Simply Red live in Manchester a Soul-Pop Victory Lap
- Desh Kapur
- Sep 29
- 2 min read
Simply Red - Co-Op Live, Manchester | Saturday 27 September 2025
WORDS HARRY K / IMAGES PHIL WRIGHT
For a band that’s been rolling for four decades, Simply Red still know how to pack a punch — even if that punch is dressed in a velvet glove and served with a glass of red wine. At Co-Op Live, Mick Hucknall and co delivered a slick, soulful masterclass, proving that legacy doesn’t have to mean nostalgia overload — and that some classics still cut through like they did in ’85.
Celebrating 40 years since the band’s debut Picture Book, this set leaned into the hits (of which there are many), but also felt lived-in, comfortable, and surprisingly fresh. Hucknall, now 65, isn’t trying to be anything other than himself — a seasoned, self-aware frontman who can still sell heartbreak and euphoria with a raised eyebrow and a honeyed falsetto.
The band opened strong with Sad Old Red, Jericho and Money’s Too Tight (To Mention), setting the tone with tight grooves and brass lines so clean you could eat off them. Hucknall’s vocals? Still golden. Not quite the powerhouse they once were, but effortlessly expressive, and smartly paced across the night.
All the emotional gut punches were rolled out, Holding Back the Years, For Your Babies, If You Don’t Know Me By Now. Songs that, in lesser hands, could tip into self-parody — here, they landed with grace and weight. The crowd knew every word, every pause, and sang them back like prayers.
Still, this wasn’t all slow jams and soft-focus lighting. Stars and Fairground got the place moving, with arms waving and hips swaying in nostalgic sync. There was real joy here — the kind that only comes from knowing you’re hearing songs that soundtracked people’s first loves, breakups, and long drives home.
Musically, the band were razor-sharp: no wasted motion, no showboating, just expert-level soul-pop craftsmanship. The horns blared, the bass bounced, the harmonies soared. These aren’t session players phoning it in — they’re a band who still give a damn.
It wasn’t perfect. the momentum dipped slightly mid-set. But with 40 years of material to pull from, you can’t blame them for leaning on the gold.
When the encore rolled in, Holding Back The Years stopped the room. People swayed, phones lit up the dark, and Hucknall stood there — a little older, a little greyer, but still in full command. This wasn’t just a gig. It was a love letter.
Four decades in, Simply Red still know exactly who they are — and they’ve never sounded more at home in their own skin. A class act from start to finish.
Set List
Sad Old Red
Jericho
Money's Too Tight (To Mention)
(The Valentine Brothers cover)
The Right Thing
A New Flame
It's Only Love Doing Its Thing
(Barry White cover)
You've Got It
Enough
If You Don't Know Me by Now
(Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes cover)
For Your Babies
Stars
Thrill Me
Never Never Love
So Beautiful
Say You Love Me
The Air That I Breathe
(Albert Hammond cover)
You Make Me Feel Brand New
(The Stylistics cover)
Fake
Sunrise
Fairground
Something Got Me Started
Holding Back The Years
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