LOS ANGELES (Duran Duran Official Website) - Pop legends
Duran Duran wowed and delighted US fans with their first gig together in
America for 18 years with an electric performance clearly up staging many of their contemporaries. The US tour formed part of a handful of dates in Japan and
America to celebrate the bands 25th Anniversary.
The band chose the intimate setting of the ROXY THEATRE on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles as the venue for their surprise concert, which was announced the day before on local LA radio and which was sponsored by fashion designer label DKNY and Blender magazine.
The Roxy was the first of a handful of select US gigs, following on from a phenomenal "sell out" Japanese tour. The intimate venue, which only holds 500 people, saw a star studded audience of Hollywood stars rubbing shoulders in cramped conditions with loyal fans, who had waited up to 10 hours to get tickets for one of the hottest gigs in Los Angeles. Black market tickets were also exchanging hands at $500+ per ticket to see the original five members of SIMON LE BON, NICK RHODES, JOHN TAYLOR, ANDY TAYLOR and ROGER TAYLOR back in action at the venue which helped break their careers in the US.
Hollywood actor NICHOLAS CAGE, BECK, BUSH�S GAVIN ROSSDALE and wife GWEN STEFANI of NO DOUBT and Hollywood golden couple JENNIFER ANISTON and BRAD PITT were just a few of the major Hollywood stars and celebrities that turned out to see the British pop legends at their finest. The concert was followed afterwards by a glitzy bash at the famous Chateau Marmont.
Duran Duran were one of the few British bands to conquer America as part of the second British invasion with the popularity of their concerts often compared to Beatle mania. Looking fine and dandy, SIMON LE BON belted out the classic Duran songs of Planet Earth, Hungry Like The Wolf, Rio, Girls On Films, Save A Prayer, White Lines, Careless Memories, Notorious, Ordinary World, The Reflex, Come Undone, New Religion and the Bond classic "A View To A Kill" which still until this day remains the only ever Bond film soundtrack to reach#1.
RHODES and the three TAYLOR�S - JOHN, ANDY and ROGER - delivered a blistering and electric stage performance proving without doubt really why this band were and still are regarded as the "legendary" Duran Duran.
Duran Duran also previewed songs from their new album, which included "Virus", "Reach Up For The Sunrise" and "What Happens Tomorrow." The bands eagerly awaited new album will be released next year to coincide with their planned mammoth 2004 world tour.
The audiences at the Roxy and on their sell out Japanese dates had its fair share of longstanding loyal fans, but were also overshadowed by a new legion of younger �Duranie� fans eager to see the band that has influenced such artists as MOBY, THE DANDY WARHOLS, FRED DURST (Limp Bizkit) LADYTRON and THE FAINT.
Speaking after the concert in Los Angeles, lead singer SIMON LE BON said "The Roxy was an unbelievable show for us to play, it was an electric atmosphere that all five of us felt on stage between us and the fans. As a band we have an amazing chemistry when we perform, everything just gels together. The venue is of particular importance to us, as it was the first gig we played in this country and that helped break our careers. All of the fans have been amazing both in Japan and America of which we owe much of our success to!"
Guitarist ANDY TAYLOR and drummer ROGER TAYLOR added, "Its just been an amazing experience playing to these fantastic audiences and fans who have been a huge support throughout our careers. You just simply can�t beat that buzz of touring and the immense support and loyalty of the fans out there. It also felt very special for us all to be back together creating that magic again. We can�t wait to get back to the UK and play before British audiences again."
Duran Duran continue with their US tour performing tonight(Thursday 17th July) at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas which was an added date due to Saturday's (19th July)concert selling out 2000 tickets in 6 minutes.
