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live in the city of angels : information

    "Live In The City Of Angels is the spiritual sequel to our first live album Live In The City Of Lights. We sincerely hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it." - Jim, 25th August 2018


  • "The title itself is a riff or play on our very first live album, which came out in 1987, and which was called Live In The City Of Light, because it was recorded in Paris. I remember that night and we felt there was magic in the air, it was a particular tour and we wanted to get it down. Through the years and at different times as the band has evolved through different line-ups, different arrangements, we try and take a souvenir of where we are at that moment of time as a live band. And there was magic in the air last year because the tour that the album came from was our first coast-to-coast American tour for decades. So we were excited about that. There was a bit of trepidation prior because we thought "Does anyone remember us?" It had been a long, long time. We were glad to see tickets sold out well in advance, and we had to go out and prove ourselves. First of all, they were welcoming us like heroes, or long lost friends rather. And that makes you really want to deliver. And as the tour went on, we thought "We should really try to capture this. We really should." - Jim, Interview with Matt Everitt, BBC Radio Six, 20th August 2019


  • "It was a spontaneous decision and a bit of an old school decision as well because one might say the idea of live albums, in general, don't have the currency that they once had back in the day. Because now with YouTube and all that stuff you could say there is live stuff everywhere so what's the point? The real thing was the element of surprise started with the tour itself, because we haven't done a coast to coast tour in America for well over a decade and the reason we hadn't done it for that long was when we were last there, it looked like it had gone – there didn't seem to be that much demand for the band. So to get a chance to go back again, we thought, "This will be interesting, let's see how it goes." And the tour virtually sold out coast to coast and thirty-one dates. On that last week, it might have been absence making the heart fonder because every night was bedlam and we wanted to capture that."

  • "As well as the fact that with Simple Minds there is always a development with the band, especially when we play live with different line ups and different arrangements and all that - it was just time to capture it and it's obviously very much a fans thing; it's a hardcore thing. People said, "Shall we film it as an in-concert video?" And we said, "No, let's just do it old school style." It's also a nod back to our very first live album Live in the City of Light that we recorded in Paris. At various stages in our career, we have always tried to document the live thing, and we felt it was time again." - Jim, XNoise Interview with Mark Millar, October 2019


  • A souviner of the band's Walk Between Worlds tour was eagerly anticipated, although it took almost a year to be released.

  • The majority of the main album was recorded at the Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles, on the 24th October 2018. The decision to record the album was only made a couple of days previously.

  • Additional material for the main album was recorded at The Fillmore, Miami Beach a couple of weeks later. Glittering Prize was taken from this concert.

  • Other bonus material was recorded at various concerts and soundchecks from the tour. This was intended for a 40 track limited edition release, which coincided with the band's 40th anniversary.

  • It was originally intended to release the album in early 2020. This was mainly due to the availability of pressing plants for the vinyl. However, a slot opened up in late 2019, and so the release of the album was brought forward. (This, and the release of 40: Best Of a month later, pushed Street Fighting Years Super Deluxe into early 2020).

  • It was first announced in August.

  • Promotion started on August 20th with an interview with Matt Everett on BBC Radio Six. The show featured an exclusive first-play of Love Song. The track was digitally released the same day as a preview of the album and some physical promotional CDs were also distributed.

  • An exclusive preview of Don't You (Forget About Me) was unveiled on the 3rd September. Again some physical promotional CDs were distributed.

  • The final preview was the live version of New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) which was issued on the 17th September.
  • It was released on three formats. The standard editions (4LP and 2CD) featured almost the entire sold-out concert from the Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles, which took place on the 24th October 2018. The exception was Glittering Prize which was recorded at The Fillmore, Miami Beach a couple of weeks later.

  • The Deluxe 4CD edition included another 15 tracks, bringing the tally up to 40 songs, a nod to the band's 40th anniversary. This bonus material was recorded during other concerts, rehearsals and sound-checks.

  • The original cover artwork originally featured a shot of Jim looking out over the lights of a city. The rear of the sleeve included a similar shot of Charlie. The design was changed at the last minute to the familar 'winged Claddagh' which further cemented the relationship with Live In The City Of Light. As the original cover was approved, it was sent to various PR agencies, and some websites initially used this alternative image to represent the album.

  • The Simple Minds Shop sold the various formats in packaged bundles, some of which included set-lists signed by Jim and Charlie.



    The set-lists were printed on heavy duty grey card and was more durable than the white A4 sheets normally printed for concerts.

  • Amazon sold a limited edition run of signed standard edition CDs as an exclusive. The front of the booklet was signed by Jim and Charlie.


  • A theatre named after Orpheus, otherwise known as "The Father Of Songs." That connection was hardly lost on us as we entered through the backstage door of the elegant, former vaudeville theatre, now almost a century old. In doing so we would be leaving behind the early afternoon sunshine, typical of downtown Los Angeles, but our priority on Wednesday, October 24th, 2018, was to make thorough preparations for an imagined experience. One that we had decided only days earlier might be worth capturing for the record.

