Okay, I have always been a Duranie. Yep. I can say it without shame. I am what you call a "Hardcore Duranie"..this doesn't mean I hang out near the stage door or name puppies after the band or scream or dress like them. It just means that after the pinacle of their popularity in 1986, I have continued to buy their albums and attend their shows in the ensuing 20 years. I know the obscure songs. I know the songs that were not the hits. Shit, 1990's "Liberty" album is one of my favs. And 2002's "Pop Trash"
I couldn't give a flying fuck about their image...their videos...their playboy lifestyle. I liked the music, pure and simple. It started out as an interesting blend of rock and disco which NOBODY was doing in 1978. Screaming guitars backed by newfangled sequencers..groundbreaking. That's the core of Durans success..they never settled for a single sound like other long term bands such as "The Cure" or "Depeche Mode". Each project was a new venture for THEM. Besides, Roger kicks ass as a drummer.
On Feb 26, I went to see them play at Staples Center in Los Angeles
on their "Astronaut" World Tour, although some are calling it the "Reunion Tour" because they have gotten together in their original line up, dumping the very talented Warren Cuccorullo and bringing back Roger and Andy and the recently quit and returned John.
A Duran show has very distinct audience types. You have those on a Nostalgia Trip who only remember the 80's hits, those fanatics who follow them around on tour, and, when Duran has a strong single out as they do now and did in 93 with "Ordinary World", the teeny boppers show up. I cannot tell you how often I have been at a Duran show and heard "I don't know this one" followed by the sound of people sitting back down again. This was clearly the case at this show. For the most part, Duran Duran cannot escape their own success to become more than a novelty. But I admire them for trying.
For a few years there, they were pissy about it. I remember seeing them in 93 in Toronto when they had serious chart succes with their "Duranduran" album from the power of "Ordinary World", "Come Undone" and "Too Much Information" following 3 good-but-commercially-sunk albums over 7 years. Simon Le Bon, obviously DRUNK, screamed at us: "Where were you 4 years ago????". What an asshole. Since then, they seem to have come to terms with it and the fact that SOME albums get them to fill Wembly Arena 5 nights in a row, and SOME albums get them to maybe fill a smaller venue like "the House of Blues" or the "Warehouse". They have come full circle, realizing the power of nostalgia and reuniting in their pinacle lineup.
So..the show....Well, the place was full..perhaps 30,000 people. There was a shitty opening band that sounded like a cross between Bauhaus and Green Day, but less cool. The singer thought he was Peter Murphy.
Duran Duran, true to the spirit of showiness, made a dark and foreboding entrance by walking to the end of the stage in dark suits like something out of a Kraftwerk fashion show. The opened with "Reach Up for the Sunrise" the current single and in my opinon, total shit on an otherwise good record..designed to be a single and you can tell. The audience was loud for this, but it was the opening number and we were exited.
They didn't wait long to satiate the thrist for nostalgia by going right into the bubbly sequencer intro to "Hungry Like The Wolf"..a very sexual song with distinct musical phrases that increase tension and provide sudden realease..no wonder it was huge in 82. From this right into "Planet Earth".
The show slowed a bit and became ballad-heavy when it went into a string of slower tunes..a few of which became "time to go get a beer" interludes. A slow song from the new album which I forget ,
"Come Undone"..a ballad...
"Ordinary World"...a ballad, and Simon hit a bad note...might be time to put the high octive songs on the shelf.
"What Happens Tomorrow"...a NEW ballad..good one, but god, lets get some TEMPO in here!
"Save a Prayer"..the sequence clip seemed to be cut a half a beat short..drove me nuts.
"Tiger Tiger"..this was an insturmental number from "Seven and the Ragged Tiger"..I wondered why they did it. Apparently it was for a costume change so Simon could put on a chaffeurs uniform for what came next: "The Chauffer"..this vid was banned from MTV back in the day..unlike "Girls On Film" it had no TV friendly version.
After this the gloves were off. It fucking rocked out suddenly with a fast, screaming guitar version of "Careless Memories" followed by a heavy version of "I don't Want Your Love"...an odd choice, althouh it was cool they were going to do post fab-five songs that weren't megahits.
"Union of the Snake", always an up song
"Astronaut"..danceable new one
"Nice" a new one
"Notorious"...my fav. Political, funky, and ALWAYS good live because the audience screams the "No No" parts like sheep They really should have done "Skin Trade" from that album too like they did on the "Pop Trash" tour.
"I want You More!"..a synthed up dance tune. Also new.
"Wild Boys"..I hate the song, but most like it.
"The Reflex"...this is a MUST DO song. It's required at every Duran Duran show and I haven't seen them do a show without it, same with "Girls On Film".
There were 3 encores, starting with "White Lines", the 1995 hit of their Grand Master Flash cover..probably did this for the benefit of the LA audience..we like cocaine and all. It was pretty good and the song has interesting offbeat structures and vocal parts.
This was followed by "Girls On Film"...the famous shutter-click intro making people scream, although it lacked the neat synth part...for those really into Duran minutae, it was the "all night" version. Girls On Film is one of those songs that everyone waits for, and the audience probably demanded an encore just to get to hear it.
They finished it out with "Rio"...a good song, but probably a weak encore.
I was disappointed by the production qualites of the show. There is no reason the hi-hat should be louder than the lead guitar..especially during guitar driven songs like "The Reflex". The drums and bass occasionally covered out everything, including the singer. Nicks synth parts..the important ones..like in "Careless Memories" and "Girls on Film" were too muted.
On the upside, million watt strobe lights hooked up to Rogers drum pads was genius. There were 5 narrow screens behind the band showing various images..no more lighted sculptures like they used to do.
