My friend and I were supposed to take the 4:05pm bus so we could get into the city by 5:05 (of course, with traffic, we were anticipating around 5:15-5:30). Well, for some reason, the 4:05 bus decided to show up and then not wait for anyone. One person got on and then it jetted off. We were really pissed off because we were waiting for that bus; so as a result, we ended up taking the 4:35pm bus.
Man, what a fuckin' ride on the bus! Normally it would take an hour to get into the city, but it took us two hours! There wasn't even traffic. It was the fact that the bus driver decided to take alternate routes. It also didn't help that all the buses were running 10 minutes late; so the 4:35 bus didn't come until 4:45, so we didn't get into the city until 6:45. I was so angry (and the rain made things worse). Meredith had called me around 5:45 to ask where I was and I had told her we were still on the bus. She told us that the barricades had just gone up; so I figured we were going to miss the boys going in. Well when we finally got into the city, Meredith told me the boys hadn't shown up yet; so my friend and I had a chance (thank God)!
When we got there, there were people already waiting, but we still secured ourselves a good spot in the second row. This was my friend's first Duran Duran concert and first "Duran Duran encounter". After a few minutes, Simon was first to arrive. He did sign some autographs. Simon was in a really good mood that night as it seemed to me. He was talking to the people in the front. In any event, my hands were shaking because of the cold, but I did manage to get one good pic of him. A few minutes later, my hands finally warmed up and stopped shaking just in time for Roger (perfect timing). I got some pics of him as well and he signed my "Working for the Skin Trade" DVD. Funny moment was when he said, "anyone got a pen?" LOL! John and Nick had done a radio show early that day, so they came in together, waved really fast to everyone, and walked right in very quickly (I guess they must have been late - they were the last to arrive). Oh and somewhere along the line, Dom Brown did walk by, but I don't know if it was after Simon or after Roger....LOL!
Well onto the show. What can I say? This was, obviously, a much better concert than when they did the Hammerstein show back in June. This was one of the best Duran Duran concerts I have ever been to (and I've been to PLENTY)! I gotta tell you, I am loving Red Carpet Massacre. There is only one song on there that I cannot stand and two others that aren't great but not bad either - they're so so; but not something I would listen to constantly. Hey, nine out of 12 (or 10 out of 13 if you have the bonus track) is pretty damn good.
Let's see, highlights. Well, there are too many to mention. I mean, the whole concert was totally awesome. One highlight was definitely the electro set and hearing "Last Chance on the Stairway" as I have never seen them perform that song live. Also another highlight was "Do You Believe in Shame?" That's another song I never saw them perform live. Even though Simon did change the words a little bit in the song (don't know if that was done on purpose or not), which threw me off a little as I was singing along, the song was great....LOL!
Someone threw a thong onstage during "The Reflex" and Simon was like, "Just my luck to be shit on by a thon. Somebody must be feeling awfully cold out there!" Whoever threw it, threw it towards Dom Brown as I saw it land near him. Dom Brown is hot! However, people need to stop throwing their skanky draws/bras/lingerie onstage. This isn't 1984 anymore and the boys don't like that crap being thrown at them as Simon clearly proved (I remember a Jones Beach show back in 2000 when someone threw a black bra onstage. I was in second row directly in front of him. Simon took one look at that bra and mouthed off mike "That's so dumb", so people stop throwing your shit)!
Oh and yes, Simon, John, Nick, and Roger looked fabulous! I wonder where they got those "RCM" outfits? I heard it was designed especially for them by the one and only Juicy Couture. It was definitely different and leave it for Duran Duran to do something different at each show.
Overall, excellent performance and excellent show. I can't get over how much of a great time I had (and thank God it wasn't a General Admission show - I couldn't do that again after Hammerstein).
We were very lucky to have seen the guys live at this venue because the next day, the strike happened and the boys were forced to cancel the next night's show (and the two other shows on Broadway). However, they worked very quickly to get a new venue and they finished up their remaining two shows at Roseland Ballroom (with a HUGE SUCCESS I must say from what I read)! Kudos to the boys and their management for doing that. I'm glad those people who had tickets were able to see them. :)
ACT ONE - RED CARPET MASSACRE
THE VALLEY
RED CARPET MASSACRE
NITE RUNNER
FALLING DOWN
BOX FULL O' HONEY
SKIN DIVERS
TEMPTED
TRICKED OUT
ZOOM IN
SHE'S TOO MUCH
DIRTY GREAT MONSTER
LAST MAN STANDING
**Intermission**
ACT TWO - ELECTRO SET
SHOWROOM DUMMIES (Cover song)
LAST CHANCE ON THE STAIRWAY
ALL SHE WANTS IS
WARM LEATHERETTE (Cover Song)
I DON'T WANT YOUR LOVE
SKIN TRADE
INTERLUDE
ACT THREE - ESSENTIAL DURAN
RIO
NOTORIOUS
THE REFLEX
ORDINARY WORLD
DO YOU BELIEVE IN SHAME?
PLANET EARTH
A VIEW TO A KILL
SUNRISE
**Brief break**
GIRLS ON FILM
