It’s been over 10 years since Duran Duran has played the WNY/Southern Ontario area (they played the Seneca Niagara Casino in 2006). The band opened up their Paper Gods tour this past Friday night at the Fallsview Casino for the first of two sold out shows. “Paper Gods” was released back in September and became the first album since 1993’s “The Wedding Album” to hit the top ten.
Duran Duran currently consists of original members Simon LeBon on vocals, John Taylor on bass, Nick Rhodes on keyboards and Roger Taylor on drums along with newcomer Dominic Brown on guitar and Simon Willescroft on keys and saxophone. The band also had two backup singers to fill out the vocals.
LeBon asked the crowd to get up and dance during “Notorius.” In fact, most of the night was a mixture of hits and some new tracks that fit seamlessly into the setlist. A video screen was employed on various tracks including the lead single of off “Paper Gods” titled “Pressure Off.” The video featured a cameo from legendary co producer Nile Rodgers. To the audiences surprise, confetti was shot off at the end of the song. I never saw a band do this so early in a set. It sure made for an evening of wondering what would be coming next.
During “Planet Earth,” Duran Duran’s first hit, they incorporated an image of the recently deceased David Bowie while playing a medley of “Space Odyssey.” The band didn’t interact too much on stage except when both John Taylor and LeBon came together to sing the opening of “Wild Boys.”
Lebon dedicated the song “Save a Prayer” to the band Eagles of Death Metal who endured the terror attack in Paris late last year. He gave words of encouragement an said to everyone to continue to live their lives and then the terrorists won’t win. Lebon played an acoustic guitar for the song, the only time he would don an instrument during the show.
Originally “Rio” was suppose to be the last song of the evening. As the band finished up the track and started to hand off their instruments to their tech guys, an enormous chant of “Reflex,” Reflex,” “Reflex” permeated the showroom that the band had to answer. They got together, talked it over, and agreed to do the song. You can tell it wasn’t scripted and made for a very impromptu and entertaining finale. The backup singers even got into the act coming down and crisscrossing in front and energizing the crowd to sing the song.
This was my first time ever seeing the band live and glad I got to see them in such a wonderful venue like the Avalon Ballroom inside the Fallsview. It made me appreciate the band on an entirely new level.
Setlist:
Paper Gods
Hungry Like the Wolf
A View to a Kill
Come Undone
Last night in the City
What are the Chances?
Notorious
Pressure Off
Planet Earth (Space Oddity medley -David Bowie cover)
Ordinary World
I Don’t Want Your Love
(Reach up for the ) Sunrise/New Moon on Monday
The Wild Boys
Encore:
Save a Prayer
Rio
The Reflex
We would like to thank Jennifer Murphy from the Fallsview Casino for the credentials to review the show.
