TK Maxx Presents Derby Summer Sessions 2025

About the Event

Markeaton Park, the city’s most-visited outdoor destination, will host TK Maxx presents Derby Summer Sessions.

With its great transport links, proximity to the University of Derby, and serene character, this idyllic setting promises to create an unforgettable experience for 15,000 music lovers and artists alike this summer as TK Maxx presents Derby Summer Sessions. 

Rain or shine, Derby Summer Sessions has got you covered—literally. The Big Top Tent ensures that nothing can dampen the spirit of this festival. If the sun's blazing, you can step out to the outdoor spaces and enjoy some well-earned shade. If the heavens open, the Big Top Tent will keep you dry and the music playing. It's the perfect setup for the great British summer, where the only thing unpredictable is the weather!

Full details about the event, Accesibility and FAQ

Tue 8 Jul - Simple Minds

Scottish art rockers breaking boundaries for more than 40 years

Simple Minds are one of the UK’s most successful bands, having achieved five No.1 albums and eight Top 10 singles at home, as well as landing numerous chart-topping positions around the world. In addition to selling over 60 million albums, they’ve packed the world’s biggest venues and played momentous shows including the American leg of Live Aid in 1985 and the Nelson Mandela tribute concert in 1988.

Formed in Glasgow in 1977 by vocalist Jim Kerr and guitarist Charlie Burchill, Simple Minds have experienced a remarkable journey since releasing their debut album Life In A Day in early 1979, with their second album Real To Real Cacophony following just seven months later.

Constantly evolving and experimenting with their sound, Simple Minds recorded six studio albums in the 80s. Their 1981 double LP, Sons And Fascination and Sister Feelings Call, expanded their audience internationally thanks to Love Song, an ode to the close bond between Europe and America, which was also their first single to enter the UK Top 50.

But Simple Minds’ sixth, more rock-oriented record, 1984’s Sparkle In The Rain, really propelled them into the limelight. Peaking at No.1 on the UK albums chart, it featured the singles Up On The Catwalk, Speed Your Love To Me and Waterfront and opened doors to sharing stages with contemporaries such as U2. Later that year, Simple Minds broke the US market with the massive single Don’t You (Forget About Me) taken from the John Hughes movie The Breakfast Club.  

Simple Minds ended the '80s as a world famous act, known for their stirring choruses and atmospheric sound and entered the 90s as one of the most in-demand live bands around. Their 1991 record Real Life hit No.2 and spawned four Top 40 singles in the UK. However, as the years passed, line-up changes took their toll and Simple Minds took a couple of short-lived hiatuses.

Creatively, the juices started flowing again in the 00s. On 2001’s Neon Lights, Simple Minds covered songs by some of their musical heroes, including David Bowie, Kraftwerk and Roxy Music, while the albums Black & White 050505 in 2005 and Graffiti Soul in 2008 both offered an homage to Nelson Mandela. Simple Minds also undertook several European and world tours, coinciding with the 2012 releases of their 5x5 Live album and Celebrate: The Greatest Hits+ compilation.

Re-invigorated and resurgent, by the time 2014’s Big Music album came out, Simple Minds were once again firing on all cylinders.

In 2016, Simple Minds released their first acoustic collection. Called simply Acoustic, it continued the band’s artistic experimentation with stripped down and re-imagined tracks spanning their eclectic career. That spring they took home an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection.

VIP Garden tickets

Get straight to the front in the VIP Garden. The Garden is the ultimate dancing zone with access to an exclusive garden bar and premium food options as well as posh flushable loos all in an area right at the front of the stage!

The Garden tickets include:

• Premium view at the front of the stage
• Private bar and premium food options to purchase
• Premium toilet facilities
• Souvenir Derby Summer Sessions wristband

Dates & Tickets

Prices & Offers

£106.25 - £66.25

Children aged 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 and over who has their own ticket. Children aged 2 and under can attend for free and don’t require a ticket. All other children must have a full price ticket to enter the festival.