This is my first Duran Duran gig and I feel a little out of step with my largely older, more enthusiastic fellow audience members. I’ve always liked Duran Duran though, even in the 90s when no one under the age of 20 would admit to it. Perhaps that guilty pleasure (no such thing) moniker is slipping? Regardless I’m going to firmly nail my colours here, Duran Duran are a great band. I get that there’s a lot of surface style, and yes they’re a pop band, maybe the pop band of the 80s and that’s a hard label to shift, but they have some truly brilliant songs in their arsenal and a lot of tonight’s set is wisely devoted to that pretty amazing back catalogue. I’m in the gods of Leeds Arena, but bang centre stage and the view is pretty decent. I’m not used to sitting though and kinda wish there was some standing space down on the floor, like there was on my last trip here for the Cure. Still, the atmosphere doesn’t suffer as they take to the stage with plenty of theatrics. Blinding lights, video projections with avatars of the band, it’s quite an entrance. Sadly the excitement is immediately lost with the dirgey ‘Night Boat’. It’s not bad, Le Bon sounds good, but it’s not a patch on ‘Wild Boys’ that follows. Yeah it’s kitsch, but fuck me that bass is brutal and the oldies are already excitedly punching the air. Le Bon does appear a bit uncomfortable in places, but maybe he’s just warming up, finding the pace. He gets there for 'Hungry Like the Wolf’ after trying out his Yorkshire accent. Does everyone do that when in Leeds? These early classics still sound huge though, backed up with a very sparkly bloke with a saxophone. It can’t last though, they’ve got a new album out and it’s a bit hit and miss. ‘INVISABLE’ is met with a few comedy groans and the girl next to me buggers off to the bar. Harsh really as it’s a fairly decent slab of chunky synth pop that tests the speakers low end. They know what the crowd are here for though and go full out cheese with the Bond theme introducing ‘View to a Kill’. Honestly it makes my hair stand up (even more than usual). Slick and sexy, although I’m sure John is adding extra bass notes, it’s a bit noodley. Brilliant though. I can feel my seat rocking as those further down the aisle bounce to ‘Notorious’. This is one of my favourites and I’m soon in sync with the bounce. It’s joyous stuff. Le Bon then gives us a lengthy introduction to another new one and well to be perfectly honest it’s a bit flat. Again losing the audience. What can you do. I’d much rather bands keep writing and releasing new music, so you’ve got to expect them to want to air them live. Every set needs a bit of ebb and flow, but it takes the pomp of ‘Is There Something I Should Know’ to get us back on track. The pisshead next to me, getting up and dancing in the aisle as the video screens fill with young Duran photos with big hair and bigger pouts. To be fair the hair is calmer these days, but they still look decent. Some of the deeper cuts mid-set do lose me a bit and I’m forced to take a moment to tell the pisshead to politely shut the fuck up, which upsets him, but we’re seated so he’s stuck with me. Aside another detour to the new album (‘ANNIVERSARY’ which is probably the best of the bunch and apparantky is in all caps like all the songs on Future Past), it’s a solid road to the encore with ‘Ordinary World’ sounding lush as the whole band flex. It’s beautiful. Le Bon’s jacket is off and he’s not shy in going for the high notes, milking it for all its grandeur. The spotlights probe the arena as ‘Planet Earth’ gets more people on their feet. That menacing synth backline reverberating around the room. These are the songs I’ve willingly driven an hour for. As are most of the crowd it seems, singing along with all their might. Their cover of ‘White Lines’ was decisive on release, but live they pull it off and it keeps the tempo up as they tear into ‘The Reflex’. There’s something about this song that does feel a bit dated, but don’t let that fool you. It’s still an absolute banger. Whether ‘Girls on Film’ has aged badly is another question, but I’ve waffled on a lot already so won’t dig now, but they do cut it with ‘Acceptable in the 80s’ as a wry nod. Before returning to open the encore with ‘Come Undone’ which eases us back in wonderfully before the double whammy of ‘Save a Prayer’ and ‘Rio’. The former of which we’re encouraged to get our phones out for and switch the lights on. I’m near the back though, so it’s more of Simon’s benefit than mine. I’ll forgive it though, that glorious Lynchian synth line is just too wonderful not to be swept up in. Even Nick looks happy. I said at the beginning Duran Duran are a great band and they are. They wouldn’t make my top ten, but they’re too easily dismissed and deserve more credit. For two hours they preen and entertain a packed arena with ease. Sending us back out into the cold night with ‘Rio’ ringing in our ears, it’s sunshine sentiments warming our hearts. Now, time to hit the motorway with the hits banging out to keep me awake!
