Simple Minds to release ‘Celebrate’ best-of in March, embark on 28-date U.K. tour

After focusing much of this year on performing cuts from the band’s first five albums, Simple Minds next March will release a new best-of collection — featuring two new songs —and then embark on a huge, 28-date greatest-hits tour of the U.K. featuring a career-spanning, two-set show with no opening acts.

The new collection, dubbed Celebrate: The Greatest Hits+, is due out in March on Virgin Records. The band has not yet revealed the tracklist, and it’s not clear whether the new collection is the “more alternative” best-of set the band talked about in late 2010.

As for the tour, the band will set out March 28 in Belfast and play across the U.K. through May 4. Tickets go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Friday, but a special pre-sale for SimpleMinds.com subscribers began today.

Of the outing, frontman Jim Kerr says on the band’s website:

“When we started Simple Minds our objective was to be considered as one of the great live bands. A band that had the desire to go all around the world — playing everywhere and anywhere. That challenge is ongoing and we will relish touring all over the U.K. next Spring, getting up close to so many who have supported us over the last three decades and more.”

First, though, Simple Minds will embark on a rare Australian tour in late November and December with Devo and The Church sharing the bill.

Simple Minds Greatest Hts Tour:

March 28: Waterfront, Belfast, UK
March 29: Sands Centre, Carlisle, UK
March 31: City Hall, Newcastle, UK
April 1: Music Hall, Aberdeen, UK
April 2: Caird Hall, Dundee, UK
April 4: Cymru Arena, Llandudno, UK
April 5: De Montfort Hall, Leicester, UK
April 6: Civil Hall, Wolverhampton, UK
April 8: Dome, Brighton, UK
April 9: Pavilions, Plymouth, UK
April 11: Engine Shed, Lincoln, UK
April 12: Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, UK
April 13: 02 Academy, Leeds, UK
April 15: 02 Academy, Bournemouth, UK
April 16: Winter Gardens, Margate, UK
April 17: Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, UK
April 19: Opera House, Blackpool, UK
April 20: Empire, Liverpool, UK
April 22: Corn Exchange, Cambridge, UK
April 23: G Live, Guildford, UK
April 25: Hexagon, Reading, UK
April 26: City Hall, Sheffield, UK
April 27: City Hall, Hull, UK
April 29: Colston Hall, Bristol, UK
April 30: Guildhall, Portsmouth, UK
May 2: New Theatre, Oxford, UK
May 3: UEA, Norwich, UK
May 4: Regent, Ipswich, UK

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS

• Simple Minds detail ‘5X5 Live’ album featuring songs originally recorded from 1979-1982
• Simple Minds’ Jim Kerr reflects on 30th anniversary of ‘New Gold Dream’
• Simple Minds enlists Devo, The Church for tour of Australia, New Zealand later this year
• Tracklist revealed for Simple Minds ‘x5’ box set featuring band’s first five albums
• Simple Minds announce ‘5X5 Live’ European tour, box set featuring first 5 albums