It was no ordinary world at BST’s Hyde Park when Wild Boys Duran Duran took to the stage.
Fantastic songs, one classic after another, brilliant staging, superb musicianship and perfect summer weather left fans in little doubt that they had witnessed a magical moment for Duran fans and music lovers alike.
The band’s arrival on stage to the iconic chart-topper Is There Something I Should Know? had followed a stellar support lineup.
This included the lovely, multi-talented Niles Rogers (who was joined by Duran’s John Taylor for a song), the Scissor Sisters, Groove Armada and a DJ set from Mel C (who also joined the Scissor Sisters on stage for Take Your Mama).
By the time the Duran boys entered the Great Oak Stage, fans were in the mood for a party and they were not disappointed, as Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Roger Taylor and Nick Rhodes took them on a trip through the decades, with hit after hit.
As the opening song drew to a close, the unmistakable strains of the James Bond theme rang out before the band launched into their 1985 No 2 hit, A View to a Kill. Simon kept the momentum going, giving the crowd a suitably theatrical howl before launching into fan favourite Hungry Like The Wolf.
With 30 Top 40 hits and 14 Top Tens under their belt, there’s no shortage of tracks for the Duran boys to play. From the earlier Duran Duran and Rio albums, Duranies were treated to songs like Careless Memories, Lonely in Your Nightmare and the iconic Planet Earth.
From the album Seven and The Ragged Tiger, the band delivered superb renditions of The Reflex, which reached No 1 in 1984, and a slightly changed-up New Moon on Monday.
Long-time backing vocalist Anna Ross delivered a standout performance on Come Undone, duetting beautifully with Simon Le Bon on the elegant ballad from the band’s 1993 Wedding Album.
Once again, the band were joined on stage by Chic legend and friend Nile Rodgers to play on Notorious, one of the records Nile has produced for the band. This collaboration never fails to excite fans. What a moment.
Another major highlight from the album was Ordinary World, a song that surely deserved to reach No 1, peaking at No 6 in the UK charts, which Simon dedicated to the England football team.
He told the crowd: “Come on England! I have faith in our team, I believe in them, I think they’re going to do us proud, I really do. They can overcome the cauldron of the Azteca Stadium, they can overcome the altitude, they can overcome the team that is Mexico, I believe it.”
Duran Duran have long been known for weaving cover versions into their live sets, and Hyde Park was treated to a spooky selection, from ELO’s Evil Woman to Talking Heads’ Psycho Killer. The set also featured a blast of The Clash’s London’s Calling, and the long-time live favourite Grandmaster Flash’s White Lines, with Simon whipping up the crowd by spraying water from his mouth over fans packed along the walkway.
For several songs, the band were joined by captivating female dancers, whose choreography added to the spectacle as they paraded along the walkway during Girls on Film and evoked the sultry atmosphere of The Chauffeur video.
The huge video backdrop played a big part in the show, not least during Duran Duran’s latest release Free to Love which featured a playful nod to the iconic TV programme Top of The Pops.
As the show reached its final run of big hitters, the theatrics went up another level. The Wild Boys came with flames blasting across the stage and the unforgettable grotesque head from the 1984 video looming large on the screen.
Save a Prayer created a special moment as fans sang in unison, holding their phone torches aloft to light up Hyde Park, as dove images flew across the screen on stage.
Special mention on the night must also go to long-time guitarist Dom Brown and backing vocalist Rachel O’Connor, both of whom bring their own distinctive flair to the Duran Duran live experience.
Also saxophonist Simon Willowscroft, whose solo in the closing song Rio delivered one of the night’s most spine-tingling moments.
As a dancing version of the iconic woman from the Rio album cover filled the video backdrop, the band brought the night to a euphoric close, and much like the carnival spirit of Rio itself, delivered an unforgettable party in the heart of Hyde Park.
And like Rio herself, the night will dance on in fans’ memories long after the final note, a brilliant gig that will not be forgotten.
Setlist:
Is There Something I Should Know?
A View To A Kill
Hungry Like The Wolf
Invisible
Evil Woman
Super Lonely Freak
The Reflex
Ordinary World
Come Undone
New Moon
Chauffeur
Notorious (with Nile Rodgers)
Free To Love (with Nile Rodgers)
White Lines
Careless
Planet Earth
Reach Up For The Sunrise
Girls On Film/Psycho Killer
London Calling
Wild Boys
Save A Prayer
Rio
Photo credit: Sue Archer
