- The return of Duran Duran to New York City had sold out in 2 hours and a second show was added. It was such a great feeling because so many people had predicted that Duran Duran were finished, and that they would never regain the ground they had lost.
I was living at F.I.T. The Fashion Institute of Technology) at the time, so I walked up to Madison Square Garden (MSG) to buy the tickets. There was no one else on line and I was worried at first that I was too late.
”How many do you need?” the cashier asked
”I could use 6, that would be great”
”Well, I don’t have that many together, but I see I can get you four seats on the floor”
I didn’t think twice.
”I’ll take them!”
Back then the sections of MSG were about 10 rows each. The seats I got were in section J, row 9 which put us on the floor, but at the back. The cashier told me that the seats should be pretty good because our chairs would be on a riser and that we should be able to see over the heads of the people in front of us.
As the concerts approached Eileen realized that she wouldn't be able to go the second show. She was going to Queens College at the time and she had class the same night as the second concert.
There was a LOT of drama of trying to find someone to take her ticket. I had a friends who was going and she was currently in a 'fight' with the one other person I knew who would be interested. They BOTH said they wouldn't go if the other one was going and.....Oh forget it.
You know how teenage girls are, I don’t really feel like explaining it.
I was staying at Eileen's house in Queens that week, and it was awkward when it was time for me to leave for the show. I felt so guilty because I was going and she wasn't. I took the subway and met the rest of my friends at Penn Station.
Our seats were very good (though not nearly as good as they had been the night before) and we could see everything very well.
Up until 'Election Day' that is. THIS time I knew what to expect, and it drove me crazy that I couldn't see Simon on the ground with his microphone stand.
The show was amazing. From what I remember the set list was the same:A View To A Kill
Notorious
American Science
Union of the Snake
Vertigo - My personal favorite from the album, and KILLER when performed live
New Religion
Meet El Presidente
Election Day - I was so annoyed that I couldn't see Simon on the floor
Some Like It Hot
A Matter Of Feeling
The Chauffeur
Save A Prayer - This was done acoustically, and it was beautiful
Skin Trade - Simon was the most smoking hot and sexy for this song. Holy crap, it was LeHotness.
Hold Me
Is There Something I Should Know?
Hungry Like The Wolf - This was a 'funked' up version of the old classic. It was awesome!
encore
The Wild Boys - John came out by himself and started to play, then Nick came out, and finally Simon started singing, as he was projected on the the 20 sets of televisions overhead.
The Reflex - I have NO memory of this song being performed what-so-ever.
My 'Strange Behaviour Tour' program
For SOME reason, I did not have a camera for the second show, so I didn't have any pictures from that night....until 1990.
I have a friend named Jill who had been a Duranie (before she went 'Goth') and her mom was cleaning out her room. Jill's mom called and asked me if I wanted any of Jill's Duran Duran stuff. I told her I would take it and I drove over to her house to pick it up.
I ended up getting another Sing Blue Silver tour program, another copy of 'The Book of Words' and a pack of pictures from Duran Duran at Madison Square Garden in 1987. It turned out that a friend of Jill's had gone to see Duran Duran that night. She was in the second row (probably in my exact seat from the night before) and she took some excellent pictures.
Here they are:
'Election Day'
You know it's a good thing I WASN'T in the second this time,
I don't think I would have survived.
'Election Day'
'Election Day' Simon LeBon......in the zone.
'Election Day' YES....he actually did that.
Introducing 'Election Day' 
Nick Rhodes
John, Simon Warren
JoSi from far away..... 
zooming in on the JoSi.
'The Chauffeur'
Look at those arms. The long arms of LeBon.
John Taylor making the 'Bass Face'
His arms were way too skinny, but LOOK at that smile.
NICE!
Warren!!
It was another fabulous night. The only thing that would have made it better would have been sharing it with Eileen.
Duran Duran came back to New York city one more time that summer, and Eileen and I were BOTH there.
