Simple Minds & The B52’s
14th February 2017
Vector Arena, Auckland, New Zealand
Review by Kate Taylor. Photography by Mike Thornton.
On the approach to Vector Arena on a loved-up Valentine’s Day evening I could spot immediately that my Valentine and I would be bringing down the median age of the crowd, as excitable baby boomers embraced and fizzed with each other outside about how great the performance tonight would be. On entering the espresso and Drakkar Noir scented Vector and snatching up my seats, it was buoying to see that the venue was packed out on a Tuesday night, giving hope to the idea that Auckland can sustain gig after gig with punters a plenty to enjoy them.
A brief wait for Simple Minds was accompanied by sweet tracks from Bowie, The Stones, The Stranglers and even MC Hammer; which the assembled ate up like a nostalgia sundae and vibed in anticipation of Simple Minds taking stage. Then as the house lights dimmed and we all joined the time travel reverie, we were transported back to 1981…and it was bliss. James ‘Jim to his mates’ Kerr embraced us saying “we’re a long way from home, but we always feel at home in NZ. We are from Glasgow, we are Simple Minds” which was obviously met with rapturous applause. Let me tell ya, Jim can still move around that stage like a man possessed by the sheer new wave deliciousness that his band kicks out; putting men a quarter of his age to shame with the way he shimmys, gets down to the crowd level with a semi-splits move or by taking a casual seat on a fold back to get intimate.
Constantly asking if the crowd was ok out there and also asking if anyone in the throng tonight was in attendance at their 1981 visit, a few excited whoops went up and the night of reverie continued. Enveloped by blades of light emitting from the stage we were bathed in 80s synth gorgeousness, it did give opportunity to spot some of the most uncoordinated white person dancing I’ve ever seen in my life. Yet the emotion and release was pure joy from all assembled and was such that if you didn’t get caught up in it too, then you must need your pulse checked. When a band knows their catalogue so well that the synaesthesia of their movements punctuates the night air as Simple Minds did, you feel as if you’re inside a live performance film of their work but without any of the cheesy, self-important atmosphere that you might expect to go along with it. Cranking through their set, we were treated to a cavalcade of treasured tunes in wonderful vignettes as the lights plunged us into sweet, sweet darkness after each track: Love Song, Someone Somewhere (In Summertime), Once Upon a Time, New Gold Dream, Promised You a Miracle, Glittering Prize and Sanctify Yourself which went off…with many hands raised to the ceiling in superb appreciation of these Glasgow boys made good. Unleashing into a searing version of Don’t You Forget About Me, Jim and Co. extended it out to a bit of a new wave free jam; as Jim cooed to the crowd “As tonight is Valentine’s I want you to sing to me in French” as the crowd La-la-la-la-la’ed along “ooh Auckland is bilingual” chuckled Jim as he took their beloved track home to the end but not before Jim murmured “let’s take it down, so it’s like I’m whispering in your ear” for the last round of chorus – ooh Jim you saucy bugger. Delving us into darkness once more and a quick shirt change, Simple Minds emerged with an encore which contained a triumphant burl through Alive and Kicking that had everyone singing along. As Simple Minds said their goodbyes and waved to the crowd; Jim who was clearly holding my attention most, blew kisses to the crowd and sang along lustily to the strains of Bowie’s Gene Genie as he pressed his hands together in thanks to the gathered for the spiritual evening that has elapsed between us.
After a quick and efficient gear swap; as a roadie I’m sure you’ve just gotta love wheeling an entire stage of stuff out the back to the belly of the Vector beast; we were ready and waiting for The B52’s. Although playing a slightly shorter set than Simple Minds, The B52’s were sharing their to-the-day- 40th anniversary with us; getting their start in Athens, Georgia which fun fact: is also the hometown of alt-rockers R.E.M. Launching into Cosmic Thing there was definitely an art punk vibe that swelled within the venue as punters shook and jiggled along. Before hurling into Mesopotamia, Fred Schneider engaged the audience saying, “well forty years ago today we had our first performance. Well we played four songs twice and we were all six years old” which brought the giggles as well. Kate Pierson was absolutely smashing it, hitting all those notes that we’ve come to love so well and dancing up a storm with Fred as Cindy Wilson got serious with a bongo drum solo; and all included on stage finished up with a couple bars of Prince’s Raspberry Beret. None of us just knew what happened, but we all thought it was awesome that’s for sure. Absolute pioneers of their craft, watching them slay this Vector crowd hit home for me, that The B52’s are in fact the originators of Horror Pop, Art Punk and thank goodness that forty years ago these crazy kids were unafraid to sing about science, sex, nature and geology giving substance to rockabilly tinged punk rock and giving a space for the marginalised to dance and be free.
Songs I clocked during the set were the uber sexy Hot Lava, an enthusiastically unhinged Private Idaho and a transcendent rip through Roam. Kate Pierson got personal before introducing Deadbeat Club stating that “at a house party in Georgia we crashed, this was us, we were the Deadbeat Club for sure”. As Cindy and Kate’s beautiful harmonies intermingled and finished, that little firecracker Kate thanked us and Simple Minds and wished us a Happy Valentine’s which I’m sure was a special moment for all the guys and gals that Kate was a personal pin-up for. A creepy static interlude threw us into a crunchy and angry rendition of Channel Z; which Fred blurted “I’m sick of climate change deniers” during the crescendo and was met with hearty applause there too. As Kate called out to the crowd “alright shake your booties now, cause this is another dance song” we were treated to Dance This Mess Around and all complied with their instructions to jiggle their bits. Followed by an absolutely huge version of Love Shack the entire place was on their feet, clapping, hooting and hollering and collapsing spent, we waved farewell to these strange and wonderful humans to which Fred’s parting shot was “If our president calls, don’t answer!”
It was our turn to call out for an encore and The B52’s and their kick-ass band obliged with Planet Claire and a stonking version of Rock Lobster which Fred and the gals, self-confessed nature nuts, dedicated to all the Aucks at Auckland Beach; and with a sideways look from Kate to Fred they kicked off and rocked us one more time; leaving this venue touched by these crazy sci-fi wonderland dwellers having woven an evening of weird and kooky stories for all.
Were you there at the Vector Arena to witness this nostalgic show? Or have you seen Simple Minds or The B52’s somewhere else? Tell me about it in the comments below!