My friend and I got a double treat this year. The boys came back to the states for a second run to end their RED CARPET MASSACRE TOUR and this time it was to Montclair, NJ - about an hour from me. This was great. I mentioned in the last review that the boys should do NJ and they did....LOL!
Honestly, I don't know where to begin. First of all, this was a general admission show and I was so glad to know that they had balcony seating at this venue. I was not about to do floor standing, no way. I wasn't going to do this show if there wasn't balcony seating. It's a small venue too, so it didn't really matter where you sat in the balcony. We had second row center. I brought my binaculars so I could have a closer look at the boys, but really I didn't need them....LOL! I did use them, though, and wow what a difference. It was like I was in the front row on the floor (with the exception of no screaming or pushing/shoving around me) when I looked through them so it was worth bringing!
We got there around 5:00 and the line wasn't really that long. People, as usual, didn't start showing up until around 6:00; so we were good. I mean, come on, it's December and almost winter. If there was anyone standing out there all day long in the cold, they were nuts!
This concert, like their others (except for Hammerstein Ballroom), was fantastic! My friend and I had a blast. The boys were in fine form wearing their RED CARPET MASSACRE get up, which included new jackets not worn at Central Park or the Barrymore Theater shows. They all had black jackets that said "massacre" right down the front and a cool picture/design of a woman on the back. Simon and Roger had the same white RCM shirts that was worn at the Barrymore Theater show last year, Simon had on a black tie, and Roger had on a black vest, John had on the black and gray striped RCM shirt that was worn in Central Park. Nick just had on a black suit, white shirt with black stripes with the RCM designs on it, and black tie. They all had black pants with little clips and zippers on the side, and black shoes. (How's that for paying attention to detail? LOL!) Simon mentioned that this was their last time wearing those outfits and they will be wearing something new next time around - marking, again, an end to the RED CARPET MASSACRE TOUR.
Later on, though, during "Girls on Film" and "Rio", Simon, John, and Roger had new shirts on. Roger had a black short sleeve shirt with a silver, sparkling design on it. I could not tell what the design was, but it was cool. Simon had a black short sleeve shirt with the RCM logo on the front in red sparkle letters and on the back of his shirt it said his name....LOL! He also decided to add on suspenders or something to his pants that just hung there....LOL! John had on all black with a black and white scarf tied to his arm. He had the same black shirt that was worn during the ELECTRO SET at Central Park.
I was looking at the sights around me and the whole place was full. I don't know if the show sold out, but every seat in the balcony was full and I looked down at the floor and it was packed as well. So glad I wasn't down there! I could hear people screaming and carrying on down there and one guy shouted "Simon, you're awesome!" LOL! I also noticed a guy who had to have been at least 6' 2". He was, like, the tallest person there and I felt sorry for whoever was behind him. Another reason why I chose balcony instead of the floor. I don't want some ten foot person in front of me blocking my view of the boys....hee hee!
I saw some lady walk down the aisle and said something to my friend during one of the songs (he had the aisle seat). I didn't think anything of it as I was too busy having a good time. He sat down. I also sat down, but that was because I was tired from dancing and wanted to rest a little bit. I asked my friend what that lady told him and he said that she wanted him to sit down because she couldn't see. I was like, "you gotta be kidding me". No one sits down at Duran Duran shows! I would have ignored her....LOL! She should have just stood up like everyone else did.
There was another lady behind us who asked my friend if that woman told him to sit down. She, then, said not to worry about it. I told my friend the same thing. We are at this show to have fun and if we want to stand up, we will. I told my friend to stand back up, but of course he wasn't going to stand up unless I did. I told him if he ever wanted to stand up, he could but I guess he wasn't comfortable doing it unless I did....LOL! I only sat down for a few minutes and then I was up dancing away again. Oh and that person who told my friend to sit down never came back again. There were a lot of us standing in the balcony so that person needed to get over it.
There were many highlights in the show of course and too many to mention. Simon did not catch the tamborine during "Sunrise" again. It went forward this time and landed somewhere on the stage. However, I think the way that he threw it, he wasn't going to be able to catch it anyway....LOL! I don't think he was trying to catch it. He used to catch it I know that....LMAO!
Simon said, "everyone think of sex" right before "Girls on Film" started and when it came time for the introductions, Simon was like "The band - whatever!" During Roger's solo, there was a moment that he paused, like he normally does, and Simon was looking at him, then all of a sudden he starts playing and Simon made a "whoah" type like reaction that you had to see for yourself. Oh, and this time, Simon not only said Nick was from his usual place, outer space, but he also said that Nick was from Keystone, Jamaica while briefly trying to do a Jamaican accent....LOL (can you picture Simon doing a Jamaican accent? It was hilarious)! He asked for some tequilla at one point as well, and someone from backstage handed him a brown cup. I don't know what was in it, but Simon looked at it and then looked at the person who gave it to him backstage like "are you crazy?" and hands it back to the person. I guess he didn't like what was in it, whatever it was....LOL! Eventually, there was another drink that was given to him in a clear glass that was to his liking. I am guessing it was tequilla....LOL (Hey, Simon, alcohol and singing don't mix)! Simon was like "who's your fuckin' daddy?" turning around showing his name on his shirt. "Give me a name!" He shouts and everyone started chanting,
"Simon, Simon, Simon, Simon!"
But the biggest highlights for me were "Is There Something I Should Know?" and "White Lines". I never, ever seen the boys play "Is There Something I Should Know?" live ever and I was so hoping that I would get the opportunity and I did! I've always loved "White Lines" live ever since I first heard it at my very first Duran Duran concert at Radio City Music Hall. I was very excited about them putting that song back in the set list and that song always gets me going. However, since I saw Simon cough earlier in the show, I don't think he should have done the "sptting water into the crowd" thing. Not good if you have a cough! Oh and one more thing, who was that crazy guy in the as I would like to call it, "Dr. Suess/Santa hat" and red sparkle shirt that suddenly decided to come into the balcony and trying to get the crowd going during "White Lines" (as if we weren't already rocking)? I saw him down on the floor on the sidelines too doing the same thing during another song. What the fuck was that about?
Something was going on during, "Nite Runner", something was off in the keyboards at one point. I don't know what happened there, but it was really strange. Also, "The Valley" going into "Planet Earth", "NITE RUNNER" going into "NOTORIOUS" going into "I DON'T WANT YOUR LOVE", and "Save A Prayer" going into "Red Carpet Massacre" really sounded weird. I don't think those kind of combinations work, but that's just my opinion. They are great songs, though!
So as Simon said, "we're going to end it with a bang!" and they did. John said, "we couldn't do this without you" and he started bowing down to us at the end of the show. John also said, "you guys rock" and Simon said, "we're going to miss you". We will too, but we know you're going to be back and we'll be ready for you when you return boys. :)
INTRODUCTION (Clockwork Orange)
THE VALLEY/PLANET EARTH
HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF
NITE RUNNER/NOTORIOUS/I DON'T WANT YOUR LOVE
SAVE A PRAYER/RED CARPET MASSACRE
A VIEW TO A KILL
COME UNDONE
ORDINARY WORLD
IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW?
THE REFLEX
WHITE LINES
SUNRISE
WILD BOYS
--Encore--
GIRLS ON FILM
RIO
TO MY CONCERT REVIEWS