Dazzled by Duran Duran

Can words really describe the overwhelming elation I felt during the Duran Duran concert in Clearwater on October 10? Not sufficiently, no; words can't, but that's all I have, so I'll try to work with it.

Outstanding. Superb. Amazing. Stunning. Dazzling.
Ooh...I like that one: dazzling. That fits very well.

It was the first concert I'd ever been to at Ruth Eckerd Hall, so I wasn't sure what to expect, venue-wise. I did know, however, that Duran Duran were going to be fantastic...I just didn't realize how fantastic they would really end up being.

This concert was the fourth time I've seen Duran Duran perform onstage. The first time was during the Astronaut tour, the second was when they performed with the Orlando Symphonic Orchestra and the third was in 2008 for their Red Carpet Massacre tour. So that's Tampa, Orlando, Orlando and now Clearwater. Also, that's 'with Andy Taylor,' 'with Andy Taylor,' 'without Andy Taylor' and, now (once again), 'without Andy Taylor.' With all those different variables and things taken out of consideration, I have to say that this latest performance was the best I'd seen of theirs yet.

In all aspects I was blown away like the Maxell advert guy. Simon's voice was incredible for having been so recently out of commission; John's bass was heart-stoppingly killer; Roger's drums were thrilling; Nick's keyboards were out of this world (as always, because he's an alien); and Dom's guitar riffs wailed. I really don't recall Andy ever being as good as Dom is now and I've seen PLENTY of videos.

Simon, Nick, John, and Roger were all laughing, playing with the crowd, joking with each other and playing brilliantly on top of that.

Ohhh...I'm all over the place! This was the set list:
BEFORE THE RAIN/PLANET EARTH/A VIEW TO A KILL/ALL YOU NEED IS NOW/ BLAME THE MACHINES/COME UNDONE/SAFE/REFLEX/LEOPARD/GIRL PANIC/TIGER TIGER/CARELESS MEMORIES/LEAVE A LIGHT ON/ORDINARY WORLD/NOTORIOUS/HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF/SUNRISE (encore) WILD BOYS/RIO


When they opened the concert with "Before the Rain," I about fell over. My jaw dropped and my heart stopped for a second. Ryan thought it was funny and/or cute. My hands clasped together at my chest and I teared up when Simon began to sing (I wasn't the only one). That song is every expression of beauty that I can think of, song-wise; opening with that song was such a right choice. It set the perfect tone of the concert and then played with it by following it up with "Planet Earth."

Simon said at one point that they were the band that would make us party and they sure did; the whole sold-out venue was on their feet the entire time, dancing, singing, laughing, loving the show.

When they busted the instrumental "Tiger Tiger" out from their Seven and the Ragged Tiger album, I was floored and Ryan was pleased to say the least; he LOVES instrumentals and from the moment I first played him that track, he was hooked.

Everything was just so right about the concert. The weather was great, the drive was easy (except when we got lost before we got there, but even that wasn't bad at all; we just turned around and went the other way), the crowd was friendly and not raucous, the band was brilliant (as always)...everything was so right.

I will absolutely treasure every millisecond of the memories of this Duran Duran concert. In a sea of good evenings, this one was perfect.