simply Red crowd would look like is probably spot on.….a lot of middle aged people enjoying the smooth soul sounds of the white Ginger Ninja. What you probably can’t imagine is the fervent nature these fans display, especially when the big hits get rolled out and it has been a long time since this reviewer has seen a crowd so enamoured by a band. Hucknall had the crowd hanging on his every word and they were dancing, singing, laughing, cheering and generally whooping it up with no hint of embarrassment at some of the dance manoeuvres they were busting out.
That’s enough about the crowd, the question is, does Simply Red still have it or was this just a 25th Anniversary cash cow? The answer is a resounding yes, these guys are unbelievably good. The two things that keep hitting you while the band playing is that Hucknall’s voice is as good as it ever was. I’m not just saying he still sounds good, he sounds amazing. All the high notes are hit with power and he also has an incredible range with some deep baritone moments also thrown in. The other standout is the amazing musicianship of the band that is the current guise of Simply Red. The band was on fire with some brilliant saxophone solos in particular from Ian Kirkham (who played alto/tenor/soprano sax as well as keyboards and an EWI (Electronic Woodwind Instrument). Also dazzling the crowd with some great fretwork was Kenji “Jammer” Suzuki who looked to be enjoying himself immensely up on stage, especially when taking centre stage to bust out some nice guitar solos. The other horn player was Kevin Robinson who played trumpet/fluegelhorn as well as keyboards and various percussion instruments. The rhythm section was made up of the Lewinson brothers (Steve on bass and Pete on drums) and these guys were just like a well oiled machine. Rounding out the band was keyboardist Dave Clayton who, like the rest of the band, was a master at his craft.
I won’t list all the songs but all the hits were there but the standout was definitely “Money’s Too Tight To Mention” at which point the crowd went bananas! Even though a lot of Simply Red’s biggest hits are ballads, the show never dragged and it felt like no time had passed when the band finished their set. They then came back for two encores, playing “Stars” and “Fairground” first before coming back out and finishing with “Something Got Me Started” and “Holding Back The Years”.
All in all, when you add a brilliant band with a wonderful catalogue of songs and a spectacular harbour setting, it made for a magical evening that everyone in the crowd enjoyed immensely.
What can be said! The most perfect nights ever (I went to both shows at the Opera House. Just a few rows away from Mick on both nights and I can say it was the highlight of my life. Our beautiful harbour as a backdrop to Mick’s seductive and velvet voice was like a fairy tale come true. Mick & Simply Red, thank you for the last 25 years of truly amazing music! You will be missed and I can’t believe that I won’t get to see you again. I’ve been to every show you’ve ever done in Sydney and these last 2 I will treasure forever. So proud to be a part of history in the making. Love you forever Mick & band! Simply Red is Simply AWESOME!
What a brilliant night.… 6 rows from the front stage.Sydney Harbour Bridge to my right, the iconic Opera House behind us and Simply Red straight in front. Mick & the band warmed up the crowd perfectly with “Out on the Range” the crowd were on their feet to “Come to My Aid”, “Money’s to tight”.… Mick was vocally at his best the band tight and sounding great. A Farewell night that we will be lucky to relive with the Live DVD. Thanks Mick for a fantastic 25 years. This being my 3rd Simply Red concert, 1st one was on the Simplified tour at the NEC which was absolutely fantastic & then afer leaving the UK for Australia i have been so lucky to see the band twice in the last 2 years once inside the Opera house and on tuesday night outside the Opera house and they never disapoint they only get better, it’s been a fantastic 25 years as i started listening to the band back in the 80’s, i hope that you come back again Mick with a new Hucknall project please.A very happy ex pat.….it’s nice to be able to go home (UK) for a couple of hours but still be in the same place!!! The world will miss your fantastic vocals Mick…i can’t wait for the DVD to come out how lucky am i to be able to say i was there !!!!
BLOODY FANTASTIC!!! I’ve been following Simply Red from the early days in Manchester and am really sad that it’s all coming to an end — but what a way to go. Thank you for another amazing experience that luckily I will be able to re-live with the DVD time and again. 25 years on and still the best in the business. Please come back with your new stuff. Thanks for being part of my life for the past 25 years XXXX
Oh, What a night!! The Sydney Opera House is such a great venue, the views of the city were incredible. Thanks Simply Red for coming back to Sydney, it was a fabulous show with a very different set list to Melbourne. You had us rocking the night away, looking forward to buying the DVD later in the year. Thanks for the last 25 years, it has been an incredible journey.
What a great night, I was 6 rows back and enjoyed every minute of the concert. I also went on the Wednesday night where I got I say my very own good bye to you as you were leaving. I got my own personal wave from you also. I will miss Simply Red very much and miss you Mick. Love you heaps. Leah
Mick,“Simply” fantastic concert 12 October Sydney Opera House.Best wishes to you and the boys for the future. Lynne
Gosh, what a great show the boys put on.And to know that I can get the DVD to the concert means that much more.
Got to stand at the stage in Melbourne on the 6th and really enjoyed the show close up.But at the Opera House just sat on the steps and just simply enjoyed the great group that Simply Red is and always will be.God bless Simply Red and thanks for the memories boys.
jUST BRILLANT VOCALS WERE AMAZING WITH A TIGHT BAND TO KICK IT!
What a brilliant night.… 5 rows from the front stage. Harbour Bridge to my right, Opera House behind us and Simply Red front and centre. Mick & the band warmed the crowd perfectly with “Out on the Range” through the crowd on their feet to “Come to My Aid, Money’s to tight”.… Mick was vocally at his best the band tight and sounding great. A Farewell night that we will be lucky to relive with the Live DVD. Thanks Mick for a fantastic 25 years. Come back again with your Hucknall project please.
Just in from concert…thank you Michael,Excellent,more fun and you and band were perfect,we are so lucky to have been able to be in your journey 25 years.Good luck.Love Carol.x.
Tuesday 12th October here at last,we are ready and will have a real good time,Michael look foward to the evening..and will buy the DVD when it comes out,love to all and Simply Red have to thank you for 25years of fun.x.