Simon Le Bon Duran Duran / Budweiser Stage / Photo: Elliott Deseure
One of the worlds biggest pop glam rock bands took over Toronto on August 22 2022 to a sold out audience, that band was DURAN DURAN. Touring in honour of their latest album release Future Past, and to give their devoting fans a well deserved night out for classic hits and fun post COVID 19! But was Toronto ready for the “Wild Boys”? Because Duran Duran was there to put on an unforgettable performance. Leading into the night it appeared that the show wasn’t going to go on with a massive storm rolling through just as showtime was to commence. Pausing the evening, the staff at Budweiser Stage had everyone on standby under the canopy as it was unsafe to leave the venue. With crashing winds and torrential downpours DURAN DURAN fans weren’t going anywhere, besides the fact that they couldn’t leave… they wouldn’t have! But just as fast as the storm rolled in, it rolled out and Nile Rodgers their long life friend/co-writer/producer/inspiration had to reduce his set to a few classical hits with his band Chic so the night could go on!
John Taylor Duran Duran / Budweiser Stage / Photo: Elliott Deseure
Starting the night off right with their opening song “Wild Boys” leading into the song that everyone knows “Hungry Like The Wolf”! Ending the night with capped it off with their most famous song RIO and playing everything in-between those songs from Notorious, A View To A Kill, Come Undone, Ordinary World, Planet Earth, The Reflex, Girls On Film, Save A Prayer, White Lines, and even some new songs like Anniversary, Invisible, Give It All Up and Tonight United!
Nick Rhodes Duran Duran / Budweiser Stage / Photo: Elliott Deseure
Simon Le Bon (Left) John Taylor (Right) Duran Duran / Budweiser Stage / Photo: Elliott Deseure
Its easy for fans to notice the chemistry on stage whether its good or bad or in-between. Its always fun to see the band members look back over their shoulder to acknowledge their band members like when Simon Le Bon peers back to the “Keyboard God” Nick Rhodes and gives him a wink, or on the way passing by of John Taylor whispering something in Dom Browns ear to then have him laugh on stage. These guys are still really great friends and you can see that on stage! Being with the band since 2004 Dom Brown replaced Andy Taylor in the band and they haven’t looked back since. So can you really call him the new guy still? World class guitar and entertaining performing from the “new guy”! That new guy has also worked with acts such as Elton John, Lionel Richie, Liam Gallagher, Justin Timberlake and many more so lets just say that he’s good!
Dom Brown Duran Duran / Budweiser Stage / Photo: Elliott Deseure
John Taylor (Left) Dom Brown (right) Duran Duran / Budweiser Stage / Photo: Elliott Deseure
If chemistry on stage wasn’t enough, then the hits and performing would do it! Simon Le Bon’s singing is the best it’s been in years, bringing the youth to youthfulness back to the stage. Having spent many nights in performing venues across GTA I will have to state that DURAN DURAN put on the best overall performance for Toronto this summer! It was fun, entertaining, exciting, surprising and so much more, even the hurricaine that came through couldn’t take down the stage like DURAN DURAN did! I would highly recommend making an effort to seeing them if they pass by your town or city and if they don’t, make the drive because they are more than worth it!
Nile Rodgers Chic / Budweiser Stage / Photo: Elliott Deseure
Travelling with Duran Duran is their long time ghost member of Duran Duran that you will hear on their albums and see live for a few songs each night! Accompanied by his world class band Chic, playing all the hits… except for Torontos show that got cut short due to a severe storm front that came through. But saying that, we all got to dance and sing along to “Chic Cheer”, “Dance, Dance, Dance”, “I Want Your Love” and “Everybody Dance”! One of the kings and godfathers of funk and a newly appointed honouree of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Nile has been creating hits for generations for artists such as Duran Duran, David Bowie, Sister Sledge, Queen, Lady Gaga, Diana Ross and the list could go on and on, appearing on over 500 million in record sales albums and on over 75 million singles sold worldwide, this “chucking” guitar player/singer has the chops to play with anyone from anywhere! I think you would be surprised to learn the songs that you know originated or were inspired by Nile! A must see for sure!
Reviewer Elliott Deseure
Insta @Elliott.Photog
@Soundcheckentertainment
