To paraphrase Alan Partridge: "Simple Minds? They're only the band U2 could have been!"

Okay, so there was really only one winner of the battle between the impassioned stadium rockers of the mid-Eighties and it wasn't Jim Kerr and the boys.

Since then, U2 have spent a few years experimenting with dance music, building TV screens bigger than God and trying to save the world through increasingly pompous songs and albums.

Meanwhile it's endearing how little Simple Minds have evolved musically. They've also avoided the brass neck of playing under a Make Poverty History banner while charging 50 quid a ticket.

And it's not as if Simple Minds aren't popular. Tonight is part of the band's sold-out tour to promote new album Black & White and they appear delighted to still be playing live.

Front man Jim Kerr bounded around with awkward, loose-limbed dancing, attempting to wave and wink at each individual fan.

There are no surprises within the new material: It's all still synth-driven rock music so safe it wears a crash helmet, stabilisers and a cricket box.

However, singing along to hits like Waterfront, All The Things She Said and See The Lights, the influence Simple Minds have had on current bands such as Coldplay and The Killers was clear. And during the anthemic Don't You (Forget About Me), it was wonderful to be transported back to when big hair, big shoulder pads and big emotions ruled - when Simple Minds were almost bigger than U2.