
Attending a Duran Duran concert is like stepping into a time machine, transporting yourself to the golden era of the ‘80s while embracing the sheer energy and glamour that the band exudes. But they are no nostalgia act.
At Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Tuesday, June 13th, they entered to thunderous applause. The four original members stood on an elevated platform and basked in the adulation while “Night Boat” ushered them to the stage.
The band delivered a blistering “Careless Memories” off their 1981 debut and Simon Le Bon sang it with a ferocity that you don’t associate with him; it was also the only song where the lyrics were projected on the eight screens:
Oh, I walk out into the sun, I try to find a new day
But the whole place just screams in my eyes
Where are you now ‘cause I don’t want to meet you
I think I’d die, I think I’d laugh at you
I know I’d cry, what am I supposed to do, follow you?
Le Bon introduced “Ordinary World” as the song that touches on so many areas of what life is about and dedicated it to the people of Ukraine.

Acknowledging how culture and society has changed the band added “It was acceptable in the ‘80s / It was acceptable at the time” to “Girls on Film” (take one look at the 1981 video and you’ll understand).
When they came out for the encore, Le Bon was wearing a Nashville Predators jersey and asked the audience if the team was the Nashville Cougars; he then laughed and told the audience that a woman in the front rows yelled, “No, but I’m one!”
