Ta - Na - Na - Na - Duran Duran Lit Up Atlanta

I've officially seen Duran Duran in three decades.

That's a hefty statement, and less indicative of the band and I getting old than that they are a band that's
amazing and so much fun you WANT to see them again and again.

Their show at Chastain Park this past weekend was so much fun, it's kind of difficult to quantify without squealing like a teenage girl. But, I can try.

I got to take my husband with me as my date. He'd never seen Duran Duran despite the plethora (YES A PLETHORA) of bands he's seen over the years. I assured him how amazing it was going to be, we nabbed a sitter and off we went - praying the rain would STOP. It did.

The opening act was so like Missing Persons it was weird, like young Dale was up there singing. The girl was called MNDR and she was a band unto herself, singing very 80s style solo stuff. I think in 1984 she would've had an awesome video or two. :)  With ninjas, and tigers. Don't get me wrong, she wasn't bad at all. She was just - anachronistic. A pure throwback in 80s style and sound. It was kind of cool.

The was a rather lovely prelude before the band came up, an artsy film set to what I think was Water Music but it's been too long since I had requisite hours in the listening library at college to be sure. I am of the opinion that their boat, their rules applies when seeing any band. The yahoos in the crowd were a bit cranky as it went on, but they were the exception. It laid a very calm and mellow mood across the audience as the band came on stage and opened with Before the Rain.

Here is why, in a nutshell, it's still brilliant to see Duran Duran.

They are having a great time, and it's infectious. My husband, the veteran concert warhorse proclaimed to me after the show "This may be the best concert I've ever seen." And I agree. The band is full of JOY on stage, having fun, laughing, singing their old and new songs with equal glee. Another thing I thought was interesting, you know how bands always go "This is our new single"and the crowd kind of sits down and goes YAWN as a dirge about trains and human rights or something rolls out?

That didn't happen. Duran Duran plays new stuff that keeps the crowd on it's feet and just as excited as The Reflex. The ladies next to me proclaimed at one point "I don't know what this is but I've gotta dance!"

I danced and sang for two hours solid. I'm sorry to those around me. I sing loud. I am pretty sure the band wants me to. But the fun I was having, and probably most of the crowd too, might best be summed up by what my husband said to me at the end of the show. RIO was in full swing as the band closed and I was dancing and singing only to realize I was being watched.

I stopped and looked at my husband and asked "WHAT?"

He was grinning like a madman and said, "You're 16 again."

Probably so.

Duran Duran, "...you make me feel ALIVE ALIVE ALIVE."

Thanks for being awesome for three decades. Here's to three more.

If you want to be 16 again too, you can catch their tour as they continue to wind around the country playing venues that are perfect and cozy.
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Ta - Na - Na - Na - Duran Duran Lit Up Atlanta

I've officially seen Duran Duran in three decades.

That's a hefty statement, and less indicative of the band and I getting old than that they are a band that's
amazing and so much fun you WANT to see them again and again.

Their show at Chastain Park this past weekend was so much fun, it's kind of difficult to quantify without squealing like a teenage girl. But, I can try.

I got to take my husband with me as my date. He'd never seen Duran Duran despite the plethora (YES A PLETHORA) of bands he's seen over the years. I assured him how amazing it was going to be, we nabbed a sitter and off we went - praying the rain would STOP. It did.

The opening act was so like Missing Persons it was weird, like young Dale was up there singing. The girl was called MNDR and she was a band unto herself, singing very 80s style solo stuff. I think in 1984 she would've had an awesome video or two. :)  With ninjas, and tigers. Don't get me wrong, she wasn't bad at all. She was just - anachronistic. A pure throwback in 80s style and sound. It was kind of cool.

The was a rather lovely prelude before the band came up, an artsy film set to what I think was Water Music but it's been too long since I had requisite hours in the listening library at college to be sure. I am of the opinion that their boat, their rules applies when seeing any band. The yahoos in the crowd were a bit cranky as it went on, but they were the exception. It laid a very calm and mellow mood across the audience as the band came on stage and opened with Before the Rain.

Here is why, in a nutshell, it's still brilliant to see Duran Duran.

They are having a great time, and it's infectious. My husband, the veteran concert warhorse proclaimed to me after the show "This may be the best concert I've ever seen." And I agree. The band is full of JOY on stage, having fun, laughing, singing their old and new songs with equal glee. Another thing I thought was interesting, you know how bands always go "This is our new single"and the crowd kind of sits down and goes YAWN as a dirge about trains and human rights or something rolls out?

