Jim Kerr to Simple Minds fans: ‘We still need to have a lot more people’ at New York show

This summer, after Simple Minds announced the band’s first North American tour in 11 years, frontman Jim Kerr made a somewhat unusual request of his fans: He publicly urged them to buy tickets to this month’s seven concerts, saying the group was testing the waters for possible future tours, but that they wouldn’t happen without good turnout this time.

Now that Simple Minds are midway through that tour, Kerr’s making the plea again.

This time he’s urging fans to attend the final show at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom on Thursday, noting that the reportedly soon-to-close venue may be a bit too big for the band: “Uh… maybe with a capacity of 3,300, that was a little adventurous, or putting it frankly, we still need to have a lot more people to turn up in order to make the kind of red hot atmosphere we all would want to ensure a great last night in North America — and a great way to end this fantastic series of dates.”

Kerr said the other dates sold well, helping “secure the possibility of many return visits in the future.”

The fall North American concerts — which include remaining dates tonight in Montreal and Tuesday in Toronto ahead of the New York show — are Simple Minds’ first since a 16-date trek in the summer of 2002 in support of that year’s Cry album. The band just wrapped an extensive U.K. tour, and also is scheduled to play a U.K. arena run this November with support from Ultravox.

Read Kerr’s full statement below as posted on Facebook this weekend:

NEW YORK CITY/ROSELAND BALLROOM 24th OCT

Is this a rallying call? Yes it is. Let me explain!

When these current dates were first announced back in early summer, I explained that after such along absence from North America we really needed our supporters here to “come out” to these gigs and show the local promoters that “there is an audience for SM” in this part of the world – and in doing so secure the possibility of many return visits in the future. Well, our fans here have done that and we thank all of you immensely.

However, re Thursday’s upcoming show in NYC. Uh….maybe with a capacity of 3,300, that was a little adventurous, or putting it frankly, we still need to have a lot more people to turn up in order to make the kind of red hot atmosphere we all would want to ensure a great last night in North America – and a great way to end this fantastic series of dates.

Therefore if any of your friends “are thinking of coming down”, try and get them to seal the deal and come down. We want as many as poss to witness Sara Brown and all of Simple Minds in this current form. In the meantime re everyone already with tickets to Roseland, including those who are traveling from far and wide. THANK YOU! See you there. JK

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS

• Jim Kerr to Simple Minds’ U.S. fans: Come see us this fall if you ever want us to come back
• Simple Minds announce rare, 7-date North American tour — first in 11 years
• Simple Minds add 2nd U.S. show as they bring ‘Greatest Hits+’ tour to North America
• Simple Minds to play New York City this October — first U.S. concert in a decade
• Simple Minds reveal tracklists for ‘Celebrate — Greatest Hits+’ double-, triple-disc best-ofs