British music icons Simply Red have announced they’ll be playing a huge outdoor Cardiff show this Summer, bringing their tour to Cardiff Bay’s Alexandra Head on Thursday 21st July. Fans can expect all the hits including “If You Don’t Know Me by Now”, “Stars”, “Holding Back the Years”, “Fairground” & many more when Simply Red come to The Bay, Cardiff on Thursday 21st July 2022. Tickets go on general sale Friday 28th January at 10am via AXS.com.

Simply Red have sold over 60 million albums worldwide, five of which reached number one in the U.K. as well as, having more than one billion views on YouTube. Their 1991 classic Stars was the best-selling album for two years running in Britain and Europe. They achieved international success with Holding back the Years and If you Don’t Know Me Know topping the US billboard charts. Hucknall has been the songwriter and bandleader since the beginning in 1985, aided since 1986 by long-serving saxophonist Ian Kirkham. The current line-up of Simply Red has remained consistent since 2003.

Their most recent album, Blue Eyed Soul is the sound of Simply Red firing on all cylinders, It’s the rawest, funkiest, dirtiest, brassiest and most purely 100 percent soulful concoction of their stellar career. “At this stage of my career, I could do one of these dark reflective albums looking back on my life and all that kind of stuff that people tend to do at a certain age. But I thought sod that. I wanted to make something punchy. I want to have a good time. I’m not saying its my last album, because I’ve got no thoughts of stopping. But when I go out, I want to go out with a bang.”

After 40 years of making records (with punk band The Frantic Elevators, solo and various line ups of Simply Red) Hucknall wanted to create something tailored to the core strength of his fantastic band. “I asked myself, what would these guys really like to play, night after night? I want them to enjoy playing, for crowds to get up and move around, and everybody to put their heart into it. It’s all about capturing the groove.” And Hucknall was thinking about his remarkable voice. “I wanted to push my voice a little harder, challenge it a little bit, give myself something to really sing to.” Hucknall has long since established himself as one of the great vocalists of contemporary music, with a raw honey and whiskey tone, and a sinuous flow that can shift from the tender sensuality to full on roaring power in a heartbeat. At 59, it is all still there. “It’s deepened a little bit but I’ve kept the high end, so I can still hit those notes. Singing is pure pleasure to me.”