Nostalgia tour? Nah. Duran Duran, Nile Rodgers & Chic's monster hits lit it up in Phoenix

Duran Duran staging a 40th anniversary tour that offsets classics as iconic as “The Reflex,” “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Rio” with highlights of a new release that speaks quite brilliantly to their continued relevance?

And on the eve of their induction — long overdue though it is — to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

It can’t help but feel like a bit of a victory lap for the New Wave sensations from Birmingham, England, especially once you’ve factored in the energy their fans were bringing when the tour hit downtown Phoenix on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

In a recent Zoom call from Las Vegas, drummer Roger Taylor said that energy "is quite like nothing I’ve felt since the early days when we came to America in the early '80s.”

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Working 'Future Past' songs into 2022 setlist

You could see what Taylor meant at what appeared to be a nearly sold-out Footprint Center, from the time they hit the stage and set the controls for the heart of the ‘80s with “The Wild Boys” and their U.S. breakthrough, “Hungry Like the Wolf.”

They called their latest album “Future Past” because it finds them looking to the future while embracing a bit of both the sound and spirit of their early work.

That may be why the set list flowed so seamlessly into “Invincible” and “Anniversary,” the first of four selections they performed from “Future Past" after taking the stage to a recording of a track from the special edition of the album.

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Duran Duran came to celebrate at Phoenix

There’s a heavy dance vibe to the new release, which only added to the sense that they "came here to celebrate," as Simon Le Bon announced by way of introducing "Anniversary.”

There’s also a handful of really good ballads on that album, from the title track to the Bowie-in-Berlin vibe they manage on “Wing."

But the songs they played from “Future Past” in the course of their nearly two-hour performance in Phoenix were clearly chosen to accentuate the club vibe that defined so many of their greatest hits.

There were times when it hit like a night at the club. But more often than not, it just felt like a really good party where the hosts/guests of honor were enjoying it as much as anyone.

They looked like they were having fun, which is always contagious.

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Simon Le Bon was a joy to experience

Le Bon playfully worked the crowd with a wink and a nudge while gamely dispensing with the first of several high kicks on "The Wild Boys," showing off the type of spins one learns from watching James Brown on "The Reflex" and yelping like a proper wolf on "Hungry Like the Wolf."

He and oft-grinning bassist John Taylor even sang into the same mic, foreheads pressed together, on a joyous "Planet Earth."

For all the loopy charm it takes for the lead singer of a band that did a classic James Bond theme to introduce himself as "Bon, Simon Le Bon," Le Bon could also be quite heartfelt.

"It comes to a point, though, where we really need to spare a thought for our brothers and sisters in the Ukraine," he said, by way of dedicating of "Ordinary World" to the people of that war-torn country, wishing them life, happiness and peace.

"They've been fighting a war now — a war not of their own choosing — for over six months," he said. "It must be tough out there. And I know that we all support those people, right?"

"Ordinary World" was a breathtaking highlight of the concert, Le Bon emoting with conviction as the blue and yellow of the Ukraine flag filled the video screen.

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Duran Duran's 2022 tour features four of the original five members

It’s been a little more than two weeks since they launched the U.S. leg of their “Future Past”/40th Anniversary Tour, which features four-fifths of the classic lineup – Le Bon on lead vocals, the perpetually stylish Nick Rhodes on keyboards, John Taylor on bass and Roger Taylor on drums.

Guitarist Andy Taylor left Duran Duran a second time in 2006, although he will reportedly rejoin them for that Hall of Fame induction on Nov. 5.

Their ranks were fleshed out on this tour by Dominic Brown on guitar, Simon Willescroft on saxophone and backup singers Rachael O’Connor and Anna Ross.

It never felt like a nostalgia tour

With the exception of the songs they played from “Future Past,” the hits from 1993’s “Duran Duran” (more often thought of as “The Wedding Album”) and their alt-rock cover of Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel’s “White Lines (Don’t Do It),” they spent the night revisiting the ‘80s.

“Hold Back the Rain,” one of several highlights from the “Rio” album, featured a video montage from back in the day, which was fabulous.

