![]() No expense has been spared for this dramatic opening, so it’s a surprise that they open with Night Boat, from their self-titled debut album from 1981. Simon Le Bon has traded his space gear for tight silvery trousers and stands majestic at the top of the stairs as the visuals swirl around him. Compared to the Boy Bands of later years (Boyzone, Westlife etc), Duran Duran were a “proper” band.Īfter a ridiculously camp build-up (a la Abba Voyage) which sees the band navigating a CGI spaceship on the big screens, into a futuristic Cityscape, then marching towards the venue in skin-tight spacesuits, they appear in the flesh on a spectacular multi-level playpen. The Chauffeur was arguably as good as Nightporter by Japan, and tracks like Save A Prayer and Planet Earth, were as close to perfect pop as anyone could wish for. ![]() They were easy to mock, but regardless they were a great band, with great songs. They were a band that many loved to kick against, the Birmingham lads who swiftly left the Midlands and hit Rio, making exotic videos all over the world, dating models and wearing the most colourful ’80s suits imaginable. Perhaps in terms of credibility, they were thwarted by their own popularity as the Fab Five, the biggest band since The Beatles, leaving Japan and Talk Talk with the accolade of art school cool. I remember being 17 and watching them up against Spandau Ballet on the Christmas 1984 Pop Quiz special, and they were certainly cooler than Tony Hadley’s lads then. In the break, I am deciding how the band stood in the cool factor all those years ago. ![]() Suitably warmed up, it’s not long before Duran Duran finally appear. His own material is good, particularly his new song Really Big Deal, but it is the older Scissor Sisters tracks that manage to electrify the most Filthy / Gorgeous, I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ and the Elton-esque Take Your Mama all make a welcome appearance. Opening with Too Much Music, his energy and passion ignite the room immediately. It’s also 20 years since they supported Duran Duran at the Manchester Arena, and Jake is celebrating the fact by showing up in what looks like skin-tight tin foil. It’s been 20 years since the Scissor Sisters debut album and it’s still hard to believe they achieved mainstream airplay with that name. As he works through the expected “best of Scissor Sisters” set, there’s much dancing and singing along, which helps greatly when he’s trying to sell his newer material they are eating out of his hand. It’s not that often with older bands like this that you can feel the electricity in the crowd so early on, but support act Jake Shears has an easy job tonight as the whole room is in a party spirit from the get-go.
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