By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Saturday 5 July, tour runs through 31 October 2025

This is the sixth time we’ve seen Duran Duran and in a nutshell, we think they’re better off at their own arena tours, rather than festivals, and better off outdoors, so last night was just perfect.

• Read on for reasons including how life can’t get much better than this

The arduous drive and the shambolic security set up of both the Premium Village VIP entrance and the general exit will not form part of this review, as it’s going to be positive! Let’s just say that yes I know entrance issues for a VIP ticket holder is rather precious, but I didn’t expect to be walking through a hedge to get in.

However let’s just stick to the music. Except it’s not just about the music. Every time we’ve seen them, there’s a tale to tell and not all of them for public consumption. There’s the fabulous ladies we met in Southampton in 2016 who we’ve remained friends with and even bumped into at a Soft Cell gig in London.

There’s the Isle of Wight festival in 2021, postponed due to Covid, where we were front row with dodgy sound but excellently smudged face glitter. There’s the 2005 gig in Birmingham’s St Andrews stadium where we witnessed a whole family singing along to their late mum’s obviously favourite band.

We were first in the arena and second to bag the front row barrier. The arena filled up. Picnic blankets arrived. The sea of Duran t-shirts surrounded us. We held our place and everyone followed the unwritten rule: when I went out to fetch a hot dog dinner, I was helped back in. When I left it too late so had to rush to the toilet, I was helped back in. You wouldn’t get such preferential treatment at a festival. No way. You move, you lose. But with Durannies, they hated you for having that front row position whilst simultaneously respecting you for it and helping you to keep it.

Amazingly on the way in, we met our original friends from 2016! We made new friends, a couple of blokes who hadn’t been dragged by their partners. They’d also been to loads of gigs and we spent a while discussing Simon’s voice and set lists, amongst other Durannie topics. We had our lovely bodyguard ladies behind us, ready to defend our spaces.

I can’t not talk about Chic and Nile Rodgers who were the support, after JC Stewart all the way from Ireland. I’ve seen Chic three times now and they do not disappoint. What a fabulous way to get a party started. Nile in a humble way introduces his own records plus those he’s produced for others (think Sister Sledge, Daft Punk, David Bowie, Beyonce).

It’s a star-studded show with a moving tribute to late bassist Bernard Edwards, who we know influenced John Taylor so much. Duran arrive in a spaceship avatar video. Straight into Night Boat, Wild Boys and Hungry Like the Wolf. Simon hardly has any time to talk. A View to a Kill and Notorious (which was produced by Nile but he didn’t play it tonight) followed by Nite-Runner/All She Wants Is, their amazing cover of Evil Woman by a band I’m seeing next Sunday, ELO, Careless Memories, Ordinary World and Come Undone.

The set explodes for Sunrise. Planet Earth, Reflex when Simon laughs at himself getting the words wrong (we didn’t!). White Lines precedes Girls on Film, this time segued with Talking Heads’ Psycho Killer with Simon’s awesome French too.

Their encore is obviously Save a Prayer, in which Simon lets us have the first two choruses for ourselves, plus the “one night stand” line which he correctly tells us “is the best line”.

Rio is the last song. As we await a set list from the stage patiently, we bid our farewells to our new friends. The music is always fabulous. I’ve even come to love Sunrise and Come Undone, primarily being an early DD fan!

However the awesome bits in tonight’s gig were spotting Yasmin Le Bon (yes I saw Yasmin!) at the side of the stage, along with Gela (John’s wife) and other family members. At one point, Roger’s cute grandkids come to watch and take photos next to us.

Then Gela points out things in the crowd back at the side of the stage to Roger’s grand-daughter. This is it. This is the beauty of Duran Duran. The family. Their families. Our family: our new and old friends and the friends we haven’t yet met. And to have been part of the Chic’s family before just put the icing on the cake. As Nile says, “These are the good times, leave your cares behind… our new state of mind” and as Simon sings in Sunrise, “Watch out for each other, Cos’ we know what it means, To be alive”. Life can’t get much better than this.

• Main pictures by Carron Stacey and via Facebook courtesy Duran Duran Tickets
• Have you seen a Duran Duran show before and what did you think of this 1? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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