Pop
Live review: Duran Duran deliver a wickedly entertaining Halloween spectacle at London's O2 Arena
Duran Duran brought their annual Halloween extravaganza to London for the first time on Saturday night (31.10.26).
Duran Duran transformed London's O2 Arena into a gloriously gothic playground on Saturday (31.10.26) night as they brought their annual Halloween extravaganza to the capital for the first time.
The '80s icons pulled out all the stops for a night of spooky surprises, theatrical thrills and infectious synth-pop, with fans embracing the occasion by arriving dressed as skeletons, witches, vampires and an assortment of ghoulish characters.
Two towering skeletons with glowing red eyes loomed over the stage, while cobwebs, flickering candles and clouds of dry ice created an eerie atmosphere worthy of a Tim Burton movie.
As the instrumental Masque of the Pink Death rang out, a nightmarish red carpet procession of disfigured creatures filled the screens before the costumed band launched into the tour debut of Friends of Mine.
Frontman Simon Le Bon, sporting dramatic New Romantic eyeliner and military-inspired attire reminiscent of Adam Ant, was in fine form as the group delivered a set that mixed their greatest hits with a deliciously dark selection of covers.
A sinister reworking of the James Bond theme provided the perfect introduction to A View to a Kill, accompanied by a brilliantly tongue-in-cheek video in which 007 battled seductive vampires rather than his usual assortment of villains.
The band's own Danse Macabre fitted the occasion perfectly, while their rendition of Electric Light Orchestra's Evil Woman injected a playful energy into the proceedings.
Even familiar favourites received a macabre makeover, with The Reflex, Notorious and Planet Earth accompanied by striking Halloween-themed visuals. Union of the Snake was particularly memorable, with serpents slithering through the eye sockets of skeletons on the giant screens.
One of the evening's most spectacular moments came during a cover of Siouxsie and the Banshees' Spellbound, as animated witches hovered above bubbling cauldrons and flames erupted across the backdrop, while a performer stirred a giant cauldron on stage.
The theatrical excess occasionally threatened to overshadow the music, but there was no denying the imagination behind the production.
A haunting rendition of Lonely in Your Nightmare, complete with wintry visuals reminiscent of Edward Scissorhands, flowed into Super Lonely Freak, while Winter Marches On offered a welcome moment of calm amid the supernatural chaos.
The energy soon returned with a punchy performance of Notorious, reminding the audience that beneath all the costumes and elaborate staging, Duran Duran remain a formidable live act.
The covers were another major attraction, particularly a thrilling version of Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Heads Will Roll, performed live by the band for the first time, which proved a perfect fit for their signature synth-driven sound.
Girls on Film had the crowd dancing before unexpectedly giving way to Talking Heads' Psycho Killer, another inspired choice for the Halloween setlist.
Backing vocalists Rachael O'Connor and Anna Ross also enjoyed their moment in the spotlight, taking lead vocals on The Ramones' Pet Sematary while the band disappeared for a costume change.
Not every experiment was quite as successful. A slower, reimagined version of the Rolling Stones' Paint It Black lacked some of the original's urgency, although the enthusiastic singalong from the costumed crowd suggested few were complaining.
The evening's grand finale was suitably outrageous, beginning with a fire-eating display as the opening strains of The Clash's London Calling filled the arena.
The song then gave way to the explosive The Wild Boys, before Rio brought the celebrations to a joyous conclusion, with the famous album artwork transformed into a fanged Halloween creation on the screens.
For all the dazzling visuals, extravagant costumes and occasional moments of sensory overload, the biggest treat was hearing just how well Duran Duran's music continues to hold up more than four decades after their breakthrough.
Their Halloween extravaganza might not have delivered quite the same musical momentum as a conventional greatest-hits show, but as a celebration of the band's flair for spectacle, theatricality and reinvention, it was a wickedly entertaining night.
Duran Duran setlist at The O2 London:
Friends of Mine
The James Bond Theme (John Barry song)
A View to a Kill
Hungry Like the Wolf
DANSE MACABRE
Union of the Snake
Evil Woman (Electric Light Orchestra cover)
Lonely in Your Nightmare / Super Freak
The Reflex
Spellbound (Siouxsie and the Banshees cover)
Pet Sematary (Ramones cover)
Only in Dreams
Winter Marches On
CONFESSION IN THE AFTERLIFE
New Moon on Monday
Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones cover)
Supernature (Cerrone cover)
Notorious
Free to Love
Heads Will Roll (Yeah Yeah Yeahs cover)
Planet Earth
White Lines (Don't Don't Do It) (Grandmaster Melle Mel cover)
Girls on Film / Psycho Killer
Encore:
The Wild Boys
Rio