And yet, it never really felt like a nostalgia tour, in part because what they were doing in the ‘80s feels more relevant today than what a lot of bands were doing in the ‘80s and in part because those songs felt somehow reinvigorated by the sheer vitality of their performance.

You certainly couldn’t accuse them of phoning it in.

Le Bon was in amazing voice

Rhodes has gently aged into the quintessential New Romantic elder statesman in his day-glo yellow suit while dusting off so many of the keyboard parts that did so much to shape not only their sound but the sound of the '80s in general.

Le Bon was in amazing voice throughout, from those high notes on "The Wild Boys," "Anniversary" and "Ordinary World" to the personality he brought to sputtering the truly animated vocals on two highlights of their first self-titled album, "Friends of Mine" and "Careless Memories."

They brought a twitchy post-punk urgency to "Friends of Mine" as scenes from vintage horror films played out behind them, yet they somehow found a way to crank it up a notch for "Careless Memories." It was practically punk — but, you know, within reason.

The rhythm section sounded just as accomplished on the pulsating reckless abandon with which they tore through "Careless Memories" as they did on all those highlights that relied more on their understanding — and total command — of the groove.

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John Taylor's bass work was phenomenal, and he was given ample opportunity to flex, from the serious slap-bass of "Tonight United" and "Invisible" from "Future Past" to the ultra-funky show of force he brought to "Girls on Film."

That highlight of their first release was done as a playful medley with a Calvin Harris track called "Acceptable in the '80s," bringing their set to a spirited close before the encore everybody knew was coming.

When they returned, Le Bon asked everyone to turn their phone lights on.

"Come on now," he said. "We can turn Footprint Center into the Milky Way."

With that, the stage was set for "Save a Prayer," a massive singalong that ended with Le Bon flinging picks to the audience before leading his bandmates in one final blast from their past, a triumphant rendition of "Rio" that Roger Taylor pounded into overdrive on the repeated chorus.

Nile Rodgers & Chic were the perfect Duran Duran opening act

Nile Rodgers & Chic were truly special guests, blurring the lines between disco and funk while bringing out the best in both, which should have come as no surprise to anyone who saw them with Duran Duran back in 2016.

Sporting a jacket that glittered like a disco ball, Rodgers made it clear that he was there to get the party started for the headliners he lovingly referred to as "my boys," "our brothers" and "my other band."

It was an awe-inspiring overview of Rodgers’ life in music, starting with highlights from his days in Chic before shifting to a cavalcade of songs he's written and produced for other acts.

Two of Diana Ross' greatest hits, "I'm Coming Out" and "Upside Down," gave way to Sister Sledge's "He's the Greatest Dancer" and "We Are Family," Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl," David Bowie's "Modern Love," Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" (complete with vocoder) and one more Bowie song, "Let's Dance."

He promised nothing less than "maximum funkosity" on that last Bowie song, which may have out-grooved the original, before bringing it in for a landing with the biggest, most enduring hits at Chic's disposal.

"Le Freak," introduced with a wonderfully casual delivery of “You guys feel like freakin’ out?” felt as funky as ever, while the seminal "Good Times" built to a spirited climax with Rodgers dusting off the rap in the "Good Times"-sampling "Rapper's Delight."

It was the perfect introduction to Duran Duran in ways that may have flown right over people's heads in 1982 but led to smiles (and dancing bodies) all around four decades later.

Duran Duran Phoenix setlist 2022

Velvet Newton (recording)

The Wild Boys

Hungry Like the Wolf

Invisible

Anniversary

Notorious

A View to a Kill

Come Undone

Give It All Up

Union of the Snake

Friends of Mine

Careless Memories

Ordinary World

Tonight United

Planet Earth (with band introductions)

Hold Back the Rain

The Reflex

White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)

Girls on Film/Acceptable in the 80's

Encore

Save a Prayer

Rio

Niles Rodgers & Chic set list

Chic Cheer

Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)

Everybody Dance

I Want Your Love

I'm Coming Out

Upside Down

He's the Greatest Dancer

We Are Family

Like a Virgin

Material Girl

Modern Love

Get Lucky

Let's Dance

Le Freak

Good Times/Rapper's Delight

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Duran Duran tour showed how relevant their best songs are in 2022