That didn't happen. Duran Duran plays new stuff that keeps the crowd on it's feet and just as excited as The Reflex. The ladies next to me proclaimed at one point "I don't know what this is but I've gotta dance!"

I danced and sang for two hours solid. I'm sorry to those around me. I sing loud. I am pretty sure the band wants me to. But the fun I was having, and probably most of the crowd too, might best be summed up by what my husband said to me at the end of the show. RIO was in full swing as the band closed and I was dancing and singing only to realize I was being watched.

I stopped and looked at my husband and asked "WHAT?"

He was grinning like a madman and said, "You're 16 again."

Probably so.

Duran Duran, "...you make me feel ALIVE ALIVE ALIVE."

Thanks for being awesome for three decades. Here's to three more.

If you want to be 16 again too, you can catch their tour as they continue to wind around the country playing venues that are perfect and cozy.
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You Never Know What Will Stick

I've seen Duran Duran what I think is like, five times now? I am counting, lets see, twice in the 80s, twice in the 90s on "comeback tours" and once last year. So now, six times.

After tonight I will have seen Duran Duran SIX TIMES.

I have seen NO ONE that many times, not even close. Well, I've seen the Billy Joel/Elton John dual headline tour three times. I've seen Billy Joel maybe one or twice more outside of that. I never really thought about this until now. I definitely think of Billy Joel as timeless and classic and, I'd go again in a heartbeat.

But then, Duran Duran?

I read this article once in Rolling Stone about Elvis Costello that rather flippantly said Elvis Costello wasn't like "the clothes horses of Duran Duran". That phrase always stuck with me, because it seemed so COLD, as though that's what they were all about, the clothes. Even the Police were dressed up pretty in the 80s, and without fail you don't classify the Police as a "fashion" band, and the same is true of Duran Duran.

Originally classified as more 80s "New Wave" pop I think it's stood the test of time. I am not alone in grinning and turning it up when Duran Duran comes on the radio. The lyrics are often darker and less cheery than I remember at 16. I rather enjoy the darkness, in my cynical old age. Darkness and lust dressed up in a major key is a perfect recipe for a pop hit.

I saw Duran Duran when Erasure opened for them in the 80s. With our tall hair and our turned up callers, we scoffed as the emcee annouced them as "Madonna's favorite band." By god we weren't going to let Madonna tell us what to like, so we went to get nachos. Now I'm bitter cuz I didn't see Erasure.

I saw Duran Duran on one of their comeback tours with James opening. The place got on it's FEET when James took the stage. My friends and I were like, "Who?". Then they all sat while we danced and screamed for Duran Duran.

I think it's exciting that now, Duran Duran has kind of sloughed off the "comeback tour" thing and are now, just DURAN DURAN on tour and every one is excited. They were exactly as brilliant and fun when I saw them last year as they were when I was 16, and I can't wait to see them again tonight at Chastain park. 

A bubblegum pop band that really wasn't one at all, they truly did stand the test of time.

Tonight at Chastain Park at 8pm - it's DURAN DURAN ! I can't wait!

image by tricia.weight

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You Never Know What Will Stick

I've seen Duran Duran what I think is like, five times now? I am counting, lets see, twice in the 80s, twice in the 90s on "comeback tours" and once last year. So now, six times.

After tonight I will have seen Duran Duran SIX TIMES.

I have seen NO ONE that many times, not even close. Well, I've seen the Billy Joel/Elton John dual headline tour three times. I've seen Billy Joel maybe one or twice more outside of that. I never really thought about this until now. I definitely think of Billy Joel as timeless and classic and, I'd go again in a heartbeat.

But then, Duran Duran?

I read this article once in Rolling Stone about Elvis Costello that rather flippantly said Elvis Costello wasn't like "the clothes horses of Duran Duran". That phrase always stuck with me, because it seemed so COLD, as though that's what they were all about, the clothes. Even the Police were dressed up pretty in the 80s, and without fail you don't classify the Police as a "fashion" band, and the same is true of Duran Duran.

Originally classified as more 80s "New Wave" pop I think it's stood the test of time. I am not alone in grinning and turning it up when Duran Duran comes on the radio. The lyrics are often darker and less cheery than I remember at 16. I rather enjoy the darkness, in my cynical old age. Darkness and lust dressed up in a major key is a perfect recipe for a pop hit.

I saw Duran Duran when Erasure opened for them in the 80s. With our tall hair and our turned up callers, we scoffed as the emcee annouced them as "Madonna's favorite band." By god we weren't going to let Madonna tell us what to like, so we went to get nachos. Now I'm bitter cuz I didn't see Erasure.

