Getting’ Ready For The Big Freeze

Getting’ Ready For The Big Freeze

The old town, with it’s cobbled streets and antique white buildings, loom large in my lasting memory of Riga. However my biggest memory concerns the overwhelming pain I endured whilst suffering the worst toothache imaginable. Well, such is the way while on tour where all manner of unforeseen events can and do happen, and the maxim that ” The show must go on” is an operational law understood and appreciated by all.
And the show did go on of course. In fact during the hour and a half on stage, the live adrenalin thankfully kicked in, as it always does, and the pain most thankfully subsided. Afterwards was a truly long night nevertheless, featuring mouthfuls of clove, and a seemingly never-ending coach ride to another Baltic destination. (Incidentally it is no old wives tale, the numbing effect of the aromatic spice really does help in that situation. As a result I live to tell the tale. So does the dentist I have employed ever since. He lives very well I’d imagine, judging by his fees that are in a way more painful to endure than toothache itself.)
In any case, I am sure we will all be in form when we turn up in Riga next weekend to begin what will be a racey next 6 weeks of touring. It’ll be fun for sure, playing gigs always is. That apart, we’ll be working on keeping things fresh by adding songs not featured in the recent October/November shows.
If not enough in itself, I am sure that by the end of these dates we will have added at least a couple of brand new songs to the live set. No doubt we will be including “Big Music” – the new tune that dipped it’s toe in the water, during the encore sequence at The Hydro in Glasgow. Meanwhile, never the type to sit around doing nothing, Charlie Burchill has been working on a version of Patti Smith’s “Dancing Barefoot”, that is sounding so good, it is destined to feature at some point soon.
Adding new songs to the setlist, as we have done over the last few years ( Stagefright, Neon Lights, Broken Glass Park, Blood Diamonds, Let The Day Begin, Big Music) is our way of revitalising our voluminous story. A story incidentally, that is well on the way to having a whole new chapter written. By this I refer to an album of new Simple Minds songs that as already mentioned in a previous post, is excitingly due for release later this year.
On the subject of keeping it fresh. The winter weather that awaits us ( and even more so our hard working roadcrew) out on the road over these weeks ahead will be fresh to say the least. Particularly so in places like Riga, Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen. No problem though.
Simple Minds always get a fiercely warm welcome in these places and we look forward to re connecting with our fans in all of those proud cities. Many of whom have been supporting our band from the early days, as well as many who are newer but already keen Minds supporters.
We appreciate that support, we owe you all a great show in return, and we will be doing our best to make sure that is exactly what materialises.
See you out there, somewhere hopefully!
Jim Kerr
pic Vincent Barker