The Second One - Nassau Coliseum - 3 April, 1984

After the thrill of seeing Duran Duran for the first time, one thing was obvious, I needed to see them again. When the second show was added at the Garden, I wasn't allowed to go. My Dad had made it quite clear that he wasn't about to go through 'that madness' ever again.
Just like Andy had said, they continued to ‘Add to the bottom of the schedule’ and one of those added dates was a return to New York.This time they would be playing on Long island, at the Nassau Coliseum.
When Eileen and I find out that another show had been added, we begged our parents and they said that we could go but no one actually wanted to be the ones to take us there. Both of my brothers, and then both of Eileen’s brother’s had refused to take us, so it came down to my parents. I’ll never forget the discussion about it at out kitchen table:
  

          David (Dad): "I went last time, and I think my ears are still ringing" 

          (Dad pokes his hear with his finger to demonstrate)

         Susan (Mom): "Was it really that loud?"

         Dad: “Oh God, yes. I don't know what was louder, the music or the
         screaming"

         Mom: “There was screaming?”

        (Dad starts laughing)

         Dad: “The screaming ……I think I can still hear it”

         Mom: "Can I bring a book?"

        (now, Cynthia and Eileen start laughing)

         Cynthia: "No Mom, you can't bring a book. It's too dark to read
          anyway."

         Mom: “Ok, I guess I’ll have to take you”      

And so it was decided that my Mom was to be the one to take us.                                                She did NOT bring a book

Simon LeBon at Nassau Coliseum
April 3, 1984
(photo by Karen Boles. Karen had better seats than Eileen and I had, and she snapped this picture of Simon for me. I believe it was during the 'Seventh Stranger')

The scene at the Coliseum was similar to Madison Square Garden, although it was slightly less frantic. When we took our seats, there was another mother in the row behind us. She also had two girls with her, and she and my mom started talking. They talked about us girls and how much we liked the guys in the band. Then, the lady asked my mom if she thought the guys were attractive.
”I can see why most of Cynthia’s friends like that John Taylor. He is awfully handsome, but I agree with Cynthia, Simon is the sexiest”
I smiled at Eileen, and she stuck her tongue out at me.
I don’t remember anything else they talked about, except that this lady mentioned that she always liked Elvis Presley, and that she had finally gotten tickets to go see him, but then…he died a week before the concert.
There was the same level of excitement as the lights went out and ‘Tiger, Tiger’ came on. Eileen and I (As well as the rest of the place) all started screaming. Once again, the red curtain twitched, and they opened with ‘Is There Something I Should Know’
As far as the actual concert itself, I don’t remember much else about it except that it was only two days after Marvin Gaye had died, and before they did ‘Save a Prayer’ Simon dedicated it to him.
My mom reached over and grabbed my hand,
”Did he say Marvin Gaye?” she asked
”Yes, Simon just dedicated the song to Marvin Gaye”
”That was really nice”
”I know, I heard he did it yesterday, too”

Twenty seven years have passed since that night and my memory (though excellent with so many things) seems to have a void as far as the concert itself is concerned. I remember feeling annoyed at the time because I hadn’t thought to bring a camera with me. My friend Karen managed to sneak her camera in and she got a picture of Simon for me. I still have that photo, and I am so grateful because all I have to do is look at it, and it takes me back to that night. The first time Eileen went to see Duran Duran we had a bunch of other girls with us. They all liked Duran Duran too, but not on the same level that Eileen and I did. This time, it was just the two of us, and we could scream even louder and cry even more because we both knew that the other one would totally understand.
And you know what… that cool vibe that happens when Eileen and I go to a show together?
It still happens.