I couldn't give a flying fuck about their image...their videos...their playboy lifestyle. I liked the music, pure and simple. It started out as an interesting blend of rock and disco which NOBODY was doing in 1978. Screaming guitars backed by newfangled sequencers..groundbreaking. That's the core of Durans success..they never settled for a single sound like other long term bands such as "The Cure" or "Depeche Mode". Each project was a new venture for THEM. Besides, Roger kicks ass as a drummer.
On Feb 26, I went to see them play at Staples Center in Los Angeles
on their "Astronaut" World Tour, although some are calling it the "Reunion Tour" because they have gotten together in their original line up, dumping the very talented Warren Cuccorullo and bringing back Roger and Andy and the recently quit and returned John.
A Duran show has very distinct audience types. You have those on a Nostalgia Trip who only remember the 80's hits, those fanatics who follow them around on tour, and, when Duran has a strong single out as they do now and did in 93 with "Ordinary World", the teeny boppers show up. I cannot tell you how often I have been at a Duran show and heard "I don't know this one" followed by the sound of people sitting back down again. This was clearly the case at this show. For the most part, Duran Duran cannot escape their own success to become more than a novelty. But I admire them for trying.
For a few years there, they were pissy about it. I remember seeing them in 93 in Toronto when they had serious chart succes with their "Duranduran" album from the power of "Ordinary World", "Come Undone" and "Too Much Information" following 3 good-but-commercially-sunk albums over 7 years. Simon Le Bon, obviously DRUNK, screamed at us: "Where were you 4 years ago????". What an asshole. Since then, they seem to have come to terms with it and the fact that SOME albums get them to fill Wembly Arena 5 nights in a row, and SOME albums get them to maybe fill a smaller venue like "the House of Blues" or the "Warehouse". They have come full circle, realizing the power of nostalgia and reuniting in their pinacle lineup.
So..the show....Well, the place was full..perhaps 30,000 people. There was a shitty opening band that sounded like a cross between Bauhaus and Green Day, but less cool. The singer thought he was Peter Murphy.
Duran Duran, true to the spirit of showiness, made a dark and foreboding entrance by walking to the end of the stage in dark suits like something out of a Kraftwerk fashion show. The opened with "Reach Up for the Sunrise" the current single and in my opinon, total shit on an otherwise good record..designed to be a single and you can tell. The audience was loud for this, but it was the opening number and we were exited.
They didn't wait long to satiate the thrist for nostalgia by going right into the bubbly sequencer intro to "Hungry Like The Wolf"..a very sexual song with distinct musical phrases that increase tension and provide sudden realease..no wonder it was huge in 82. From this right into "Planet Earth".
The show slowed a bit and became ballad-heavy when it went into a string of slower tunes..a few of which became "time to go get a beer" interludes. A slow song from the new album which I forget ,
"Come Undone"..a ballad...
"Ordinary World"...a ballad, and Simon hit a bad note...might be time to put the high octive songs on the shelf.
"What Happens Tomorrow"...a NEW ballad..good one, but god, lets get some TEMPO in here!
"Save a Prayer"..the sequence clip seemed to be cut a half a beat short..drove me nuts.
"Tiger Tiger"..this was an insturmental number from "Seven and the Ragged Tiger"..I wondered why they did it. Apparently it was for a costume change so Simon could put on a chaffeurs uniform for what came next: "The Chauffer"..this vid was banned from MTV back in the day..unlike "Girls On Film" it had no TV friendly version.
After this the gloves were off. It fucking rocked out suddenly with a fast, screaming guitar version of "Careless Memories" followed by a heavy version of "I don't Want Your Love"...an odd choice, althouh it was cool they were going to do post fab-five songs that weren't megahits.
"Union of the Snake", always an up song
"Astronaut"..danceable new one
"Nice" a new one
"Notorious"...my fav. Political, funky, and ALWAYS good live because the audience screams the "No No" parts like sheep They really should have done "Skin Trade" from that album too like they did on the "Pop Trash" tour.
"I want You More!"..a synthed up dance tune. Also new.
"Wild Boys"..I hate the song, but most like it.
"The Reflex"...this is a MUST DO song. It's required at every Duran Duran show and I haven't seen them do a show without it, same with "Girls On Film".
There were 3 encores, starting with "White Lines", the 1995 hit of their Grand Master Flash cover..probably did this for the benefit of the LA audience..we like cocaine and all. It was pretty good and the song has interesting offbeat structures and vocal parts.
This was followed by "Girls On Film"...the famous shutter-click intro making people scream, although it lacked the neat synth part...for those really into Duran minutae, it was the "all night" version. Girls On Film is one of those songs that everyone waits for, and the audience probably demanded an encore just to get to hear it.
They finished it out with "Rio"...a good song, but probably a weak encore.
I was disappointed by the production qualites of the show. There is no reason the hi-hat should be louder than the lead guitar..especially during guitar driven songs like "The Reflex". The drums and bass occasionally covered out everything, including the singer. Nicks synth parts..the important ones..like in "Careless Memories" and "Girls on Film" were too muted.
On the upside, million watt strobe lights hooked up to Rogers drum pads was genius. There were 5 narrow screens behind the band showing various images..no more lighted sculptures like they used to do.
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Re: PINWORMS CONCERT REVIEW, DD IN LA
Sun, March 6, 2005 - 9:05 PMhmmmm well I would disagree with you about this comment:
"That's the core of Durans success..they never settled for a single sound like other long term bands such as "The Cure" or "Depeche Mode". Each project was a new venture for THEM."
I would say both of those bands have consistently evolved in their sound but to each his/her own I guess!
Sounds like they changed the setlist in san Jose in order to mix up the ballads a bit. It worked really well I think cause you don't want too many slow songs in a row!
