It was quite a big weekend that, what with the epic finale to Doctor Who followed on Sunday with my pilgrimage to worship at the alter of Duran Duran.
So I suppose I'd better try to put together a coherent review of the evening's entertainment.
Well first off we've seen a few bands at the Arena now, and the sound quality has ranged from the reasonable (Kaiser Chiefs) to the horrible (The Verve), but Duran Duran got it just right, the sound quality was flawless.
Which lead to surprise number one.
Simon Le Bon sang in tune for about 98% of the performance. Now usually, and I love the band remember, he sounds like a bull seal being clubbed with a 26 inch rubber dildo, but not last night.
This is the first major tour since they shed Andy Taylor (again) and I don't think anybody missed him. He was always, well a bit too ugly to be in the band to put it bluntly, and his loss is not felt heavily. He's been replaced by a bloke named Dom who doesn't make a fuss and gets on with his job. Of course, last time they replaced Andy Taylor they got Warren Cucaburra who modelled his willy in rubber (and then beat Simon over the head with it to acheive that concert sound), so I presume they were a bit more thorough with the interviews this time.
Nick stood there as usual, pressing the occasional button. The big screens kept showing him 'working', but lets face it, he doesn't really have much to do, his Macbook Pro (proudly displayed) seems to do most of the work for him.
John was bouncing around, gurning like a real musician and generally having a good old time playing with his new keyboards and his old bass guitars. He's looking good.
And then there is Simon, Simon Simon Simon. he is still Simon. Hopefully, one day, he'll never grow up. He was having a ball, and it showed. Being lumpen, clumsy and making a bit of a twit of
himself, he was on top form.
Pummelling his chest towards the end and shouting "WHO'S YOUR DADDY?"
Simon is the Daddy, oh yes....
I've seen them a few times now over the years (yes.... ok more than a few) but that was their best concert, by a mile
Set list:
The Valley
Red Carpet Massacre
Nite Runner
Hungry Like The Wolf
Planet
Earth
Falling Down
Come Undone
Skin Divers
The Reflex
Save A Prayer
A
View To A Kill
Electro set: Last Chance On The Stairway/All She Wants Is/Warm Leatherette
I
Don't Want Your Love
Skin Trade
Tempted
Notorious
Girls On Film/Papa Was A Rolling Stone,
Ordinary World
(Reach Up
For The) Sunrise
The Wild Boys
Encore: Rio
