Well there is no version better than from the City of lights album with Mick on Keyboards! This is bad!. Overall the whole live cd is actually bad! At least thats my opinion, because after the Street Fighting Years without Mick it gots worse and worse! Lets be honest without Mick Simple Minds has not make great songs and no keyboardplayer can replace him live.
To say that Simple Minds have not come up with some great songs since 1989 is absurd. (Hypnotized, Banging on the Door, See the Lights, War Babies, Moscow Underground, Spaceface, She's a river, Let there be love, Dolphins, Stay Visible, Honest Town... to name a few.) Of course Mick is dearly missed, without a doubt, but what should they have done? It was his decision to leave. On topic: best live versions of Book of Brilliant Things were performed on the Sparkle In The Rain Tour in 1984. Without Mick's piano intro but more in line with their studio version. Check the Torhout Werchter 1984 live recordings.
They have had a few decent tunes like See The Lights, She's a River, Hypnotised, Home and a brilliant cover of Let the Day Begin by The Call. But I agree the quality of their music hasn't been as good since the 80s. It's not the same without Michael McNeil. Even if it was his decision to leave.
I really loved the Version from City of lights too, so thats why i play it sometimes on my own , though would prefer to do it with the Band of course ;) You can have a listen, if you like too ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wS9E4jwntLA.html
