Perhaps once known for elaborate videos in their prime, Duran Duran aren't still a band that gives off the vibes for how you might want to spend you Halloween, but they made sure that anyone who chose to spend the night partying with them instead of going out to collect candy had no regrets about their decision. Surprises and covers were abundant throughout the night as the band used the situation to celebrate last year's Danse Macarbe, which feature some classic covers as well as some re-workings of their own tunes. With the majority of the band dressed in a mix of naval and Napoleon-themed garb, Simon Le Bon still set out to make multiple outfit changes throughout the set, navigating from quintessential sailor decor to a mirror ball bedazzled jacket, and finally a simple Duran Duran t-shirt (the final two were accompanied by metallic silver pants) all while giant puppets popped up in the crowd and exotic dancers flocked behind the band to help make sure everyone was staying in the Halloween spirit. Hitting us early with the James Bond theme "A View to Kill," Le Bon's vocals were immediately impressive, almost as if they hadn't altered since the group's '80s heyday and made it clear from the jump that he was ready to lead the group through a night of hits. Perhaps most on theme for the night, "Hungry Like a Wolf" was an absolute blast and the neon-clad synths cut like daggers as the sultry rhythm gave way to pure joy. The band made one of their first surprise moves of the night by following it up with a cover of the Special's excellent track "Ghost Town," another perfect choice for the occasion, and played it pretty close to the original, the spooky beat creating the still eerie essence that first haunted listeners years ago. The intro to "Notorious" felt especially ecstatic in New York and the band followed it up with another Danse cover and this time around it was ELO's "Evil Woman." Again hitting close to the original, the band was sharp and dialed in for the night and they were in solid form for the the entire two hour set. The chorus of "Reflex" was another big moment and covering Billie Eilish's "bury a friend" was the unexpected follow-up that really sent the night into uncharted territory. Even though their sound was sharp and on point, at times the covers felt so left field that it was hard to register them coming in after such drastic hits from lifetimes prior. Still, even with the moments that left me ajar, the showmanship was still top notch and proved while the band's legacy has endured for decades. Closing out the main set, "Girls on Film" had everyone on their feet bounding along to the pastel-hued chorus and as the band seamlessly transitioned into the Talking Head's timeless "Psycho Killer," the building rose to their feet. Coming in hot for the encore, the band wrapped things up with a sensational "Rio" that brought the night to an epic finish with cannons blowing confetti to the rafters as people relished their final moment of undisputed '80s pleasure.
Set list:
02 "DANSE MACABRE"
03 "A View to a Kill"
04 "Hungry Like the Wolf"
05 "Ghost Town" [The Specials cover]
06 "Lonely in Your Nightmare / Super Freak" [Rick James cover]
07 "Supernature" [Cerrone cover]
08 "Notorious"
09 "Love Voodoo"
10 "Evil Woman" [Electric Light Orchestra cover]
11 "Union of the Snake"
12 "Spooky" [Classics IV cover]
13 "CONFESSION IN THE AFTERLIFE"
14 "Missing" [Arcadia cover]
15 "Secret Oktober"
16 "The Reflex"
17 "bury a friend" [Billie Eilish cover]
18 "New Moon on Monday"
19 "BLACK MOONLIGHT"
20 "Spellbound" [Siouxsie and the Banshees cover]
21 "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" [Grandmaster Melle Mel cover]
22 "Planet Earth"
23 "Girls on Film / Psycho Killer" [Talking Heads cover]
--
24 "The Wild Boys"
25 "Rio"
No comments:
Post a Comment