That will be 'The Fifth One'
Monday, June 25, 2012
The Fourth One - Madison Square Garden June 24, 1987
Saturday, June 23, 2012
The Third One - (My Simon LeBon Moment) Madison Square Garden - June 23, 1987
If you're a Duranie you know what happened to Duran Duran between 1984 and 1987. If you don't know, I will tell you that they reached their peak of popularity, and they all but broke apart. Andy and Roger left and the future of Duran Duran was in question. Or at least that's what the press kept telling us, but Duranies knew that the return of Duran Duran was going to happen. In 1986, they released 'Notorious' and they embarked on a world tour. Eileen(my best friend, and fellow Duranie) heard that they were coming to New York to play Madison Square Garden and we knew that we HAD to be there.
*TIME OUT
FOR A BRIEF HISTORY LESSON*
Once they left the stage, the stage lights went back out, and when the lights came back on John Taylor and Simon LeBon were eight feet in front of us. We increased our screaming by about a hundred decibels (again) and then they burst into ‘A View to a Kill’
Up until that moment, I had never heard that song live. Back then all we ever
saw on TV was ‘playback’ The only other time I had heard it
live was on MTV at Live Aid, and we all remember what THAT was like.
It sounded so amazing live I couldn’t believe it.
The set list was heavy with songs from ‘Notorious’ and that was fine with me. It is STILL my favorite Duran Duran album.
They even performed ‘Some Like it Hot’ which was great, but the highlight of the songs for me, was ‘Election Day’
Oh boy. When the song started Simon had a vest on, and a white t-shirt.
The concert was going great, and so far it had been everything I had hoped that it would be.
That’s when I had my ‘Simon LeBon Moment’I don’t remember what song it was (Grrrr) but at one point Simon looked me right in the eye.
(I was wearing a shirt with his Scavullo portrait on it)
I pulled on my shirt and gave him a look like,
At the end of the concert, Simon tossed his harmonica into the crowd (in MY direction, no less) but the woman behind us pushed me out of the way, clunking my head in the process and she grabbed it for herself. I was so pissed, and Eileen and I gave her the dirtiest looks.As I was rubbing my head, I again looked downstage and once again, I was the recipient of the 'Persian Evil Eye'.
'It's a GOOD thing I didn't catch that harmonica. What kind of look would THAT have gotten me?' I thought to myself.
When the show was over we
were so bummed. The only thing that made it bearable was knowing that the next
night we would be back. That was the Fourth One.
Back in ‘The
Day’ (ie: before Tickemaster ruled the world) it was possible to wait on line
at a box office and purchase your tickets with actual money. At Madison Square
Garden you were actually allowed to sleep out over-night and wait for the box
office to open in the morning. There would be barriers, and the NYPD would keep
an eye on the area all night. I did it several times, and I never felt that I
was in any danger. In the morning (approx. 2-3 hours before the box office
opened) they would have a lottery. This meant that the people at the front
of the line would get the tickets with the lowest numbers, BUT they were given
out randomly (as in not in sequential order)
*BACK TO THE STORY*
Eileen and I decided that we would wait outside Madison Square Garden (MSG) and
try to get really good seats. For about a week before the day the tickets went on
sale, I kept having this bad dream that I had been standing on a line all night
only to find out in the morning that I had actually been waiting in the wrong
place, and that the show was now sold-out. It still gives me shudders to think
about it.
*shudders*
(see)
Anyway, the
night before, Eileen my friend Laura and her friend Theresa went out to a
nightclub. We left there around 2:00 in the morning, and we all waked over to
MSG. As we approached the regular box office doors, we could see that there was
no one else around. We all thought that was weird, so we started walking
around. A police officer came up to us and told us that the the people were
lining up along 8th ave.
I was so relieved. If that cop hadn’t told us, I might have actually stood in
the wrong place all night, and that nightmare I had been having might have
come true!
