Live in the City of Light


Live in the City of Light is the first live album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds. It was released in May 1987 to document their successful worldwide Once Upon a Time tour, and charted at No. 1 in the UK. The album spawned one chart single release, a live version of "Promised You a Miracle".

Overview

The album was recorded live mainly on 12 & 13 August 1986 at Le Zénith, Paris, France, on the last dates of the Once Upon a Time world tour, with only the track "Someone, Somewhere In Summertime" recorded in late October 1986 at Sydney Entertainment Centre in Sydney, Australia. It features the band's 1986 touring lineup, which included second vocalist Robin Clark and percussionist Sue Hadjopoulos. Additional "fixing and mixing" was done at Castle Sound Studios in Edinburgh and Bearsville Studios in Bearsville, New York. Lisa Germano, contributed studio-overdubbed violin on "Someone Somewhere in Summertime" and former Simple Minds member Derek Forbes contributed uncredited bass guitar overdubs.

Album cover

Although the album was not recorded there, the inside of the gatefold sleeve curiously features a photograph taken at another show from the same Once Upon A Time tour: on 9 July 1986 at Piazza Grande, a square in Locarno, Switzerland.

Release details

Live in the City of Light was released as a double vinyl album with the band's logo in gold lettering over black sleeve. The package featured a 12" x 12" attached giant-sized booklet with state-of-the-art photography of the band's performance and outdoor session pictures. This art could not be reproduced faithfully on later CD releases.

Track listing

All tracks recorded live on 12 & 13 August 1986 at Le Zénith, Paris, France except "Someone, Somewhere In Summertime" recorded live on 24 October 1986 at the Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia.

Complete setlist of the shows on 12 & 13 August 1986 in Paris, France

Source
  1. Intro / Waterfront
  2. Speed Your Love To Me
  3. Come A Long Way
  4. Book Of Brilliant Things
  5. Ghost Dancing
  6. Don't You
  7. Big Sleep
  8. Promised You A Miracle
  9. Hunter And The Hunted
  10. Once Upon A Time
  11. Oh Jungleland
  12. All The Things She Said
  13. Alive And Kicking
  14. New Gold Dream
  15. Someone Somewhere
  16. Sanctify Yourself
  17. East At Easter
  18. '''Medley: Love Song / Sun City / Thank You / Dance To The Music'''

Personnel

Adapted from the album's liner notes.
; Simple Minds
;Additional personnel
;Technical
  • Bruce Lampcov – producer, mixing
  • Steve Riddle – engineer
  • Douglas Cowan – computer work
  • Callum Malcolm – assistant engineer
  • Tom Cadley – assistant engineer
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Malcolm Garrett – sleeve
  • Guido Harari – photography
  • William F. Ryan – "Claddagh" drawing
  • Mick Haggerty – original Simple Minds logo

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart Peak
position
Greek Albums 3

Year-end charts

Chart Position
UK Albums 22