Duran Duran: Review of Barclays Center in Brooklyn

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April 12, 2016 – Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY – When Duran Duran played Madison Square Garden in March of 1984, the screams from teenage girls was enough to send dogs in all five boroughs into howling fits. It was the height of the British New Wave Invasion and pictures of the band filled the walls and notebooks of millions of fans worldwide.

The members of the group were all in their early 20’s that spring, not unlike the audience that filled the Barclay Center in Brooklyn this past Tuesday. This band from the 80’s has suddenly become the darlings of hipsters hungry to tap into nostalgia via vinyl albums and cassettes. Ironic beards and skinny jeans grooved along to the music that made at least some of their parents go wild all of those years ago at the Garden.

If those hyper-trendy Brooklynites were expecting a show filled solely with 80’s nostalgia, they learned immediately that Duran Duran is one of the few bands from the decade of big hair and bigger egos that continues to create new music and evolve their sound. The setlist hit every decade from their very first singles, “Planet Earth” and “Girls on Film”, to the great ballads of the 90’s, “Ordinary World” and “Come Undone” through to the uplifting single, “Sunrise” from the aughts. The tracks from their latest album, “Paper Gods” may not have been as familiar to the audience, but they had everyone on their feet dancing.

Because this is New York, a few guests popped on stage during the evening. Kiesza, of “Hideaway” fame, joined lead singer Simon le Bon to perform the new track, “Last Night in the City”. Lindsay Lohan set the tabloid press aflame by shimmying onstage to deliver the spoken word portion of the song, “Danceophobia,” while her entourage watched off stage. Nile Rodgers, who has been opening for Duran Duran with his legendary band, Chic, on the tour, popped onstage to add his hand to two of the songs he produced for the band, 1986’s “Notorious” and 2015’s “Pressure Off.”

It may have been a few decades since Duran Duran helped push millions of girls through puberty, but for the ninety minutes they were on stage in Brooklyn, the band felt as fresh and vibrant as they were on the ’84 tour. Those screaming teens were still there, but this time as less shrill adults. Canines citywide rejoiced.

Courtesy Concert Blogger (Click for photos)