Sure enough,
when we walked down 33rd st. and approached 8th Ave. we
could see all the fans lined up. There were probably about 200 people waiting
there already. We took our place on line, and we waited.
It was actually a lot of fun. We talked all night with the other fans, and we
took turns holding each other’s places in line so we could go pee, and break
for refreshments.
Around 6:00 am they started handing out numbered tickets. Eileen and I were
standing right behind each other. She got number 331 and I gut number 365
(see what I mean? Even though we were together, we got very different numbers)
Once all the tickets were handed out, Security told us to disperse and come
back at 8:45 and then they would bunch us together by our ticket numbers.
We left MSG and headed over to McDonald's (the SAME one we had gone to in 1984,
see ‘The First One – 19 March, 1984)
We all had some food, and we relaxed. Eileen even fell asleep at the table and
when she woke up, she had a red mark on
her forehead.
When we got
back to MSG, they started calling out the ticket numbers.
”If your number is between 301 and 331, line up here. You will be going in
FIRST”
I started screaming.
”Oh my God, that’s you, that’s you”
and I pushed Eileen on her on the back all the way over to the spot that
Security was pointing to.
She was the last person of the first bunch of people that got to go the box
office. After she left, I realized that I hadn't given her the rest of the
money(we were supposed to buy 6 tickets) and I hoped that she had enough.
I will never forget the look on her face when she came out of the box office
I will never forget the look on her face when she came out of the box office
”Second row!! We have seats in the second FUCKING row!”
She started screaming, and I started screaming.
”I forgot to give you the money, I was so excited when they called your number
first, that I forgot”
”I know! I only had enough money to get 2 tickets”
”Oh well, we’ll take those, and when they call my number I’ll get 4 more for
everybody else. Tough luck on them, I mean we ARE the ones who stood out here
all night”
”Exactly, we earned those seats. Second fucking row!”
”I know!!”
We must have looked like maniacs, screaming there on the street like that.
When they called my number(about an hour later) I ended up getting the rest of
the tickets for our friends who had said they wanted to go. They ended up in
about the 10th row, so they couldn’t have complained TOO much.
We were so excited, and finally the day of the concert arrived.
Once again, MSG was crazy. At the time, all the Press had been saying that
Duran Duran were over and that their fans who had once been so devoted were
confused by the new material and that we were leaving in droves. The Press (as
is still the case) was wrong. Anyone who was there can tell you that it was so
exciting. They had sold out MSG (in record time,no less) and even added another show. For some reason
the Press didn’t report THAT story.
It was so exciting handing our tickets to the usher and getting closer, and
closer to the stage. The thing that amazed me the most was that there was no
barrier between the stage and the first row. Between my chair, and the stage it
was a distance of about 8 feet, max. Eileen and I looked at each other, and we
jumped for joy, really. I’m not adding that for flourish, we really did that,
and the Usher just shook his head at us.
The opening
act was Erasure. I had seen them once before so I knew that they were gong to
be great and they were. Andy Bell (the singer) was wearing this rubber leotard,
and his ‘package’ kept popping out the side of it. Every time it happened, he
would turn around, and tuck it back in only to have it happen again about five
minutes later. I’ll never forget that!
In between the sets there was music coming across the PA system. Right in the middle of Eric Clapton’s ‘It’s in the Way That You Use It” the song stopped and the lights went out.
In between the sets there was music coming across the PA system. Right in the middle of Eric Clapton’s ‘It’s in the Way That You Use It” the song stopped and the lights went out.
The whole place started screaming.
'Duran Duran were done, done’ ?
I don’t think so ______ (insert profanity here)
A band of
Caribbean dancers and steel drummers came out and marched across the stage,
Eileen and I looked at each other like ”What the hell?”
