03 July 2025 (gig)
04 July 2025
Simple Minds are undoubtedly one of the bands to define the 80s era.
Their classic Synth-Rock sound catapulted them to chart success with 24 Top 40 hits, eight Top 10s, including their no 1 track Belfast Child, all of which gained them a loyal fan base.
Having always loved their music, we were excited to finally see Simple Minds perform live, and we weren’t disappointed.
From the moment the iconic opening bars of Waterfront played, we knew we were in for a treat.
Jim Kerr’s voice is as powerful as it was back in the 80s, and this is matched by his energy, as he danced with a passion which showed a real love for his fans and for performing.
From the sublime Someone, Somewhere in Summertime to the classic Promised You A Miracle, All the Things She Said and See the Lights, the crowd were lapping up the nostalgia on this beautiful summer’s evening.
A stand-out moment for fans was the unforgettable soundtrack to iconic 80s movie The Breakfast Club, their 1985 UK No 8 hit, Don’t You (Forget About Me). This pivotal song reached number one in the States and was memorably performed by the band at Live Aid in Philadelphia the same year.
Special mention must go to the two female members of the band, Cherisse Osei, for her knock-out drum solo and Sarah Brown for her powerful vocals on the penultimate encore song Book of Brilliant Things.
Just days before his 65th birthday, Jim was running back and forth across the stage, at one point mingling with fans at the barrier, clearly making the most of every second at the Bedford Summer Sessions event.
During the opening bars of the final song, Alive and Kicking, Jim told the crowd: “To every one of you, thanks for being a great audience, thanks for letting us come and play for you, it’s been our pleasure. Thanks for coming to see Simple Minds!”
Playing on the Bedford stage before Simple Minds was the magnificent Alison Moyet, who has sold over two million singles and 23 million albums.
One of the biggest female voices of the 80s, Alison formed part of the synth-pop duo Yazoo with Vince Clark, before going solo in 1983.
She came back on the music scene recently with a sell-out tour, and a new album Key, from which she treated the crowd to one of her new tracks Such Small Ale, demonstrating Alison’s incredible lyrical poetry.
Having seen Alison perform live back in 1990, it was great to once again meet up with her on the next step of her musical journey.
Hearing songs like the Yazoo classics Don’t Go, Only You and Nobody’s Diary took us right back to the early 80s, as did her solo hits All Cried Out and Love Resurrection. Such an amazing artist who exudes enigmatic class, proving just why she won all those Brit Awards and accolades back in the 80s and beyond.
K T Tunstall got the crowd warmed up with her rocky guitar vibe, bantering with both the audience and her band which features Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows. She delivered a slick set that included her hit singles including Suddenly I See and Other Side of The World.
For fans, the Glittering Prize of this Bedfordshire Summer Session was undoubtedly the music, helped along with a welcome dose of evening sunshine.
If you want to make the most of these long summer nights (while they last), check out the rest of these great summer sessions - www.smmrsessions.com
