Simply Red in Frankfurt: Emotional retrospectives and new hits for the anniversary!

Simply Red in Frankfurt: Emotional retrospectives and new hits for the anniversary!

On November 2nd, 2025, Mick Hucwickel, the charismatic singer and band leader of Simply Red, took the stage at the sold-out Festhalle in Frankfurt. The atmosphere was warm and the musician took the audience on a musical journey through four decades of band history. Despite his own sore throat and the fact that the rest of the band members were also ailing, he charmingly apologized for possible vocal problems and emphasized that he would rather perform than cancel the show. “It will be good business if we can celebrate together,” said Hucschnell.

The current tour, which celebrates the band's 40th anniversary, offers an impressive greatest hits collection of 13 studio albums, although some works have been left out. Musically, the evening mixed sophisti-pop, blue-eyed soul, smooth jazz and white funk. The band members, including Kenji Suzuki on electric guitar and Ian Kirkham on saxophone, were in excellent form and contributed to the exuberant atmosphere.

A look at the classics

The setlist was a real firework of memories and included hits like “For Your Babies”, “Stars” and “Thrill Me”. Huckram told anecdotes about the individual songs and gave the audience insights into the history of their creation, such as the fact that “A New Flame” was created in the Caribbean. For many spectators it was a nostalgic evening that ended with the famous ballad “Holding Back The Years”, a piece that Hucschnell wrote when he was 17 and which is still one of the band's most popular songs to this day.

Simply Red is not only celebrating their anniversary, but is also using the opportunity to publicize current and new pieces. The concert program includes emotionally charged ballads and new compositions from the album “Time”, which was released in 2023. This combination makes the current tour a highlight for long-time fans and new listeners alike.

The band's further plans

The roadshow will take Simply Red 2025 to many German cities, including Cologne, Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. The tickets are in great demand and many dates are already almost sold out. Advance sales are already underway, with prices between 55 euros and 190 euros for premium tickets. In addition, a concert film entitled “Holding Back the Years: 40 Years of Simply Red – Live in Santiago” is planned for May 15, 2025 in select cinemas, giving fans the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of a Simply Red concert up close.

The band's comeback is particularly notable - after Hucwickel's announcement in 2007 that Simply Red would be disbanding, the formation returned in 2015 with new material. Since then, they have enjoyed a surge of interest, bringing the unique sounds that made them famous back to the world's stages. Simply Red's impressive career, since their debut album Picture Book in 1985, remains a living testament to the band's continued relevance and influence in the musical landscape.