    As fortune would have it, 'The Angels' were with us throughout that day and night in California. Throughout our entire North American tour even? That's an outlandish thought of course. But we have a right to believe in all that we want to believe. While never forgetting even for a second, to say thanks to all who have believed in us and our music over so many years.

    Hope to continue to see you out there somewhere! - Jim



live in the city of angels: quick reference
4xLP    Live In The City Of Angels BMG 538523280
1-1. The Signal And The Noise[Live](5:45)
1-2. Waterfront[Live](5:22)
1-3. Love Song[Live](4:57)

2-1. Let There Be Love[Live](4:33)
2-2. Up On The Catwalk[Live](4:49)
2-3. Sense Of Discovery[Live](5:50)

3-1. Glittering Prize[Live](4:15)
3-2. Promised You A Miracle[Live](4:30)
3-3. The American[Live](4:41)

4-1. Hunter And The Hunted[Live](5:38)
4-2. Stand By Love[Live](4:48)
4-3. Dirty Old Town[Live](4:52)

5-1. Theme For Great Cities[Live](5:05)
5-2. She's A River[Live](3:35)
5-3. Walk Between Worlds[Live](5:51)

6-1. Hypnotised[Live](5:56)
6-2. Someone Somewhere In Summertime[Live](5:32)
6-3. See The Lights[Live](5:52)

7-1. All The Things She Said[Live](4:21)
7-2. Banging On The Door - Dolphins[Live](6:30)
7-3. Don't You (Forget About Me)[Live](6:12)

8-1. New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84)[Live](5:54)
8-2. Once Upon A Time[Live](4:42)
8-3. Alive And Kicking[Live](6:12)
8-4. Sanctify Yourself[Live](5:19)



2xCD    Live In The City Of Angels BMG 538525800
1-1. The Signal And The Noise[Live](5:45)
1-2. Waterfront[Live](5:22)
1-3. Love Song[Live](4:57)
1-4. Let There Be Love[Live](4:33)
1-5. Up On The Catwalk[Live](4:49)
1-6. Sense Of Discovery[Live](5:50)
1-7. Glittering Prize[Live](4:15)
1-8. Promised You A Miracle[Live](4:30)
1-9. The American[Live](4:41)
1-10. Hunter And The Hunted[Live](5:38)
1-11. Stand By Love[Live](4:48)
1-12. Dirty Old Town[Live](4:52)

2-1. Theme For Great Cities[Live](5:05)
2-2. She's A River[Live](3:35)
2-3. Walk Between Worlds[Live](5:51)
2-4. Hypnotised[Live](5:56)
2-5. Someone Somewhere In Summertime[Live](5:32)
2-6. See The Lights[Live](5:52)
2-7. All The Things She Said[Live](4:21)
2-8. Banging On The Door - Dolphins[Live](6:30)
2-9. Don't You (Forget About Me)[Live](6:12)
2-10. New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84)[Live](5:54)
2-11. Once Upon A Time[Live](4:42)
2-12. Alive And Kicking[Live](6:12)
2-13. Sanctify Yourself[Live](5:19)



4xCD    Live In The City Of Angels BMG 538528490
1-1. The Signal And The Noise[Live](5:45)
1-2. Waterfront[Live](5:22)
1-3. Love Song[Live](4:57)
1-4. Let There Be Love[Live](4:33)
1-5. Up On The Catwalk[Live](4:49)
1-6. Sense Of Discovery[Live](5:50)
1-7. Glittering Prize[Live](4:15)
1-8. Promised You A Miracle[Live](4:30)
1-9. The American[Live](4:41)
1-10. Hunter And The Hunted[Live](5:38)
1-11. Stand By Love[Live](4:48)
1-12. Dirty Old Town[Live](4:52)

2-1. Theme For Great Cities[Live](5:05)
2-2. She's A River[Live](3:35)
2-3. Walk Between Worlds[Live](5:51)
2-4. Hypnotised[Live](5:56)
2-5. Someone Somewhere In Summertime[Live](5:32)
2-6. See The Lights[Live](5:52)
2-7. All The Things She Said[Live](4:21)
2-8. Banging On The Door - Dolphins[Live](6:30)
2-9. Don't You (Forget About Me)[Live](6:12)
2-10. New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84)[Live](5:54)
2-11. Once Upon A Time[Live](4:42)
2-12. Alive And Kicking[Live](6:12)
2-13. Sanctify Yourself[Live](5:19)

3-1. Book Of Brilliant Things[Live](7:17)
3-2. I Travel[Live](5:02)
3-3. Blindfolded[Live](5:15)
3-4. Honest Town[Live](4:51)
3-5. In Dreams[Live](4:40)
3-6. Stars Will Lead The Way[Live](4:31)
3-7. Big Sleep[Live](5:18)

4-1. Let The Day Begin[Live](4:48)
4-2. Barrowland Star[Live](6:26)
4-3. Midnight Walking[Live](5:12)
4-4. Summer[Live](5:04)
4-5. Big Music[Live](3:11)
4-6. Celebrate[Live](5:44)
4-7. The Cross[Live](5:13)
4-8. Speed Your Love To Me[Live](3:58)







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Love Song Don't You (Forget About Me)