I saw Duran Duran on one of their comeback tours with James opening. The place got on it's FEET when James took the stage. My friends and I were like, "Who?". Then they all sat while we danced and screamed for Duran Duran.

I think it's exciting that now, Duran Duran has kind of sloughed off the "comeback tour" thing and are now, just DURAN DURAN on tour and every one is excited. They were exactly as brilliant and fun when I saw them last year as they were when I was 16, and I can't wait to see them again tonight at Chastain park. 

A bubblegum pop band that really wasn't one at all, they truly did stand the test of time.

Tonight at Chastain Park at 8pm - it's DURAN DURAN ! I can't wait!

image by tricia.weight

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Duran Duran Tonight Is Gonna Rock My Socks

So tonight I'm turning into a 15 year old girl and going to see Duran Duran at Chastain Park here in the ATL.

I was a huge fan back in the day, and I can say that some of my favorite pop culture moments are grounded in memories that are dressed in Duran Duran's clothes, and some of their lipstick.

Examples? Oh I've got them...

• In 8th grade we would RUSH home from the bus to gather at Kim's house to watch the MTV top 20 Countdown because THE REFLEX was in the countdown. Come on, you KNOW The Reflex was the AWESOME at the time. MTV played videos back then, those were the days kids.
• I saw Duran Duran on one tour, promoting which album I forget, and ERASURE opened up for them. These dudes came out dressed in corsets and were announced as "MADONNA'S FAVORITE BAND" and we yawned & went to get hot dogs and sodas. Now we're like "OH HELL WE COULD'VE SEEN ERASURE TOO!" Sorry, in Indiana in the mid 90s we didn't know they were cool.
• I saw Duran Duran on a comeback tour (Ordinary World? I forget) and the entire place came off their FEET for JAMES - the opening act. Everyone with me went - who? We came off OUR feet when Duran Duran came onto the state. Hello generation gap. I swear we were only in our mid 20s at that point.
• I saw them again the next year or two years later, and it was like drinking good beer versus Bud. Their hits were still awesome and their new songs were actually good to listen to, unlike some bands that go "this is our new song" and the entire audience starts wondering how much the nachos are.

I'm really excited to be going again as a proper grown up. I lack the Aqua Net and the hot curlers to really get my 80s look on but I like to think the boys of Duran Duran are also proper grown ups and might not have their 80s look going either. Unless it's a retro chic show and I didn't notice that. (don't think so).

I'll try to snap some of the boys at the show, can't wait. And now if you don't mind I gotta go, I'm hungry like the wolf....

#duransocial

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Duran Duran Tonight Is Gonna Rock My Socks

So tonight I'm turning into a 15 year old girl and going to see Duran Duran at Chastain Park here in the ATL.

I was a huge fan back in the day, and I can say that some of my favorite pop culture moments are grounded in memories that are dressed in Duran Duran's clothes, and some of their lipstick.

Examples? Oh I've got them...

• In 8th grade we would RUSH home from the bus to gather at Kim's house to watch the MTV top 20 Countdown because THE REFLEX was in the countdown. Come on, you KNOW The Reflex was the AWESOME at the time. MTV played videos back then, those were the days kids.
• I saw Duran Duran on one tour, promoting which album I forget, and ERASURE opened up for them. These dudes came out dressed in corsets and were announced as "MADONNA'S FAVORITE BAND" and we yawned & went to get hot dogs and sodas. Now we're like "OH HELL WE COULD'VE SEEN ERASURE TOO!" Sorry, in Indiana in the mid 90s we didn't know they were cool.
• I saw Duran Duran on a comeback tour (Ordinary World? I forget) and the entire place came off their FEET for JAMES - the opening act. Everyone with me went - who? We came off OUR feet when Duran Duran came onto the state. Hello generation gap. I swear we were only in our mid 20s at that point.
• I saw them again the next year or two years later, and it was like drinking good beer versus Bud. Their hits were still awesome and their new songs were actually good to listen to, unlike some bands that go "this is our new song" and the entire audience starts wondering how much the nachos are.

I'm really excited to be going again as a proper grown up. I lack the Aqua Net and the hot curlers to really get my 80s look on but I like to think the boys of Duran Duran are also proper grown ups and might not have their 80s look going either. Unless it's a retro chic show and I didn't notice that. (don't think so).

I'll try to snap some of the boys at the show, can't wait. And now if you don't mind I gotta go, I'm hungry like the wolf....

#duransocial

Tweet