LiveDC: Duran Duran

May 29, 2008 by Cale  Send to a Friend

All photos: Dakota Fine

I’m not one for big shows. I like small intimate venues. I like talking to the band after the show. I like the feeling of seeing something special with only 20 other people. Every once in a while I make it out to some big venue or festival and it’s like watching a concert DVD or something. But there is always the exception that makes the rule, and this was it.

Getting to Merriweather was a breeze. Parking was no problem. Meeting up with photog Dakota in the lot to down a Bud Light, with his ridiculously hot Russian lass in tow, was pleasant. The Merriweather staff searched my bag less thoroughly than at The Cat (Sharpie not confiscated). Hot dog, butter toasted almond, and pretzel stands a plenty with short lines.

We do a double-take at the $50 t-shirts (not kidding) and head to our seats. They’re right in the center about halfway back, it’s a great view, and even though the place is packed we have plenty of room around us.

Duran Duran comes out. Merriweather’s big ass screens zoom in on their neck fat. It’s not too bad. They’re still sexy. There have been quite a few lineup changes over the years but it looks like we almost have the original here - Simon on vocals, John on bass, Nick on keys, Roger on drums, and some new young guy on guitar + a hot black chick on backing vocals wearing some leftover costume from The Matrix Reloaded (my god that movie made no sense).

“HELLOOOOO MARYLAAAAAAAAND!!!!” one of the many things yelled out that night that caused Grace and I to look at each other and snicker.

They launch into their new album Red Carpet Massacre, playing it from the beginning: The Valley > Red Carpet Massacre > Nite-Runner. It’s all pretty terrible stuff.

Ok, this is starting to sound like a really bad review. But it’s not. They bust out Hungry Like The Wolf and Planet Earth. It’s magical. Not Simon’s terrible stage banter about how this song is about saving the planet. But the music and the lights and the sound and everything… perfect.

Now I’m not here for a laugh and a nostalgia kick. I actually only had a passing familiarity with their 80’s hits growing up. In the early 90’s I became a fan of the wedding album, because like anyone else at that time I bought whatever was in the Mtv buzz bin. Which was actually full of some pretty good stuff, but I digress. It wasn’t until later that I rediscovered the older material. Listened to it fresh. They are pop geniuses. Hands down. From then on I was an uber fan. My love was pure and non-ironic.

Ok, back to the new album with the 4th track (and first single) Falling Down. Def the best of the new stuff so far. But whatever. At this point I want to hear something I know again. They deliver with Come Undone, it get’s a nice de-cheesification by simply pushing the female vocals back a little in the mix, and turns out to be one of the highlights.

Another one from the new album - Skin Diver - boring.

Then The Reflex. Which is great, but, starts a trend of getting the audience to sing the choruses. Which doesn’t work. And is lazy. Oh, they totally bust out a sax player for all the 80’s tunes and then he hides whenever they play newer material.

Save a Prayer is next. More chorus sing-a-longs that the audience doesn’t quite nail and can’t compete with Merriweathers killer sound amplification of Simon’s voice so it just sounds like the choruses are missing. Oh, and Simon is still a piss poor dancer. And he never was that great of a singer in the first place but he delivers an especially awful View to Kill before a much needed set break. (I’m still having a great time, I still love this show)

They return for their “eletro-shock therapy” set which means they bring a bunch of synths and digi-drums to the center of the stage for some Kraftwerkian renditions of Last Chance on the Stairway, All She Wants Is, a cover of Warm Leatherette by The Normal, John Foxx’s Underpass, I Don’t Want Your Love, Skin Trade, and something about a devil girl? I don’t know. At this point I’m kinda burnt out. I figured 30 years of drugs and aging would have slowed these guys down a bit, but no, they are fucking troopers.

“COLUMBIAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” Grace and I crack up.

Enough of the Blue Man Group shit, we’re back to band mode with Notorious, and an amazing Girls On Film (despite more annoying audience participation stage antics). I’m thinking this has to be the last song, they could have busted out Rio 30 min ago and everyone still would have felt like they got their moneys worth. But no, schmaltzy band intros follow - with bad solos and, I’m not joking, getting the audience to chant “play that fucking bass John, play that fucking bass John” and then (it gets worse) Simon introduces himself via the audience call and response “Whose your daddy?” “Simon!”. Then some pathetic memorial day dedication to soldiers families kicks off Ordinary World, but the song is so good it redeems all the embarrassing banter.

Then it’s Reach Up For The Sunrise off 2004’s Astronaut and Wild Boys. Never ending concert from heaven. Or purgatory maybe. I have a headache. My butter toasted cashews and $17.35 beer are gone. It’s hot and sticky. I’ve heard more Duran Duran than anyone really should hear in that short amount of time. I’m dreading the hour drive home.

But then the Rio encore washes all the pain away. And then some. The End.

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