‘We’ve made it. We’re still alive!” begins Mick Hucknall. He’s obviously talking about the pandemic – more sombrely dedicating the gig to “all those who didn’t make it”. However, he could be describing the 37 years in which he’s been through some 20-odd band members, womanising, alcoholism and a brief band split to emerge as a happily married 61-year-old who radiates warmth and contentment. Despite selling 50m albums, it’s years since Simply Red’s pop-soul was contractually obliged to blare from every wine bar and taxi in the country, although you’d never know it from the sea of middle-aged couples swaying along and marvelling at the Huck’s timelessly honeyed chops.
After six years off the road, his famous hair hasn’t gone simply grey but the introductions are as rusty as the barnet. The Huck announces wrong songs (“Er, this isn’t For Your Babies”), shouts “Let’s go back to 1988! Er… 1985!” and introduces Gregory Isaacs’ lovers rock classic Night Nurse as “Sort yer cold out.” Such endearing off-piste moments are welcome in Simply Red’s otherwise succession of machine-polished smashers, in which the newest song dates from 2007.
