Story & Photographs by Diane Fleischman
The Sands Event Center welcomed Duran Duran back to the Lehigh Valley last night, as they played for a full house of devoted fans. Their last visit was on the cusp of the release of ‘Paper Gods’, their 14th studio release, and now promoting their latest effort on the road until September.
The opening act was Shamir, born in Las Vegas, Nevada, who grew up in a musical family. Notably, one of today’s new artists on the rise, Shamir is known for portraying a most androgynous character to the stage, while his voice easily transitioned from hip hop, dance, and electronic techno.
After a brief intermission, the fans grew anxious waiting for Duran Duran to take the stage. White lights blasted as Duran Duran appeared and opened with the title track, ‘Paper Gods’.
It’s hard to imagine that it’s actually been 35 years since we were introduced to these British young men during the MTV explosion back in the early eighties. Their videos raised the bar early on for incredible direction, exotic locations, high fashion, and the highly sophisticated lifestyle.
As they performed ‘Pressure Off’ from ‘Paper Gods’, it is apparent that the poster boys of the eighties have grown up, and their music has also along the way. Plenty of favorites were performed, which pleased even the die-hard fans.
“Are you guys up of a little dance?” Simon Le Bon, asked the crowd. The bass lines kicked in for Notorious, with other favorites, ‘A View to a Kill’, ‘Ordinary World’, ‘I Don’t Want Your Love’, ‘(Reach Up for the ) Sunrise’, ‘New Moon on Monday’, ‘The Wild Boys’, and ‘Rio’.
A touching addition to the set was a tribute to David Bowie with a brief interlude of ‘Space Oddity’.
Simon Le Bon explained how ‘Save a Prayer’ recently took on a new meaning, “We were supposed to do a duet with Eagles of Death Metal in London, and I’m sure you heard what happened in Paris. This song is now a torch of hope for people. Music is designed to bring people together, to convey love, understanding, and tolerance. We’d like to support that initiative.”
For everyone in the audience, Duran Duran’s goal was achieved.
Story & Photographs by Diane Fleischman
