Review: Duran Duran, Nile Rodgers thrill Mohegan Sun Casino crowd

DURAN DURAN 4.7.2016

Paper Gods

The Wild Boys

Hungry Like the Wolf

A View to a Kill

Come Undone

Last Night in the City

What Are the Chances?

Notorious

Pressure Off

Planet Earth / Space Oddity

Ordinary World

I Don't Want Your Love

White Lines

(Reach Up for the) Sunrise / New Moon on Monday

Danceophobia

Too Much Information

Girls on Film

encore

Save a Prayer

Rio

UNCASVILLE, Connecticut - Duran Duran, the teen magazine cover boys of the 1980s, brought their "Paper Gods Tour" to the Mohegan Sun Casino on Thursday night.

In a fast-paced multimedia show, the one-time reigning MTV faves kicked off the night with the driving title track from last year's "Paper Gods," their 14th studio album.

Longtime fans worried that the 105-minute arena show would be heavy on new material had those fears eased when the band offered up more familiar fare, like 1984's "The Wild Boys;" "Hungry Like a Wolf," a Top 10 hit from 1982; and "A View to a Kill," the theme from the 1985 James Bond movie of the same name.

"Hello Connect-it-cut, Connecticut," lead singer Simon Le Bon shouted out to the cheering crowd. "Your'e a noisy bunch, a good looking noisy bunch."

The more than 30-year-old tracks still sounded remarkably fresh, thanks to Le Bon's energy and vocal prowess.

Newer songs like "Last Night in the City"  and "Pressure Off" fit in well with the old New Wave fare served up by the quartet. On the latter, Duran Duran was joined by longtime producer Nile Rodgers, who had set the bar for the evening quite high with his killer opening set with Chic.

In a nod to the late David Bowie, Duran Duran performed its 1981 breakout "Planet Earth" as a medley with Bowie's "Space Oddity" as images of the British rocker flashed on the giant stage screens.

After wrapping closing with "Girls on Film," Duran Duran returned for a two-song encore capped with a killer version of "Rio."

Opening for Duran Duran was 21-year-old Las Vegas singer-songwriter Shamir Bailiey and Chic featuring Rodgers.

After a 20-minute set by the XL Records recording artist, Rodgers and the disco-era band Chic performed a lively, joyful hour-long set.

Chic served up dance favorites like "Le Freak," "Everybody Dance" and "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)," as well as three blockbuster hits Rodgers  and Chic's Bernard Edwards penned for others - "I'm Coming Out," "Upside Down" and "We Are Family."

Rodgers' performed a cover of Bowie's "Let's Dance," a tune he produced. for the rock icon.

"David Bowie changed my life," Rodgers told the crowd.

Since producing Bowie and Duran Duran in the 1980s, Rodgers has produced songs for such acts as  Britney Spears, Pharrell Williams, Avicii,  Sam Smith, Pitbull and  Lady Gaga.

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