Duran Duran, Bratislava Review
Having done all the UK dates for the Duran Duran 2011 / 2012 tour, I felt like a addict of some sort needing another fix. The need for this became greater, as I watched my Twitter timeline alive with #duranlive tweets from German & Belgian dates, leaving me feeling rather left out and envious of those getting a dose! So the decision to go to Bratislava was based on having never been to Eastern Europe and the end of this leg of European dates.
I couldn’t really tell you very much about Bratislava as I flew in the day of the gig, and out the next, so just there for the show. However, the Bratislavan people are among the nicest I have met in the world. At the show we had standing tickets and managed to secure a nice position at the barrier at the front. The venue was small and intimate compared to those I had seen in the UK, however it was completely packed out, and just talking to people in the audience they just loved Duran Duran and it seemed they were huge fans of the whole Western 80s Music scene. Guys around me were talking about Depeche Mode, A-Ha and a whole load of others from that era and so enthusiastic about it too. I also noticed something else about this audience, there was a large male presence, like lads nights out to see bands.
The support band came on, as they didn’t sing or speak English I was unable to understand their songs but they were definitely a good warm up for this audience the guys around us dancing and jumping around, this band were known by the people around us, their sound to me was very Kraftwerk, yet another indication that the 80s scene is definitely a respected and loved one here.
During the interval there were lots of screams from the excited audience as they saw movement from the back of the stage, but finally when the lights went down and the familiar sound of the opening song, Before the Rain sent this audience into loud applause. The production set was smaller than the UK shows, with Simon Willescroft doing both percussion and Saxophone. The set list was different to the UK with Blame the Machines having been replaced with Being Followed, which was nice to hear live again, as I think the last time I heard it live was at the UK National Lottery show. The man who stole the Leopard returned to the set list too, which had, the audience clapping along as prompted by John. Ordinary World was dedicated to our troubled world but it was Come Undone that this audience seemed to love the best, clearly a favourite with the Slovakians and definitely one of mine. Notorious was funky as ever, however the end of it had changed since the UK as they usually introduce the band to a reprised version of this but instead the band was introduced during Girls on Film.
The show was a huge success, and at the end a flag was thrown on the stage, which I am guessing was the Slovakian flag which Simon Le Bon held up and cheers were louder he then he ended up, draping the flag around his shoulders as they took their bows. This audience clearly wanted more, the applause was overwhelming. Slovakia loves Duran Duran.
Bratislava Set List
Before the Rain, Planet Earth, View to a Kill, All You Need is Now, Being Followed, Come Undone, Safe, The Reflex, Man who Stole a Leopard, Girl Panic, Tiger Tiger, White Lines, Ordinary World, Notorious, Hungry Like the Wolf, Reach up for the Sunrise, Wild Boys (Relax), Girls on Film, Rio.
This review is Courtey of Julie de Sousa www.allyouneedisnow.co.uk
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