Review by Paul Monkhouse for MPM
Whilst they may have held the crown during the New Romantic era, it’s doubtless that Duran Duran have surfed that wave in the decades intervening and remain one of the biggest bands on the planet.
Barring their doubtless good looks and high level musicianship, it’s their knack of writing knock out songs that’s seen them really hold tight in the top echelons of the notoriously fickle music business. The fact that eighty per cent of the hit-making line-up is still in place some forty-six years since getting together tells its own story too, the bond between the band of brothers as strong as ever. Having outgrown their status purely as heartthrobs, theirs is a story of maturity and looking forward whilst never being afraid to acknowledge past glories and the thousands packed into Hyde Park are soaking up every second.
Before the Birmingham boys hit the stage, there’s the not inconsiderable matter of one of the greatest songwriters of the twentieth century and a band that has virtually defined pop music since emerging two and a half decades ago.
Nile Rogers proudly has ‘The Hitmaker’ emblazoned on his plectrums and that’s a fact, not just a proud boast. A man with a magic touch, there’s few people on the planet who come anywhere near his level as a writer and producer, the amount of huge hit records he has helped create astounding. A longtime friend and collaborator of Duran Duran, Rogers and his outfit Chic to bring the summer feel and party to the masses and their hour long set was a masterclass in how to get people moving.
A barnstorming opening run of ‘Le Freak’, ‘Everybody Dance’, ‘Dance Dance Dance’ and ‘I Want Your Love’ brought the bright lights and good times of the halcyon days of disco to Hyde Park, numbers penned for Diana Ross and Sister Sledge following. Tales of good natured tussles with Madonna and work with David Bowie saw the audience singing along to ‘Like A Virgin’, ‘Material Girl’ and ‘Modern Love’ before the modern groove of Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’ hit another sweet spot. With Rogers declaring the set was heading for “maximum funkosity” it was a breathless run through of Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ that was more a command than an invitation and the headliner’s John Taylor joining them for extra bass on an irresistible ‘Good Times / Rappers Delight’ that sealed the soundtrack of the afternoon in the sun. Good times indeed.
With a giant pair of inflatable pink scissors and the front half of an American military jeep onstage, it was plain that the Scissor Sisters gloriously campy approach to carefully crafted pop gems was going to be a no holds barred show. Resplendent in outfits that would make Liberace blush, Jake Shears was a vision in sequins as he led the band through their big hits and floor fillers alike, kicking things off with the ironically titled ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin” and the stentorian strut of ‘Laura’. With fellow original band members Derek “Del Marquis” Gruen and Scott “Babydaddy” Hoffman by his side, Shears and gang brought glam stomp to the set, boosted by the lusty and soulful vocals of Amber Martin and Bridget Barkan.
Costume changes, dancers with computer monitor heads, giant furry creatures and a huge set of inflatable breasts featured at times through the set, all done so utterly tongue in cheek it’s impossible not to be charmed by the madness of it all. With the outfit being joined by Spice Girl Mel C on a romp through ‘Take Your Mama’ and their twisted version of Pink Floyd’s ‘Comfortably Numb’ hitting highs, there was room for even more carefree fun in the set and ‘Let’s Have A Kiki’ and ‘Filthy/Gorgeous’ were enough to let all inhibitions go. A closing ‘Music Is The Victim’ saw the triumphant end of their hour on the stage, a grinning and sweat soaked Shears gathered arm in arm with his cohorts at the front of the stage as they took their bows. The world’s a brighter, busier and more gleefully unhinged place for the Scissor Sisters being in it and long may they continue.
Photography by Beth Millar
Somewhere in an attic, the portraits of Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, Roger and John Taylor reside, the quartet seemingly ageless yet still showing one or two very slight wrinkles that is testament to their longevity in music. Away from the glamour of those early videos, the band have matured nicely and the Duran Duran presented these days add layers of sophistication and grit to their peerless and wide ranging ability to knock out hit singles. Whilst they’ve always been a tougher prospect live, the addition of guitarist Dominic Brown twenty-two years ago has carried on the dangerous rock ‘n’ roll edge to the combo that imbued original six stringer Andy Taylor so completely. Alongside sax player Simon Willescroft and vocalists Anna Ross and Rachael O’Connor, Brown these additions make modern day Duran Duran sound glorious, the layers of the numbers shimmering.
The transition from every radio in the country at their 80’s commercial emergence to arena and stadium fillers has been a smooth one and the songs are certainly big enough to fill those spaces. There’s an undoubted grandeur to opener ‘Is There Something I Should Know’ and the following Bond theme ‘A View To A Kill’ that imbues them with a cinematic scope and heft, an urgent ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ adding to the rich drama. Duran Duran are undoubtedly old hands at all this but there’s still a very happy grin that appears on Le Bon’s face as he walks down the stage’s runway, the feeling of playing to a willing and enthusiastic crowd that stretches to the back of the park never diminishing. Elevated to a position where they can pick and choose where and when they appear, big events like this are a genuine celebration where they hold all the cards, happy in the knowledge that they have the firepower and the show to reach every single person in front of them.
Given that ELO had to pull out of playing BST a year ago, the inclusion of a cover of their ‘Evil Woman’ was somewhat poignant and ‘Super Freak’ made a great duo from Duran’s ‘Danse Macabre’ album, its vaguely spooky vibes at odds with the bright sunshine. A beautiful ‘Ordinary World’ was dedicated to the England football team, the reference feeling shoehorned in when it stands perfectly on its own, but you have to admire Le Bon’s fervour and the sensuous delights of ‘The Chauffeur’ was accompanied by two dancers getting very close on the runway whilst the uncensored video ran on the huge screen behind the band.
Bringing Nile Rogers back to the stage to blast through a funked up ‘Notorious’ and sparkling new single ‘Free To Love’, they managed to revive the disco dancefloor and debut single ‘Planet Earth’ sounds as fresh as it was when first released some forty-five years ago. Artfully splicing ‘Girls On Film’ and Talking Head’s ‘Psycho Killer’, they drew the main set to a close in fine style before returning with the fire and fury of ‘Wild Boys’, a lush ‘Save A Prayer’ and a final bow with the dazzling flash of ‘Rio’. Still at the very top of their game, Duran Duran exude class, style and an ability to thrill and entertain that few can come close to matching.
Feature Photo by Beth Millar