Once they left the stage, the stage lights went back out, and when the lights came back on John Taylor and Simon LeBon were eight feet in front of us. We increased our screaming by about a hundred decibels (again) and then they burst into ‘A View to a Kill’
 |
| 'A View To a Kill' and yes, it WAS. |
It sounded so amazing live I couldn’t believe it.
 |
| 'Save a Prayer' |
 |
| THAT'S how close we were. |
 |
| 'Some Like it Hot' |
 |
| JoSi...Before I ever even knew what joSi was. |
 |
| 'The Chauffeur' |
 |
| Simon LeBon gets comfortable |
Oh boy. When the song started Simon had a vest on, and a white t-shirt.
 |
| first, the vest came off..... |
 |
| Then, he grabbed the stand... |
Right at the beginning of the song he went to the back of the stage, and pulled it off. After that, I don’t remember the whole routine exactly, but he launched into this ‘thing’ with his microphone stand, that I SWEAR I thought it was gonna kill me. He was right in front of us. He gyrated against the mic stand. He licked the mic stand (or at least it LOOKED like he did) and then he lay down on the stage and…
holy crap just thinking about it now makes me giddy.
 |
| then, he hit the floor.... |
 |
| next he came up again (my FAVORITE shot) |
 |
| then he went down again.... |
 |
| and then he went up AND down (and I was speechless) |
The concert was going great, and so far it had been everything I had hoped that it would be.
Then it got even better.
That’s when I had my ‘Simon LeBon Moment’I don’t remember what song it was (Grrrr) but at one point Simon looked me right in the eye.
I screamed, he laughed, and I started to feel weak in the knees. Simon pulled on his shirt and pointed at me.
I looked down at my own shirt and realized that he was trying to tell me that
he liked it.
 |
| the shirt in question. If you're wondering if I still have it, the answer is YES. This photograph was taken in April, 2012 |
(I was wearing a shirt with his Scavullo portrait on it)
I pulled on my shirt and gave him a look like,
’Oh, you like this?…thanks’
(I’m sure I was blushing)
Then, Simon actually smiled back at me.
I thought I was gonna die.
At this point, Eileen noticed what was
happening, and she grabbed my arm.
I smiled back at him and screamed,
”I LOVE YOU!”
he smiled back at me and mouthed the words:
”Thank YOU!”
After Simon said that, Eileen shook my arm, and I laughed. Simon laughed back
at us and then I started to slip off my chair.
I felt like such a dope. There I was in the middle of my Simon LeBon Moment,
and I was being a klutz. It was so humiliating.
Eileen quickly grabbed me and pulled me back up, but not before my miniskirt
had slipped halfway up my ass, flashing Simon LeBon in the process.
He gave me one last smile, and then he looked somewhere else.
It lasted all of 45 seconds, but it was still the most exciting thing that had
ever happened to me (up until that point, anyway) and I couldn’t believe it.
I needed to sit down, and I grabbed the cigarette out of Eileen’s hand
I needed to sit down, and I grabbed the cigarette out of Eileen’s hand
”But you don’t even smoke!” she shouted
”Well, I think I need to start, especially after that!”
Once I had my cigarette in hand, I looked downstage, and I saw Simon's wife. She was staring at me, so I smiled at her. She gave me the dirtiest look. I wiped the smile from my face, and she looked away from me. She turned her face back to the stage and she began watching her husband VERY intently. I was still in a daze from 'talking' to Simon LeBon so I couldn't really process what her stare was all about. Nowadays when I talk about the experience I call it the 'Persian Evil Eye'
Once I had my cigarette in hand, I looked downstage, and I saw Simon's wife. She was staring at me, so I smiled at her. She gave me the dirtiest look. I wiped the smile from my face, and she looked away from me. She turned her face back to the stage and she began watching her husband VERY intently. I was still in a daze from 'talking' to Simon LeBon so I couldn't really process what her stare was all about. Nowadays when I talk about the experience I call it the 'Persian Evil Eye'
Even WITH the 'Persian Evil Eye' it was a thrill and even after all these years, I can remember it like it was
yesterday.
