Simple Minds tribute is Alive and Kicking

Alive and Kicking UK will be on stage at the Rothes Halls on Friday, February 23.

Based in the Midlands of England, the band are excited to be heading up to Scotland to perform all the greatest hits and fan favourites.

The band’s origins go back to 2010 when drummer Antonio Zollino and keyboard player Paul Anderson put adverts in music shops and rehearsal rooms around Birmingham looking for a ‘Jim Kerr’ and ‘Charlie Burchill’.

Auditions followed shortly afterwards, with hopeful vocalists, guitarists and bass players belting out hits such as Don’t You Forget About Me, Alive and Kicking, and Someone, Somewhere in Summertime.

The line-up was finally put together, and when they began performing live, it quickly became apparent that they were really on to something.

As a lifelong fan of Charlie Burchill, Simon Fraser Clark on lead guitar prides himself on perfecting every song.

Meanwhile, Craig Westwood mirrors the masterful bass lines of Derek Forbes, as well as having a superb voice that takes care of the ‘Once Upon A Time’ era.

Neil Yates – as Jim Kerr – is a sight to see. He displays the same energy and mimicks many of Kerr’s stage moves from the heady days in the 1980s when Simple Minds were one of the biggest musical forces in the world.

Neil actually got to meet to his hero at Virgin Radio a few years back, but ended up completely tongue tied– and had regretted the awkward silence ever since!

The band have been playing live at music venues and festivals across Europe for the last eight years, including events in Holland, Belguim, Germany and Spain.

Their biggest show to date was in the Spanish city of Valencia, where they performed an outdoor gig in front of 5000 people.

You can check out Alive and Kicking UK at www.simplemindstribute.com and Facebook @aliveandkickinguk. They can also be seen on their Alive and Kicking UK YouTube channel.

Tickets for the the Rothes Halls gig are available at www.onfife.com.