Simply Red. Coming soon to Tel Aviv
Simply Red to peform in Israel this summer
More than 20 years after playing Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, English soul and pop group will perform at the Menorah Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv on June 14. 'I still remember fondly the amazing crowd we met there,' says lead singer Mick Hucknall.
English soul and pop group Simply Red will arrive in Israel this summer to play one concert at the Menorah Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv on June 14.
Redheaded Hucknall then founded a group called Red, which later adopted the name Simply Red due to a misunderstanding with the manager of a local venue, who referred to the band as Simply Red in posters printed for its performance.
The band was founded in 1985 and peaked in the 1990s, mostly thanks to the hit "Stars." The upcoming Israel show will be part of its 30th anniversary reunion tour and in order to promote the album "Big Love," which was released in May.
Tickets will be offered at a starting price of NIS 250 (about $65), depending on seat location.
Simply Red lead singer Mick Hucknall. 'We are very excited to be coming back' (Photo: Getty Images)
Simply red's originally dates back to the mid 1970s, when Mick Hucknall started a punk group called The Frantic Elevators during a Sex Pistols gig. The band ran for seven years before ending its activity in 1984.
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The group's debut album "Picture Book," produced two major hits - "Holding Back the Years" and "Money's Too Tight to Mention" - which gained international success.
After a few years of low-charting singles and two albums which were not very successful, the band's career peaked in 1991 when it released the album "Stars" in 1991 and adopted a more mainstream popular sound. The band gained significant exposure thanks to the album, which was a huge success in Israel too, as were the songs "Something Got Me Started" and "For Your Babies."
Two years later, Simply Red returned with the album "Life" with the dance-influence track "Fairground," which went on to become a massive radio hit.
Towards the end of the 1990s, the band experienced many structural changes, and Simply Red essentially became a trade name for Hucknall and a group of session musicians, who would vary from song to song. In the first decade of the 21st century, the band continued to perform and record albums, but received less exposure than before.
In 2009, Hucknall announced his decision to end Simply Red's activity, and the band played its final concert at the O2 Arena in London on December 19, 2010.
In November 2014, the band unexpectedly announced that it would reunite for a 30th anniversary tour, and later released a new album called "Big Love."
This will be Simply Red's second visit to Israel. The group previously performed at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park and Jerusalem's Sultan Pool in 1992.
“It’s been 20 years since we played Israel, and I still remember fondly the amazing crowd we met there,” Hucknall said this week. “We are very excited to be coming back there after all these years and are looking forward to seeing all of you in June."
Simply Red is being brought to Israel by producer Shuki Weiss, who was responsible for the arrival of international artists such as Chris Cornell, Alicia Keys, Red Hot Chili Peppers and others.
Raz Shechnik contributed to this report.
