Take One Last Glimpse into the Night

I really love Duran Duran. The concert last night at Madison Square Garden, the final stop in their current American tour, was absolutely spectacular on so many levels! I went with my friend Joe, who is also a DD fanatic, and we had a great time. Simon, John, Nick, Roger, and Andy looked like they were having a fantastic time, and the wide stage allowed plenty of moving around (and even some Simon crowd-surfing!).

Highlights:

1) The playlist!
The Fab Five played classic tunes "Wild Boys," "Hungry Like the Wolf" (preceded by Simon asking in that sexily husky voice of his, "Is anybody hungry?!"), "Notorious" (I even busted out some dance moves from the Sparkle Motion sequence in Donnie Darko!), "I Don't Want Your Love," "The Reflex," "Union of the Snake," "Save a Prayer," "Tiger Tiger," "A View to a Kill," "Planet Earth," "Come Undone," "Ordinary World," and, from the newest album, "(Reach Up for the) Sunrise," "Nice," "Bedroom Toys," and "What Happens Tomorrow." They also played "Hold Back the Rain," "Careless Memories," and "The Chauffeur," three of my favorite DD tunes, the latter being probably one my top twenty alltime favorite pop songs, ever. The energetic encore included "Girls on Film," "Rio," and their cover of the Grandmaster Flash anti-cocaine anthem, "White Lines." A montage of video clips and other footage accompanied the songs on a huge screen above the stage.

2) The crowd!
Children, teens, hipsters, and adults collectively rocked during the two-hour set, gaining momentum as the show came to a close, filling the stadium with dancing, stomping, applause, and lots of sweat. You know what I found really fascinating? I'm not sure when this happened in the history of concerts, but during the slower tunes, the crowd, in addition to raising lighters and matches, lifted their cellular phones to produce a pretty goddamned beautiful array of lights around the stadium.

3) Stage dynamic!
With the exception of Roger, who remained confined to his drum set throughout the show, the boys took advantage of the extended stage and really nailed the audience interaction. Halfway through the show, Simon introduced the other four members of the band, then promptly dove into the pit, wrapped his arms around a very lucky woman, and asked her to introduce him. And let me tell you: I have never heard anyone shriek the name SIMON LEBON!!! as loud and high-pitched as this woman. Simon was quickly attacked by half a dozen excited fans, but after a few minutes, he managed to crawl his way back up to the stage.

I wonder if I will ever be fortunate to see DD perform "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)," "Shadows on Your Side," "(I'm Looking for) Cracks in the Pavement," "The Seventh Stranger," "Late Bar," or "Sound of Thunder," early tunes that the band doesn't seem to play live anymore. But a girl can dream!

In the past, the band has covered Iggy Pop's "Success," Neil Young's "Needle and the Damage Done," Lou Reed/Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale," "Perfect Day," and "Sweet Jane," Davie Bowie's "Fame," The Doors' "Crystal Ship," and Elvis Costello's "Watching the Detectives," all of which I would love to see live at some point, though the band rarely performs them these days.

In conclusion, I feel very fortunate to have attended this show. And with that, I am off to scribble Ms. Jenny LeBon over all of my worldly possessions.

Photos HERE.