Simple Minds
Up All Night (2lp)
'Sparkle In The Rain,' the sixth studio album by Simple Minds, was released 6 February 1984. A breakthrough commercial success for the band, the record peaked at number 1 in the UK Albums Chart and reached the top 20 in New Zealand, Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, and Australia. Receiving positive reviews in the United Kingdom and the United States, 'Sparkle In The Rain' was ultimately certified double platinum in the UK by the British Phonographic Industry, and significantly increased media interest in the band. In the wake of the new album, Simple Minds went out on tour - labelled the Tour De Monde - which, between May 25th and June 19th, visited the United States. Their first show was in NYC, followed by a gig in DC, but on 27th of the month, the group played at The Up All Night venue in Irvington, New Jersey, where they put on one of the very best shows of the whole tour. Recorded by local radio, the entire concert was broadcast along the East Coast, and streamed too across the country. Performing a healthy selection of cuts from the new record alongside a bunch of Simple Minds classics from their back catalogue, the crowd were in ecstasy, despite the guys being still relatively unknown Stateside.