Duran Duran Leeds First Direct Bank Arena review as legendary band delivers greatest hits set on stormy night in the city
Duran Duran visited Leeds First Direct Bank Arena on Saturday evening as part of the iconic band's latest tour
Duran Duran wowed fans with a greatest hits packed set on their return to Leeds.
On something of a whirlwind evening across West Yorkshire, Duran Duran ensured it was one worth braving the elements for, as thousands packed into Leeds First Direct Bank Arena. Inside, Simon Le Bon and co were hellbent on getting the party started right. Is There Something I Should Know?, Wild Boys and A View to a Kill being the opening crowd favourites aired. Introducing their 007 anthem from the Roger Moore film of the same name, Le Bon, 67, declared: “It’s time to Bond.”
The appreciative masses delivered rapturous applause after an enthusiastic start. Showman Le Bon, dressed in a gold jacket, tight t-shirt and white trousers, encouragingly declared: “People down south think people up north are f** king animals.” Many, many cheers followed.
There was lots of shimmering sparkles and leopard print to savour across Duran Duran’s ensemble - looking dressed for an afterparty down the nearby Popworld. Accompanying visuals coming as a playful nod to spooky season, Duran Duran, of course, being connoisseurs - regularly hosting annual special Halloween concerts.
Throughout, there was a real sense of fun and surety with the band covering 1980s hits Super Freak and White Lines as the numbers fell seamlessly in a setlist filled with their own anthems from the decade. Making for a real jukebox shindig.
Pretty much throughout, the vast majority of people placed in the second and third tiers up above the stage, joined those on the floor below by being up on their feet. Quite a sweet instance coming as a man in a sparkly bucket hat orchestrated those, he gazed upwards at, as hit after hit aired during the festivities.
The most tender moment of the proceedings was appreciated ahead of Ordinary World. Le Bon, dedicating the number to those around the world facing challenges in their lives, stated: “Be good people and try as hard as we can to make the right decisions.”
Later, Planet Earth, was arguably the highlight of the new romantic gathering at the Leeds city centre venue. Over four decades in, Le Bon, is more than comfortable as a frontman bouncing off the audience and his bandmates - him enjoying lots of joshing with bassist John Taylor.
The main set concluding with anthem Girls On Film with ‘queen of the shoulder pads’, Nick Rhodes, on the keys taking shots on his retro camera. Another little treat came with the fusing of Talking Heads classic Psycho Killer midway through - a nice reminder of Heads great David Byrne visiting Yorkshire earlier this year.
Le Bon returned to the stage dressed in a Free to Love tee, dedicated to a recent collaboration with Nile Rodgers which was performed earlier in the night, for a two-song encore. It opened with Save a Prayer and an emphatic Rio which the wonderful backing singers Rachael O’Connor and Anna Ross gave it all they had for - as did the crowd.
The thousands then headed outwards, to the blustery streets of Leeds, in need of an 1980s-tinged discotheque.
Setlist
- Is There Something I Should Know?
- The Wild Boys
- A View to a Kill
- Hungry Like the Wolf
- Evil Woman
- Lonely in Your Nightmare/Super Freak
- The Reflex
- Only in Dreams
- Winter Marches On
- Ordinary World
- Come Undone
- Notorious
- I Don't Want Your Love
- Free to Love
- Planet Earth
- White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)
- (Reach Up for the) Sunrise
- Girls on Film/Psycho Killer
Encore
- Save a Prayer
- Rio
Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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