Duran Duran: rescued memories
25.05.2005 - 17h00 Silvia Pereira
It was too long: For 22 years Portugal did not see Duran Duran perform live. Most of the people who sold out yesterday night's Coliseu de Lisboa had never seen them. When one satiates such great thirst, the result can only be: an enormous celebration and an unforgettable travel back in time to the 80s, of course.
The "Fab five" Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor could not avoid this trip. Although they have a new album, "Astronaut" - the first the original line-up had recorded together since "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" in 1983 - little of it had shown. The two hour show provided hit after hit.
It was a true balsam for the fans, but also for the lesser fans, those that had lived their adolescence in the 80s and hadnt escaped the English [culture] fever. After the show, the feelings were of nostalgia along with smiles of crushed homesickness, from those who remember much more through these songs.
And the trophy for best moment of the night went straight to... the audience. The crowd was thrilled with Simon LeBon. Seldom the singer was fully heard, totally stifled by a collective voice audibly present at all moments. Half of "Save to prayer", LeBon didnt sang he gave the words to the Coliseu.
Duran Duran started smoothly, with almost tender gestures, to absorb the energy that arrived from the thousands. They started out with "Sunrise" and followed with full-proof songs such as "Hungry Like the Wolf", "Come Undone", "What Happens Tomorrow", "Sound of Thunder" & "Ordinary World". Turning point: "No-No-Notorious." From this song on, LeBon assumed the "80s-for-stadium-show pose even more, adding "sex symbol" mannerisms. If you read this, it may seem tacky. There, it all made sense.
From that moment on, everyone was at ease: Simon LeBon with a scarf of Portugal, band members introduced one by one, a fan carried on arms by the singer to the stage (and how well that Eva introduced LeBon), snippets of "We are Family" and "Groove is in the Heart" in between songs, the usual encore after "Wild Boys" and the end in ecstasy with "Rio". There was a band that said, "Nice boys don't play rock n' roll". "Wild boys do", we add. Even if they live of the past.
Courtesy PUBLICO.PT
http://www.publico.clix.pt/shownews.asp?id=1224168
Translation courtesy of nUno
