Duran Duran rocks Borgata with lively mix of old and new

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Duran Duran rocks Borgata with lively mix of old and newBy VINCENT JACKSON Staff WriterATLANTIC CITY - No fan looks as happy to see all the original members of Duran Duran back together as the band's guitarist Andy Taylor.The 1980s New Wave, British pop-rock quintet played a sold-out show at the Event Center at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Sunday night. Through the two-hour show it was Taylor - dressed all in black with rock-star sunglasses and occasionally smoking a cigarette - who kept these aging rockers energized.The band, which includes lead singer Simon LeBon and bassist John Taylor ran through solid versions of their hits from two decades ago as well as songs from last year's "Astronaut."Andy Taylor, who's not related to the bassist or drummer Roger Taylor, gave the songs more of a rock edge than the tunes had in their 1980s incarnations. He also helped to keep the show interesting as the band shifted performance gears from rock band to synth-pop group to more of a dance band during the course of the night.A female backup singer and a saxophonist supplemented the original five-member band.Taylor, who virtually disappeared after leaving Duran Duran in the mid-1980s, returned to the group in 2001. He apparently appreciates his second chance. Throughout the show he embraced his opportunity to be a rock star again just as the band's fans, now in their 30s and 40s, jumped at the chance to dance one more time to songs like "Rio," and "The Reflex."The band's 21-song set list featured more new material than in the group's Atlantic City appearance three years ago. The crowd received the new, up-tempo song "Nice" most enthusiastically, but the group's new single "What Happens Tomorrow," deserves to be as much of a hit as their Top 10 1990s pop smashes "Come Undone" and "Ordinary World."The song "I Don't Want Your Love" was switched from more of a dance song to a rock tune to its detriment. But for the most part, the band rendered their hits, including the James Bond theme "A View To Kill," faithfully to their adoring, mostly female, following.Duran Duran gave a more arena-like show this time compared to their last Borgata concert in 2003. It used a five-section video screen that showed the band, the audience, a cartoon, impressionistic images and previously shot footage. Last time, rows of chairs filled the orchestra, but because most of the audience stands and dances during their shows, the chairs were removed from the orchestra Sunday, leaving just the risers in the center of the Event Center.If fans had one reason to complain, it was about content. The band came into town and left without playing one of their best songs, "Union Of The Snake," even though they performed the tune on other stops of their current tour.Courtesy Press of Atlantic City