Simon LeBon fronts Duran Duran at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Aug. 23, 2022. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Calm, Cool, and Collected: A Show of Confidence from Duran Duran

Do you know that feeling of joy that springs from unbridled confidence? You can see everything coming together, and you’re calm, cool, and collected. You’re ready to win, and everything unfolds as it should.

A Duran Duran concert flawlessly captures that exact feeling every time.

In their recent appearance at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Duran Duran once again won the day with a show in conjunction with Future Past, the band’s 15th studio album (released not long ago by BMG), and they did so with support from their friend and mentor Nile Rodgers.

Duran Duran began the show on Aug. 23 with a tremendously well-received rendition of “Wild Boys.” The audience roared its approval as vocalist Simon Lebon and bassist John Taylor shared Simon’s mic for the shouts of the chorus. Simon’s powerful voice was peerless in its presentation as he raised his arms to invite crowd participation in singing along. And he soon recalled the band’s first-ever visit to Merriweather Post Pavilion in 1982 on a tour with Blondie to additional buzz from the assembled masses. (This show was very well sold with only a few places remaining on the lawn, and this crowd never hesitated to make its strength known.)

If this particular Duran Duran concert had an MVP, it may well have been bassist John Taylor. John was a perfect picture of calm. You could pace the show with John as he strides from drummer Roger Taylor on stage right to keyboardist Nick Rhodes on stage left. John was easy to watch and his facial expressions revealed moments from great satisfaction when everything clicked (a big smile) to intense focus that required extra concentration (those pursed lips). During “Hungry Like the Wolf,” the famed single from 1982’s Rio, John stood in formation to the right of Simon at center stage while guitarist Dom Brown, a very capable man indeed, positioned himself on Simon’s left. John grooved. He hunkered down in the middle of riffs, ebbing or bobbing as the music demanded.

No one was ever more cool than Nick Rhodes, always the most fashion-forward member of the band. From a position behind his synthesizers, both high and removed, Nick wasn’t the easiest band member to spot from the photo pit. But whenever the lights struck his face, he manifested as a visual representation of the very art he created — effortlessly cool. Nick was all business for “Invisible,” the art-rock track that was one of four presented from Future Past. The audience readily cheered Future Past first single as well as “Anniversary,” “Give It All Up,” and “Tonight United” throughout the show.

Watch the official music video for “Invisible” (created by an AI program) by Duran Duran on YouTube:

Drummer Roger Taylor had a lot of work to do because he, alongside John, is half of the most vigorous rhythm section in modern pop music. It thus served Roger well that he is incredibly collected, very much in tune with his surroundings and guided by an extra sense of what was happening even while his eyes were on his drum kit. Distinctive drum parts are in the DNA of Duran Duran songs, and Roger was the perfect vehicle for the loose funk of “Notorious” and the soft rock balladry of “Come Undone,” one of two welcome songs performed from the band’s remarked 1993 self-titled record, aka The Wedding Album. (Simon appropriately dedicated the other, “Ordinary World,” to the people of Ukraine to spotlight their suffering in the current unjust war launched upon them by Russia.)

Simon LeBon exuded confidence as a frontman who was ready for the limelight and as a vocalist whose band was poised and ready to spring into action behind him. As a lifelong Duran Duran fan, I never truly appreciated how tall Simon stands until I first met him in the aughts. And Simon seemed to tower large over the proceedings at Merriweather Post Pavilion this week. Often clad in pastels or other soothing colors, Simon’s confident exterior always matches his centered inner self. In a very good recent chat with The Wall Street Journal, Simon revealed he overcame shyness to become the stellar frontman he is today, and that he learned to embrace his shy feelings through lessons learned while acting when he was young. Now a veteran of stages globally, Simon was compelling to watch in his performance.

LeBon’s voice was tremendous. He was particularly effective on a string of old-school fan favorites in the latter half of the show — songs including “Friends of Mine” and “Careless Memories” from the Duran Duran debut album and “Hold Back the Rain” from Rio. “Hold Back the Rain” is a quintessential Duran Duran song that doesn’t always receive its due; it was a pounding thrill of a song and the band fired on all cylinders. Positioned as usual next to Nick Rhodes, the band’s backing singers took every opportunity to shine, including the rousing chorus of “Hold Back the Rain,” which encouraged more lusty audience singalongs. Longtime vocalist Anna Ross and new addition Rachael O’Connor both sounded fantastic when extending or echoing Simon’s words. Anna was as always a sensation, and it was a delight to see and hear her once again.

Perhaps it’s easy to be as confident as Duran Duran when your songs are as cool and remarkable as “Save a Prayer” and “Rio,” two unparalleled tracks that first appeared roughly 40 years ago and remain part of our collective pop consciousness today. Duran Duran presented the pair of timeless tunes once again in their encore at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Watch the official music video for “Rio” — the greatest music video of all time — by Duran Duran on YouTube:

As referenced at the beginning of this review, disco master Nile Rodgers opened for his friends in Duran Duran at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Aug. 23, but he did not perform with them (unlike in their extraordinarily memorable show at Verizon Center [now Capital One Arena] in 2016). That said, Nile made the party happen. The legendary producer and guitarist appeared with the current iteration of his CHIC collective, and they blew the audience away with CHIC staples like “Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah),” “Le Freak,” and “Good Times,” the latter of which featured a surprising and pleasing vocal of “Rappers Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang rapped by Nile.

Nile and his band also covered a great number of songs he wrote and produced, including a very intoxicating cover of “I’m Coming Out” of Diana Ross fame, a stirring cover of “Like a Virgin” by Madonna, and a soaring, moving version of “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk, among many others. Nile is always very good at rallying an audience, but I’ve never heard more heartfelt cheers in my life when Nile shared the story of how he beat cancer around the time “Get Lucky” was recorded.

Maybe any band can be calm, cool, and collected when Nile Rodgers is perenially in your corner. Duran Duran’s association with the myth-making music man dates back at least to their smash “The Reflex,” and it always feels like no time at all has been lost since whenever they appear together.

The amazing performance by CHIC warrants a shout-out to the band members:

Nile Rodgers: lead guitar/ vocals
Jerry Barnes: bass/ vocals
Ralph Rolle: drums/ vocals, including “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie
Kimberly Davis: vocals, including “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk
Audrey Martells: vocals, including “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross
Russell Graham: keyboards/ vocals
Richard Hilton: keyboards/ vocals
Steve Jankowski: trumpet
Ken Gioffre: horn

Overall, the triumphant concert performances by both Duran Duran and Nile Rodgers rank among the very best in quite a busy year. Their music will undoubtedly fill you with their own unwavering optimism, infectious confidence, and a flush of victory.

Here are some photos of Nile Rodgers & CHIC performing at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Aug. 23, 2022. All pictures by Mickey McCarter.

Here are some photos of Duran Duran performing at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Aug. 23, 2022. All pictures by Mickey McCarter.