Simply Red on stage at Mission Concert

RED: Mick Hucknell (centre) and his band, Simply Red, wow the crowd at the Mission Concert at Mission Estate Winery in Napier tonight. PHOTO/DUNCAN BROWN.

International band Simply Red is on stage at the Mission Concert at Mission Estate Winery in Napier tonight.

Lead singer Mick Hucknell immediately engaged the audience with his trademark charisma and humour.

The fiery Hucknall joined by long-serving bandmates Ian Kirkham (sax), Steve Lewinson (bass), Kenji Suzuki (guitar), Kevin Robinson (trumpet and flute) and Dave Clayton (keyboards), plus new drummer Roman Roth opened the gig with a hit from
their new album, Big Love.

The English group then spoke of the popularity of their early ballads before belting out their 1981 sensation 'For Your Babies'.

The sharp lighting display perfectly complimented the group's insync rhythm and energy. Take it as "red", the boys came to play. 'Holding back the years' had the crowd turning back the years as they twisted, robotted and sprinklered to the sounds of the celebrated soul sensations.

As twilight enveloped the arena, the well spirited scores rose as hucknell and co ignited their adoring masses with perhaps their most nostalgic number "Stars.".

Earlier a sizeable crowd lined up in the scorching bay heat today for the first Mission Concert at Mission Estate Winery in Napier since 2014.

A number of men donning their best Hucknellesque suits in salute to Hucknall.

David Gamet from Napier has been eagerly awaiting the band's arrival since the announcement.

"It was a no brainer for me. Simply Red was the album of my childhood. I can't wait to be transported back to the eighties."

Opening for the pop sensations was local lass Lisa Crawley. Crawley's retro vibe and edgy darkness brought the crowd to their feet.

The 29-year-old multi-instrumentalist had the largely elderly audience bopping and jiving to her hypnotic and heavenly harmonies.

The proud Kiwi girl dropped a number of tracks from her latest album. Crawley admitted to missing her morning marmite sandwiches while making music with some of the world's most notable artists in Los Angeles, including John Mayer.