Duran Duran @ Sydney Entertainment Centre review
On Friday, Honka Princess and I headed down to the Ent Cent to check out 80s legends Duran Duran. I have to admit that I didn’t know much of their new stuff, just the singles that have been released. We had great seats - first elevated section on the left, 3 rows from the front! I can’t believe I forgot my camera!!! I realised on my way to work when I saw a girl with a shark sticking out of her backpack. I was going to go home and get it after work, but decided that it was too much hassle and knew OWLOT would be getting lots of great shots from near the front.
The boys put on a great show, yes they have aged but not too badly. They opened with 3 new songs that I didn’t know well. I had the feeling that the majority of the audience were wanting hear all the oldies from the 80s. When they broke out with Hungry like the Wolf, the audience went wild. There was some cringe factor (this wasn’t a 80s revival night, it was a world tour to promote their latest album) with the retro nostalgia… their old tracks were absolute killers and the new stuff is so so. Though I don’t mind “Skin Divers” from Red Carpet Massacre - which I think they didn’t play. I could see the smirk on John Taylor’s face during the show (yes, we were that close).
In the 2nd half of the show they do a “Kraftwerk tribute” where the 4 remaining original members stand at the front of the stage ala Kraftwerk. This is the part I think John Taylor particularly didn’t like, because he had to put away his guitar. Anyway, they played lots of hits that kept the crowd happy - The Reflex, Planet Earth (my favourite DD track), Rio, Ordinary World, Save a Prayer, A View to Kill, Wild Boys, Notorious and Girls on Film. I hate their cover of White Lines (it’s so embarrassing) but they did it anyway. At least Simon Le Bon’s voice was better this time around. Nick Rhodes is starting to look scarily like Andy Warhol as he ages.
The first time I saw Duran Duran 5 years ago at the Enmore will never be equaled. I guess there was the anticipation of 20 years wait, a small venue packed to the rafters by truly dedicated DD fans, grown men and women screaming at the top of their lungs and being with 2 of my best friends from high school that made it much more enjoyable.
Overall Duran Duran at the Sydney Entertainment Centre was a great show (except for the blinding strobe light effect during some parts - it’s not an old skool hard core rave). All the MOR’s would have gone home happy too.
Other reviews here:
fasterlouder (obviously this person is not of the era and just didn’t get it!)
A bella on last.fm
Simon Rumble said,
March 31, 2008 @ 10:41 am
Hope they didn’t play their cover of 911 Is a Joke then. Excruciating.
Simon Rumble said,
March 31, 2008 @ 10:42 am
PS: Good to hear Simon’s been busily cramming the lyrics to Hungry Like The Wolf.
ruth said,
March 31, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
worth the wait!
I agree with the strobe lighting, we were directly behind the mixing desk in the first elevationa and kept getting blinded.
But having said that, I thought our seats were excellent, great views.
I have the new albums so it was great to hear the new songs, and though I hadn’t heard their version of white lines before , I thought it rocked!
absolutely loved the kraftwerk bit, finally got to see Roger out from behind his drum kit sigh…. I’ll always be a DD girl
bring on the next tour!
Laura said,
March 31, 2008 @ 8:14 pm
Yesssss long live Duran Duran! Glad you enjoyed it too
Mary said,
April 1, 2008 @ 3:28 am
Hi,
Can’t remember if we talked about this when we caught-up in Sydney but saw them in NYC at the Barrymore Theatre last November - totally agree with your review, and although I couldn’t put my finger on it at the point, your point about Nick Rhodes morphing into Andy Warhol is definitely spot-on. Regardless of all the new stuff, I would have paid ticket entry just to hear them play The Reflex and Hungry Like the Wolf!!!
ruth said,
April 1, 2008 @ 12:18 pm
so do you think is working on an andy warhol combover too?
Simon Rumble said,
April 1, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
Wow that old fogie on fasterlouder not only dissed DD, he dissed Giorgio Moroder. That’s sacrilege!