The end of the show was amazing, and John’s entrance for the beginning of ‘Wild
Boys’ was another stand out moment.
 |
| Wild Boys never lose it |
 |
| Wild Boys always shine |
 |
| whoa, JT.... |
 |
| The harmonica in question |
'It's a GOOD thing I didn't catch that harmonica. What kind of look would THAT have gotten me?' I thought to myself.
 |
| 'Thank You, New York, and good night!' |
Thursday, June 21, 2012
The Seventeenth One - Terminal 5 (NYC) June 20, 2012
I am not in the fan club. I have heard so many stories (good and bad) about it, that year after year, I still debate whether or not to join. When Duran Duran posted on the website that they were having a special members only VIP concert contest, I read no further. I didn't concern myself with the details.
My friend Debbie, however IS in the fan club, and she entered the contest.
When the contest winners were notified, I saw that many people I knew had won, and I was happy for them. I jokingly offered people that they could sleep at my house for free if they took me to concert with them. I didn't get any takers. It didn't occur to me that I might actually get to go. I was happy for my friends who DID win, and everyone was very excited.
Then, my phone rang.
My friend Debbie called, she said she had won a pair of tickets and she asked me to go with her. I said yes.
I have not known Debbie very long. We 'met' in a Duran Duran group on Facebook back in October, and we hadn't talked much since then.
Until April.
A friend of mine (a DJ) had organised a Duran Duran tribute night at a club that we go to, and I had posted the link in several groups on Facebook. Debbie saw it, and we started talking again.We found that we had a lot in common (especially Simon LeBon) and we just hit it off. She came for the DD tribute night, and then she came to the same club about 2 weeks later for my birthday. We danced til 3:00 am and we have been in touch with each other almost every day since.
The e-mail that was sent to the winners gave very few details. We were told that the concert would be short (4-5 songs) and in the evening. We were told we could dress any way we wish, and we had to be over 18. That was about it.
THERE WAS NO MENTION OF CAKE.
Because I had gotten a chance to go, and almost everyone I knew was going, I tried to get a ticket for my best friend, Eileen. One of my friends knew a girl who had won, and that girl didn't have '+1' to go with her, so we asked if Eileen could go. I contacted Eileen, and I put the two of them in touch with each other. (Thank you, Lauren....it was really nice of you to share your ticket with someone that you had never even met.You rock!!)
I had friends who had been on line since 11:30 that morning. I had already asked them to let the people on line with them know that we would be joining them later. I have waited on line for general admission many times, and I know how annoyed I would get when someone would cut in front of me, but the policy was that the VIP's and their '+1' had to enter together. I won't go into the details of who needed to go with who, but it added much un-necessary stress.
There was the usual 'I have been here this long, and you just got here' vibe when they started moving the line so we could get in.When they came through to check our ID's and give us bracelets, you could FEEL the tension. People were getting antsy, and the girl handing out the bracelets looked seriously stressed out.
"They didn't warn you about 'Duranies'...did they?" I asked her. She laughed, and replied,
"No...they didn't!'
Eventually they let us in and we headed straight for the front. We had heard rumors of water, and champagne and cake but I didn't believe it until I saw the sign taped to the front of the barrier warning us that:
'Steve Aoki performs an interactive show. Objects (including food) may be thrown into the audience'
They also warned us that large inflatable raft would be 'surfed' over the crowd.
I was still in denial.
There was a vibe amongst the Duranies in the crowd to hold your spot, and don't let anyone get in front of you. I have a hard time with this. While I don't really care how many people are in front me, I still want to see the show. I must admit that I did not stand on line all day, I DID meet up with others who had been there earlier, and held a spot for me. BUT there were people who had been on line longer (and others who had NOT) but I wasn't about to argue TOO much about what was only 5-12 inches closer to the stage. Not everyone felt this way. Duranies are territorial. Especially when they have been standing on line for most of the day, in 100 degree heat. While we waited for the show to start there were several instances of Duranies fighting to get positions close to the stage. When the crowd shifted (through no ones fault) two Duranies behind me started fighting about their positions. They were really loud, and at one point I was genuinely concerned that one of them was going to hit the other. It never happened, but later on one of them would be involved in another altercation.
