Red Revival Red Revival

Holding back the years: Simply Red returning to Israel

The British pop band to perform in Tel Aviv, 23 years since last appearance in Jewish state

By Jessica Steinberg

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2 November 2015, 5:09 pm

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Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

Mick Hucknall and the latest version of Simply Red, who will perform in Tel Aviv in June (Courtesy Simply Red)

Remember British band Simply Red? They’re returning to Israel on June 14, 2016.

if you’re recalling that the band — known for its easy listening pop hits such as “Holding Back the Years,” “Money’s Too Tight (to Mention),” “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” — split up and retired, you’d be right. It disbanded in 2010, and then announced a new tour for 2015.

Mick Hucknall, the band’s red-haired lead singer whose a supple, honeyed tenor that easily reaches a range of notes, was the sole remaining original member of the band at the time.

But he appears to have gathered a new band of brothers, and the group will perform in Israel for the first time since 1992, when it played Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. This time, it’ll perform only in Tel Aviv’s Menora Mivtachim arena.

“It’s been 20 years since we last played Israel, and I still remember fondly the amazing crowd we met there,” Hucknall told concert promoter Shuki Weiss. “We’re very excited to be coming back there after all these years, and look forward to seeing you all in June!”