Radio 2 in the Park came to a spectacular conclusion in Stirling yesterday as Scottish legends Simple Minds returned home for their only UK show of the year, headlining the festival's final night. Performing against the backdrop of Stirling Castle in City Park, Jim Kerr and the band delivered a triumphant set packed with classic hits including Alive and Kicking, Promised You a Miracle, and Waterfront.
Addressing the crowd before introducing their new single, Beginner Boys, frontman Jim Kerr reflected on returning to Stirling for the first time in nearly 50 years, joking about how long it had taken the band to be invited back. He praised the crowd’s energy while leading a massive singalong to their iconic hit Don’t You (Forget About Me), celebrating how audiences worldwide connect with the famous vocal hooks.
The headline performance capped off a packed final day of live music, which opened with fellow Scots Deacon Blue alongside sets from Appleton, Blue, James Blunt, Cast, and Level 42. Over on the DJ stage, Radio 2 presenters Jeremy Vine, Jo Whiley, Gary Davies, Romesh Ranganathan, OJ Borg, and Shaun Keaveny kept thousands of festivalgoers dancing throughout the afternoon.
City Park was transformed into a massive festival village for the event, featuring 20,000 bunting pennants, 100 flags, 600 lanterns, and over 20 miles of electrical cabling connecting 200 metres of video screens and 500 stage lights. Head of Radio 2, Helen Thomas, praised the people of Stirling and the council for their warm welcome, describing Simple Minds’ performance as a true masterclass in live showmanship following Saturday night’s powerful headline set from Chaka Khan.
Highlights and full live sets from across the festival weekend are available to stream on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds. BBC Two broadcast the Simple Minds set alongside the Sunday highlights show, while BBC Four will air a special Best of Radio 2 in the Park broadcast on Friday 18th September 2026 at 9.10pm.