We were NOT told that Steve Aoki would be performing for about an HOUR before Duran Duran even came on stage. We were NOT told that our hard-won spots at the front would be eradicated when they made us all take two steps back so that the 'Steve Aoki Super-Fans' could be in front of the stage.
This did NOT go over well.
Up until that point I had been in the equivalent of the second row, and I now found myself pushed back to the fourth.This actually turned out to be a good thing as the fans in front of me took the majority of the hits from the green frosted cake that was hurled into the crowd.
Green icing spattered everywhere, and the floor began to get treacherous. Sure enough, an inflatable raft was loaded with fans who rode two at a time over the surface of the crowd. It was actually pretty cool, and the Steve Aoki fans were really into it. The Duranies (myself included) were pretty much just trying to get through the whole ordeal so that we could FINALLY see Duran Duran. A Duranie (female) behind me got into a huge argument with an Aoki fan (male) and there was physical contact. It was pretty scary.
The Aoki fans were mainly 18 - 23 year olds who were there for what they perceived to be THEIR show, and in all, I think they were actually quite tolerant of the Duranies who had their own set of priorities. Aside from the multiple assaults on my senses, my biggest complaint about the Aoki portion of the evening was that all of his songs sounded the same. One song blended into another so that by the end, it felt like I had been listening to the same song for over an hour.
My feet were beginning to get numb when Duran Duran finally took to the stage. Along with Steve Aoki, they remixed a version of 'Hungry Like the Wolf'. It was pretty cool, and the Aoki fans seemed to get into it.
When that was over, Aoki left the stage,a bunch of his fans left the front and I got to move forward again.
In a nutshell:
This was an insane experience. Clearly the Aoki fans knew what to expect and the Duranies did not. It was an odd mix in the crowd. I don't know who's idea it was to mix 19-23 year old ravers with a bunch of middle-aged territorial Duranies. Someone thought it was a good idea.
THAT person needs to have their head examined.
The Duran Duran portion of the evening was great, and I'm glad that I got to be a part of it.However, I think that we (the Duranies) should have been told what to expect. I think if we had been told that getting cake thrown at us, and being doused in water and champagne was part of the show many of us would have opted to play it safe and enjoyed the show from the upper level viewing areas.The contest was presented to the Duranies as a unique VIP experience and it felt like anything but. I did not see any of the Aoki fans on the same line that the Duranies had been on all afternoon, and yet they were allowed to go in front of us inside the venue. Some of them didn't leave or move back after the Aoki portion was finished. While I do like the idea that they were interested enough in Duran Duran to stay and listen, I was disappointed that it was at the Duranies expense.I can understand the effect that Steve Aoki was going for, and his fans were clearly game for the experience, and I have no doubt that when the vibe is right it can be quite an experience.
But why add 40-something year old Duranies to the mix?
The event was called 'See What Unfolds - Live' and that makes me wonder if that was the idea all along. Throw these rave kids and these Duranies together and see what unfolds....LIVE!
What DID unfold was an experience which I doubt satisfied either of the parties involved. If the idea was to bring the group together and to get us to hum on the same frequency, then that certainly did not happen.I enjoyed watching this one raver-girl in particular as she was clearly enthralled by the whole thing. She got to join Steve Aoki on stage, and she got to ride in the inflatable raft. She reminded me of myself. She was there to get as close as possible to this artist whose work speaks to her.
The rest is a matter of taste.
Call me an old fart if you want, but I prefer NOT to have cake and stuff thrown at me.
I can't help it.
My friend Debbie, however IS in the fan club, and she entered the contest.
When the contest winners were notified, I saw that many people I knew had won, and I was happy for them. I jokingly offered people that they could sleep at my house for free if they took me to concert with them. I didn't get any takers. It didn't occur to me that I might actually get to go. I was happy for my friends who DID win, and everyone was very excited.
