It's silly season out there in arena land. The 80's panto dames are out force (minus Gary Glitter) for the annual office party pleasing greatest hit packages. So how did Duran take to their nicely warmed seat on the retro bandwagon? dotmusic went along to celebrate the past, Duran went along to tell us they have never really been away…
From the gloss of their carefully constructed sound and image cynics could be forgiven for assuming that the first Thunderbugs live experience would be an extension of that marketing exercise. But hang on, the sweet melodies drifting our way are as good as they get – these gals can play alright. Opener (and recent single) 'Friends Forever' is already turning into a mini singalong as frontwoman Jane Vaughan charms the earlybird Duranies with her intellectual chic. In black rimmed specs she looks like the office vamp we've all been eyeing up over the photocopier all year. Remarkably confident, clinical tracks from the album 'Delicious' are transformed onstage – a glimpse of their true star quality we have been longing for.
On to the main attraction. Lights down, the PA crackles into to life with paparazzi camera clicks and the crowd whipped up into a frenzy by a glimpse of their heroes between the strobe lights. No mistake it's 'Girls On Film', 'Hungry Like A Wolf' and 'Notorious' in quick succession, as sexy as the day they were conceived. 'We love you Simon' come the screams. We are in Duran heaven and there is no place better in the world. No sooner are we there, than we are flung from a great height by a classic momentum massacre moment – a new track (which might as well of been called 'lead balloon') from the forthcoming 'Pop Trash' album. Followed by the mildly successful 'Got To Get You Out Of My Mind' which commands a polite, sympathetic murmur.
The mood perks a little with the melancholy Cure-ish intro of 'Come Undone' then continues to yo-yo as we are teased with 'can you guess what it is yet?' intros to 'All She Wants Is', 'White Lines', 'Electric Barbarella' inbetween the new numbers, all competent but hardly top drawer Duran. Their trump cards 'Ordinary World', 'Planet Earth' and 'Rio' ensures a happy finale for all.
Respect is due - their decision to air new material (even in the encore) is brave in the face of 16,000 retro hungry partygoers. They're clearly excited by playing the new songs. And after twenty years, who can accuse them from resting on their laurels? Perhaps these (other) chameleons of the 80's need to stop tip toeing in nostalgia entirely or jump in unashamedly headfirst.
The audience sums it up without saying a thing. Their faces sink to the floor everytime the teasing intros fail to morph into 'Wild Boys' - a hilarious spectator sport. Le Bon we find you guilty on the charge of cruelty to punters!
