"On the dance floor the standard disco clientele dance to standard disco records. On tables down the sides hippies (here for the reggae presumably) stick Rizla together. Reeking of new leather, punks patrol the perimeters, trying to look as subterranean as possible. Orange Juice still play a song about the event." Glen Gibson.

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
5th February 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
12th February 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
19th February 1978

Third Eye Center, Glasgow, UK
24th February 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
26th February 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
5th March 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
12th March 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
19th March 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
26th March 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
2nd April 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
9th April 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK
16th April 1978
At height of three-chord dole-queue punk, early Simple Minds gigs were little short of revolutionary. Band declared intention to create something "too good to be ignored". Blithely ignoring uninspiring setting of tiny L-shaped bar, crammed to gunwales, they oozed potential.

"It started with ambient collage tape, then the band took the stage in the dark, backs to the crowd. The music was a fantastic, melodic mix of the old and new waves. They played, in early and rather better forms, the songs that would eventually become their first album. Jim Kerr, in a white jacket and make-up - unheard of then - had real chrisma and the mix of darkness, drive and drama was royally exciting." Ian Cranna.

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
23rd April 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
30th April 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
7th May 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
14th May 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
21st May 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
28th May 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
4th June 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
11th June 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
18th June 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
25th June 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
2nd July 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
9th July 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
16th July 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
23rd July 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK
30th July 1978
Main Set: Tonight / Take Me To The Angels / Chelsea Girl / Act Of Love / Saints And Sinners / Dead Vandals / Murder Story / White Light-White Heat / Caught In A Dream / European Son / You Better Watch Out / Wasteland / Doo-Be-Doo / Cocteau Twins/...
This was the first Simple Minds bootleg. It's the only source of recordings of Take Me To The Angels, Caught In A Dream and You Better Watch Out.




Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
6th August 1978

Astoria, Abbeymount, Edinburgh, UK
10th August 1978
Supporting: Generation X
Main Set: ...Cocteau Twins ... / ... Take Me To The Angels ... / ... Sweet Things ... / ... Tonight ... / ... You Better Watch Out ... / ... Chelsea Girl ... / ... Murder Story / Pleasantly Disturbed
The gig was set up by Steve Mackie, the man behind Housewives Choice records (who later released the first single by The Cuban Heels) and was their first gig in Edinburgh.

Brian Hogg went to the gig, to see 'the other half of The Abusers.' After the show, he telephoned Bruce Findlay to rave about the show, and wrote a glowing review in the fanzine Cripes.

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
13th August 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
20th August 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
27th August 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
3rd September 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
10th September 1978

Ruffles, Aberdeen, UK
13th September 1978
Supporting: The Stranglers
The Skids were booked and advertised as the support but had to be replaced at short notice. (Stuart Adamson had broken his hand).

"We went there scared shitless, because the audience hadn't come for us; we stood there unannounced. We had to give three encores."

"I do remember that it was an excellent gig and thinking at the time that the support was great. I note you were missing the venue name, Ruffles. This was not generally a good rock venue, more of a tacky disco kind of place. But it was good for getting you near the acts. Possibly too near on this occasion as the audience took to spitting at The Stranglers (out of admiration!) and this upset Jean-Jaques who launched his bass backwards over his head and dived into the crowd to knock lumps out of one of the gobbers, before resuming the show. The venue is now long gone after various attempts to improve it followed by "fire" that finished it off." - Alistair

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
17th September 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
24th September 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
1st October 1978

Astoria, Abbeymount, Edinburgh, UK
5th October 1978
Supporting: The Only Ones
Main Set: ...White Light-White Heat
"The amazing intro tape of ticking clocks and chimes was something Mick did on his Fafisa organ he had at the time. The band came on stage and stood with their backs to the audience during the frenzied opening number driven by Mick's piano playing which segued into the next number when Jim and the rest of the band turned round to face the audience. I was standing stage right in front of Mick's piano and Duncan Barnwell was on Mick's right. Derek Forbes was on the extreme left Charlie had a flying V guitar and violin. I have always remembered the piano playing on the intro and was totally amazed to hear it again on this site after all these years! Now at the end of the gig the band had to walk off past me and came back for an encore which was pretty amazing for a support band. White Light White Heat was the encore and I remember Mick's pint fell off his piano and landed at my feet! - John Pottage

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
8th October 1978

Town Hall, Grangemouth, UK
9th October 1978
Supporting: Ultravox
The Simple Minds as they were billed, supported Ultravox. Advance tickets cost £1.40, saving 20 pence if you purchased at the door.

Bungalow Bar, Paisly, UK
13th October 1978

Edinburgh University, Edinburgh, UK
14th October 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
15th October 1978

Carneige Hall Annexe, Dunfermline, UK
21st October 1978
Main Set: ...Chelsea Girl.../...Pleasantly Disturbed

Tiffany's, Edinburgh, UK
22nd October 1978
Supporting: Ignatz

Doune Castle, Glasgow, UK
23rd October 1978
The band's fee was £25 plus a tray of filled rolls. And they were constantly asked to turn the volume down - peas were leaping off the plates of diners in the steakhouse upstairs.

Apollo, Glasgow, UK
27th October 1978
Supporting: Siouxsie And The Banshees
After this gig, they travelled to Edinburgh to open for The Pleasers.

Edinburgh University, Edinburgh, UK
27th October 1978
Supporting: The Pleasers
After the Siouxsie And The Banshees gig in the afternoon, they rushed to Edinburgh to play this gig.

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
29th October 1978

University, Glasgow, UK
November 1978
Supporting: 999

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
5th November 1978

???, Grangemouth, UK
9th November 1978
Supporting: Squeeze



Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
12th November 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
19th November 1978

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
26th November 1978

Pollocks Hall, Glasgow, UK
December 1978
This was their 48th show as Simple Minds and they signed to Zoom Records after this performance.

Mars Bar, Glasgow, UK^*
3rd December 1978

Robert Gordon College, Aberdeen, UK
8th December 1978

Art School, Glasgow, UK
14th December 1978

Technical College, Dundee, UK
15th December 1978
Ben Edmunds and John Leckie travelled up to Scotland to see this show.

Astoria, Edinburgh, UK
21st December 1978
Supporting: Mowgli And The Donuts

Abbots Hall, Kircaldy, UK
22nd December 1978
A Zoom press release lists this gig for the afternoon of the 23rd. However other lists suggest this date.

Abbots Hall, Kircaldy, UK
Cuinzie Neuk, Kinghorn, UK
23rd December 1978
This is how the gigs were listed on the Zoom press release and Cripes. Jim suggested that both were cancelled.

Town Hall, Grangemouth, UK
28th December 1978
Support: The Heat
Main Set: Sweet Things / Take Me To The Angels / Chelsea Girl / Someone / Murder Story / Cocteau Twins