Then, my phone rang.
My friend Debbie called, she said she had won a pair of tickets and she asked me to go with her. I said yes.
I have not known Debbie very long. We 'met' in a Duran Duran group on Facebook back in October, and we hadn't talked much since then.
Until April.
A friend of mine (a DJ) had organised a Duran Duran tribute night at a club that we go to, and I had posted the link in several groups on Facebook. Debbie saw it, and we started talking again.We found that we had a lot in common (especially Simon LeBon) and we just hit it off. She came for the DD tribute night, and then she came to the same club about 2 weeks later for my birthday. We danced til 3:00 am and we have been in touch with each other almost every day since.
The e-mail that was sent to the winners gave very few details. We were told that the concert would be short (4-5 songs) and in the evening. We were told we could dress any way we wish, and we had to be over 18. That was about it.
THERE WAS NO MENTION OF CAKE.
Because I had gotten a chance to go, and almost everyone I knew was going, I tried to get a ticket for my best friend, Eileen. One of my friends knew a girl who had won, and that girl didn't have '+1' to go with her, so we asked if Eileen could go. I contacted Eileen, and I put the two of them in touch with each other. (Thank you, Lauren....it was really nice of you to share your ticket with someone that you had never even met.You rock!!)
 |
| 'See What Unfolds - LIVE!' (mayhem, that's what) |
I had friends who had been on line since 11:30 that morning. I had already asked them to let the people on line with them know that we would be joining them later. I have waited on line for general admission many times, and I know how annoyed I would get when someone would cut in front of me, but the policy was that the VIP's and their '+1' had to enter together. I won't go into the details of who needed to go with who, but it added much un-necessary stress.
There was the usual 'I have been here this long, and you just got here' vibe when they started moving the line so we could get in.When they came through to check our ID's and give us bracelets, you could FEEL the tension. People were getting antsy, and the girl handing out the bracelets looked seriously stressed out.
"They didn't warn you about 'Duranies'...did they?" I asked her. She laughed, and replied,
"No...they didn't!'
Eventually they let us in and we headed straight for the front. We had heard rumors of water, and champagne and cake but I didn't believe it until I saw the sign taped to the front of the barrier warning us that:
'Steve Aoki performs an interactive show. Objects (including food) may be thrown into the audience'
They also warned us that large inflatable raft would be 'surfed' over the crowd.
I was still in denial.
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| DJ Steve Aoki's Command Control Center |
There was a vibe amongst the Duranies in the crowd to hold your spot, and don't let anyone get in front of you. I have a hard time with this. While I don't really care how many people are in front me, I still want to see the show. I must admit that I did not stand on line all day, I DID meet up with others who had been there earlier, and held a spot for me. BUT there were people who had been on line longer (and others who had NOT) but I wasn't about to argue TOO much about what was only 5-12 inches closer to the stage. Not everyone felt this way. Duranies are territorial. Especially when they have been standing on line for most of the day, in 100 degree heat. While we waited for the show to start there were several instances of Duranies fighting to get positions close to the stage. When the crowd shifted (through no ones fault) two Duranies behind me started fighting about their positions. They were really loud, and at one point I was genuinely concerned that one of them was going to hit the other. It never happened, but later on one of them would be involved in another altercation.
We were NOT told that Steve Aoki would be performing for about an HOUR before Duran Duran even came on stage. We were NOT told that our hard-won spots at the front would be eradicated when they made us all take two steps back so that the 'Steve Aoki Super-Fans' could be in front of the stage.
This did NOT go over well.
Up until that point I had been in the equivalent of the second row, and I now found myself pushed back to the fourth.This actually turned out to be a good thing as the fans in front of me took the majority of the hits from the green frosted cake that was hurled into the crowd.
