A scorching day, a chaotic bus ride, a reunion years in the making, and Simple Minds bringing back the soundtrack of my youth. From nightclub memories to a Jim Kerr high‑five, this night in Murcia was one for the books.
Simple Minds were a huge part of my teenage years. Their songs were the soundtrack to countless nights at Fifth Avenue nightclub in Southsea, where my mate Dave and I somehow always managed to get in despite looking about fourteen. We were only eighteen, but we’d been sneaking in since sixteen with some older lads from the gas board. The bouncers were gas fitters too, so they knew us well enough to wave us through. Those nights, those songs, and that feeling of being young and unstoppable have stayed with me ever since.
So when I saw Simple Minds were playing at the Murcia Bullring, I didn’t hesitate. I bought a ticket immediately. When I mentioned it to Dave’s wife, Tracy, she told me to ask him to come over and see them with me. I did, and within minutes we were planning his trip. He’d fly over from England, stay with me in Los Alcázares, and we’d relive a bit of our youth together. I hadn’t seen him since his sister’s wedding years ago, so I was genuinely excited.
The Bus That Didn’t Want to Come.
We walked to the bus stop just after midday. The bus was due at 12:35, and slowly more people gathered. Some crossed the road to stand in the shade and keep an eye out for it.
12:35 came and went. No bus.
An hour later, another bus appeared, slowed down, and then drove straight past without stopping. One woman phoned her husband, who came back to collect her. Another woman phoned her husband too, but she stayed. He disappeared for a few minutes, then returned and waited with her.
Not long after, a bus finally arrived. I’m fairly sure the husband had phoned the bus company and demanded they send one. Whatever happened, I was grateful. Standing in 35°C heat had made me feel rough. The moment we stepped into the air‑conditioned bus, I felt human again.
Arriving in Murcia.
When we got off the bus, the heat hit us like a wall, over 45°C in the city centre. We walked slowly toward our hotel, Hotel Cetina, stopping on a shaded bench so I could catch my breath. The hotel was in a brilliant location near the Cathedral and the Casino.
After cooling off in the room, we walked to Trapería Uno, one of my favourite places to eat in Murcia. We both ordered the pig cheeks. Dave wandered off to explore the Cathedral while we waited, returning with a grin and a phone full of photos.
When the food arrived, Dave loved it. I tried to enjoy mine, but halfway through I had a severe bout of acid reflux. Dave finished my meal while I tried to hold myself together. Eventually, I grabbed the room key and marched back to the hotel, where the reflux finally won and I threw up everything I’d eaten.
I lay on the bed with the air‑conditioning blasting, determined not to miss the concert. Dave came back, checked on me, and we both rested until I felt well enough to go. By 20:30, I was ready.
Simple Minds at the Bullring,
As we approached the bullring, I heard someone shouting my nickname, Sharky. That could only mean one thing: someone from Los Alcázares was there. Sure enough, I saw a few familiar faces. I introduced Dave, and then we headed inside.
It wasn’t crowded yet, so we stood right at the barrier in front of the stage. I grabbed a bottle of water and returned to our spot.
The concert began at 21:30, and it was everything I hoped it would be. They played so many of the old songs Dave and I remembered from our nightclub days, along with newer material. We sang along, jigged around, and enjoyed every minute.
Next to us was a woman who had clearly started drinking long before the concert. She continued enthusiastically, often with a drink in each hand, bumping into me, her husband, and the man on her other side. Her husband spent most of the night holding her upright.
At one point, Jim Kerr left the stage and walked along the barrier, high‑fiving everyone. He sang an entire song from down in front before returning, and as he passed, he high‑fived both me and Dave. A tiny moment, but one that made the night even more special.
When the show ended, I was exhausted from the heat and dancing. We sat on a bench outside the bullring until I recovered, then slowly walked back to the hotel, stopping at a Trebol bar to cool off. Even at 00:00, it was still around 36°C.
Back in the room, the air‑conditioning had kept everything perfectly cool. I was asleep within minutes.
Journey Home.
We woke around 09:00, got ready, and walked through Murcia toward the Segura River so I could show Dave the giant bronze sardine statue. After a short rest on a bench, we continued to the bus station.
We stopped for water at a shop where the owner tried to short‑change me, giving me change from a five instead of a ten. Unfortunately for her, my Spanish is good enough to complain properly, and I got the correct change.
At the bus station, we had a coffee while trying to figure out which buses were running. It seemed to be a Sunday service. We were sent to the wrong platform, then redirected to the right one. When the bus arrived, the driver confirmed it was the correct one, then immediately drove off without letting anyone board. I assumed he needed fuel, and sure enough, he returned shortly after.
We boarded, took a different route home, and eventually arrived in Los Alcázares around 15:00. Hot, tired, and ready for a rest, but happy after a brilliant night and a great trip with an old friend.
Add comment