We review Simply Red at Dreamland Margate with The Brand New Heavies in support
Published: 16:38, 13 August 2022
Updated: 17:30, 13 August 2022
It was a sell out gig and there was a good reason for that...The legends that are Simply Red.
The band, fronted by singer Mick Hucknall, were top of the bill at the Dreamland complex in Margate last night and what an atmosphere there was in the venue.
As we all soaked up the sun waiting for the them to appear as the The Brand New Heavies got the party started.
I say that with meaning as they really did get crowd in the mood, but the party had already started as soon as music fans walked through the gates to the iconic site.
Everyone was in a good mood and had beaming smiles on their faces.
I was lucky enough to go there in July to see Paul Weller and waxed lyrical then about what a fabulous venue it is for a gig, it's intimate but a wonderful place to join thousands of others enjoying good live music.
The Brand New Heavies are an acid jazz and funk group formed in 1985 in Ealing in west London and certainly got people dancing around the site specially when they performed Never Stop.
We all basked in the glorious sunshine throughout the evening as the weather was just fabulous.
As the night drew in, the anticipation of Mick Hucknall and Simply Red coming on stage to belt out hit tracks like Holding Back the Years, Stars, It’s Only Love and more, saw the crowds get excited.
Mick and his band who formed in Manchester in 1985, got on stage at about 9.15pm and they didn't disappoint as they performed all their smash hits including single Money's Too Tight To Mention, Something Got Me Started and a whole load more.
The audience were singing every song and spent an hour and 45 minutes dancing around the site to their hit tracks.
I was lucky enough to be in the VIP area above the general admission area and it's a wonder seeing thousands of people having a brilliant time.
The band have sold more than 60m albums worldwide, have had five UK No.1 albums and more than a billion views on YouTube and they still excite the crowds from the moment they get on stage.
And the last song the band performed before the gig ended had to be, If You Don't Know Me by Now, which saw music fans in the venue got home signing the hit as they all left the site very happy.
There are a series of of concerts being held at the venue over the summer including Craig David and Tom Grennan.
To get your hands on tickets and to find out more click here.
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Lynn Cox