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| The happy recipient of a cake in the face. |
Green icing spattered everywhere, and the floor began to get treacherous. Sure enough, an inflatable raft was loaded with fans who rode two at a time over the surface of the crowd. It was actually pretty cool, and the Steve Aoki fans were really into it. The Duranies (myself included) were pretty much just trying to get through the whole ordeal so that we could FINALLY see Duran Duran. A Duranie (female) behind me got into a huge argument with an Aoki fan (male) and there was physical contact. It was pretty scary.
The Aoki fans were mainly 18 - 23 year olds who were there for what they perceived to be THEIR show, and in all, I think they were actually quite tolerant of the Duranies who had their own set of priorities. Aside from the multiple assaults on my senses, my biggest complaint about the Aoki portion of the evening was that all of his songs sounded the same. One song blended into another so that by the end, it felt like I had been listening to the same song for over an hour.
My feet were beginning to get numb when Duran Duran finally took to the stage. Along with Steve Aoki, they remixed a version of 'Hungry Like the Wolf'. It was pretty cool, and the Aoki fans seemed to get into it.
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| Steve Aoki and Duran Duran remixing 'Hungry Like the Wolf' |
When that was over, Aoki left the stage,a bunch of his fans left the front and I got to move forward again.
The dance floor was now coated with green frosting/slime, and the crowd was so packed in that dancing was impossible. But I managed to hold my own, and only minimal damage was done to my shoes and feet. The set was short (we were told that it would be) and sweet:
'Girl Panic!'
'Girl Panic!'
'Notorious'
'Sunrise'
'Wild Boys'
'Sunrise'
'Wild Boys'
The entire band performed well, and they seemed to be having a great time. Despite several cheers from the audience (including myself) John's birthday was not at all recognized. I managed to shout out one last 'Happy Birthday' at the end of the show. Simon heard me (though JT did not) and he smiled and nodded at me in acknowledgement.
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| Roger, Nick and Simon watch as Steve Aoki thanks them for working with him. (sorry, I cut you out of the picture, JT) |
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| The Bass God / Birthday Boy |
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| The man *I* came to see, Simon LeBon |
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| It's just not Duran Duran without the JoSi |
This was an insane experience. Clearly the Aoki fans knew what to expect and the Duranies did not. It was an odd mix in the crowd. I don't know who's idea it was to mix 19-23 year old ravers with a bunch of middle-aged territorial Duranies. Someone thought it was a good idea.
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| Cynthia (right) and Debbie (left) rest their tired, green slimed feet on the train back to Long Island |
The Duran Duran portion of the evening was great, and I'm glad that I got to be a part of it.However, I think that we (the Duranies) should have been told what to expect. I think if we had been told that getting cake thrown at us, and being doused in water and champagne was part of the show many of us would have opted to play it safe and enjoyed the show from the upper level viewing areas.The contest was presented to the Duranies as a unique VIP experience and it felt like anything but. I did not see any of the Aoki fans on the same line that the Duranies had been on all afternoon, and yet they were allowed to go in front of us inside the venue. Some of them didn't leave or move back after the Aoki portion was finished. While I do like the idea that they were interested enough in Duran Duran to stay and listen, I was disappointed that it was at the Duranies expense.I can understand the effect that Steve Aoki was going for, and his fans were clearly game for the experience, and I have no doubt that when the vibe is right it can be quite an experience.
But why add 40-something year old Duranies to the mix?
The event was called 'See What Unfolds - Live' and that makes me wonder if that was the idea all along. Throw these rave kids and these Duranies together and see what unfolds....LIVE!
What DID unfold was an experience which I doubt satisfied either of the parties involved. If the idea was to bring the group together and to get us to hum on the same frequency, then that certainly did not happen.I enjoyed watching this one raver-girl in particular as she was clearly enthralled by the whole thing. She got to join Steve Aoki on stage, and she got to ride in the inflatable raft. She reminded me of myself. She was there to get as close as possible to this artist whose work speaks to her.
The rest is a matter of taste.
Call me an old fart if you want, but I prefer NOT to have cake and stuff thrown at me.
I can't help it.
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