I've seen several places that the first "Duran Duran" show (with Nick Bates, Nigel Taylor, and Stephen Duffy) was at the Lecture Theatre, Birmingham Polytechnic University on April 5, 1978. Most sources say the first official show with the classic five-member line up was the Edinburgh Summer Festival on July 5, 1980, but I've seen a few that suggest that the first one was at the Rum Runner. I assume they did plenty of rehearsals at the club, but what do the guys consider their first official show? If it was at the Rum Runner, can you provide a date? Also, most people consider Live Aid on July 13, 1985 the last time the five appeared together. However, I found a tidbit/rumor that mentions that Nick, Simon and Roger appeared at end of a Power Station show (East Rutherford, New Jersey on August 28, 1985) "playing" backup horns for John, Andy and the band. Can you confirm whether this really happened? (And if so, does anyone recall the venue?) Catherine
JT: "It was at the Rum Runner (first show with the classic 5), I think it was around July 9th. I think in the scrapbook [on TTP] we've got a ticket. It was either June or July of that year (1980), and it wasn't in Edinburgh, it was Birmingham. We never played the Edinburgh Festival actually. And, yes, the Lecture Theatre was the first time Nick, Steve Duffy, Simon Colley and I played, which was the first Duran Duran gig. The last show was Live Aid definitaly. And I think the only person that came onstage with the Power Station in New Jersey was Nick, who came and jammed on broom. Very Dada of him I thought."