Just before the night gets underway, there's a moment which catches everyone out. A man appears on stage to introduce the support act. In his dad jeans and black jumper, the slightly damp crowd slowly filtering to their seats completely misses that it's Simon Le Bon.
Duran Duran have an enviable eye for emerging talent, having selected burgeoning bands like Scissor Sisters, Goldfrapp, and Florence and the Machine to open shows for them in the past. And this tour is no different, as the star effusively introduces Pigeon to the stage.
Clad in orange boiler suits, the band launch into an incredible 30 minute set, the highlight of which is Black James Dean - a blast of shimmering synths and brooding bass punctuated by singer Falle Nioke's striking vocals.
An addictive blend of Afro-disco, grunge, no wave and jazz, Pigeon caught the eyes and ears of everyone there, and went straight onto my Spotify playlist.
There's a brief break while the stage is reset for the main event, the M&S Arena filling with an audience spanning the generations that have all braved the wet and windy weather to be here.
Global superstars Duran Duran dominated the 80s
It's hard to overstate just how massive Duran Duran were when I was growing up in the 80s. Near constants on MTV, the new wave pioneers helped lead the charge for the Second British Invasion of music in the US and across the globe - and almost all of my friends had at least one of their posters on their wall.
The band's enduring appeal is a testament to that superstar status - and the absolute bangers they play.
When Simon Le Bon re-emerges, the crowd is ready - and this time the frontman is unmistakable, clad in white trousers and a palm tree patterned jacket that glitters and shimmers under the stage lights.
We're straight into the meat of the hits, blasting through Is There Something I Should Know, Wild Boys, View to a Kill and Hungry Like the Wolf.
The crowd roars in appreciation, voices raised as every word is echoed, the fans knowing the songs by heart.
It's a visually stunning show, with bright animations and videos playing in the backdrop while lasers and spotlights add that nostalgic 80s tinge.
Liverpool "a very special place" for Duran Duran
Le Bon's voice has lost none of its power, and he's supported by two incredible backing singers in Anna Ross and Rachael O'Connor.
John Taylor remains effortlessly cool, prowling the stage on bass, while Nick Rhodes, wearing a jacket with shoulder pads you could spear yourself on, conducts proceedings behind two giant keyboards and synthesizers.
Hidden away at the back of the stage, Roger Taylor carries the beats on drums while Dom Brown on guitar completes the set.
The band has made no secret of their love of Liverpool, just the other day telling the ECHO's Ryan Paton about what the city means to them.
And they shared that love again, Simon Le Bon pausing to thank the crowd for coming, telling the arena "Liverpool is a special place for us."
There's some deep cuts amid the hits with The Chauffeur, and Lonely in Your Nightmare, which segues perfectly into Rick James' Super Freak, before looping back around.
