Dubai: New Wave pioneers Duran Duran, who in the 80s created for themselves a highly individual sound and style with their brand of synthpop music, magnificently rolled back the years to deliver a powerhouse performance at the Dubai 7evens Stadium on Thursday night.
The veteran English outfit, who formed in Birmingham in the late 70s, showed no signs of age, and sounded just as fresh and innovative as they were almost 20 years ago during the MTV-driven pop era.
Led by the every stylish frontman Simon LeBon, and supported by the extremely talented Nick Rhodes on keyboards and Roger Taylor on drums, they performed a high-quality set that featured most of their hits from the UK Top Ten and Billboard Charts including Ordinary World, Notorious, Come Undone and Girls On Film.
The concert contained moments of exhilaration and that great live feel which bands like Spandau Ballet, a-ha and Depeche Mode, so sweepingly generalised as being part of the New Wave or 80s scene.
View To A Kill, the title song from the Bond film of 1985, and The Reflex, a simplistic cover of the Frankie Goes to Hollywood hit, had all the ingredients to push the large audience towards greater heights of elation.
It’s been almost two decades since they dominated the pop charts with their critically acclaimed music, but Duran Duran, showed that they still have so much to offer that most modern acts lack.
As a concert venue the 7evens Stadium works brilliantly with the abundance of space that offered everyone a good view of the stage even when standing. It also allowed for lots of dancing and singing along from the fans. And there was a surplus of both.
The sound system was also spot on.
LeBon and his fellow band members not only looked good but as a band they showed that they were well ahead of their time when belting out classics like Hungry Like The Wolf and (Reach Up For The) Sunrise.
LeBon’s old magic was still there and echoed his timeless greatness as a New Wave pioneer that saw him stand toe-to-toe with the likes of a-ha’s Morten Harket or Tears For Fears’ Roland Orzabal.
After 90-odd minutes of delivering one stirring melody after another the band dived into Rio , a mighty offering that consolidated they place in the hearts of each and every person present at the 7evens.
This was the sound of a band doing what they do best, and doing it well.
Long live New Wave! Bring back the 80s! Bring back real music!
