A UK band performing only once on a world tour to celebrate their latest album, Astronaut. with that said, the pressure was really on, for the band to produce something special, for what was a home coming concert for them.
Duran Duran came home and did not let any of the crowd down. Even if the thought of Duran Duran performing at a stadium concert wasn't big enough, we were delighted to two brilliant support acts. The Bravery and Daniel Bedingfields complimented Duran's electricity and really got the crowd fired up! As The Bravery left Birmingham, and Daniel Bedingfield make his way from the stage (with a whole load of new fans), the capacity crowd knew it was time for Duran Duran!

As Duran Duran opened up the concert in similar fashion to that of their 2004 UK concerts, we were all witness to Sunrise, still a great opener for the band. the set just seemed to go from strength to strength with the whole stadium opening up for Hungry Like The Wolf, Planet Earth, Astronaut.......
By the time I Don't Want You Love came on, i couldn't here any of the band, but Simon telling us to make more noise.... and more noise.... and more noise....... cause i like waking up the house.

The show started to cool down as Simon made his emotional "What Happen's Tomorrow speech". I'm not afraid to say that i had a tear in my eye for this song. As Andy's guitar's solo in this song picked the crowd back up, we were treated this first of a few suprises. well actually i'd seen that they had done Sound Of Thunder at a previous concert, so it wasn't so much of a suprise for me, but still, Sound Of Thunder got one of the biggest "pops" of the night, as Duran Duran went proper old school on this one. and to add even more of a feel to the night, the song finished by taking it into Donna Summer's, I Feel Love. Just a the crowd were dancing to the Sound Of Thunder, we were straight into Reflex! one of my personal favourates which was performed to its usual brilliance.

How loud can one crowd get to see someone put on a hat? everyone around me went crazy when Simon put on his Chaffeur hat. another classic song which always manages to please.

And then along came View To A Kill. they had usually done this song earlier in the night, so by the time the end of Chauffeur came along, i wasn't really expected, as i thought they taken it out, and looking back at it, i bet the band wished they taken it out as well. well i suppose you'll hear all of reviews about this particular performance of View To A Kill (just like at Live Aid), and Simon managed to mess it up. its a shame because i like this song very much and its a good song to cross from The classic Chauffeur to the popular Ordinary World. however, half way through the first verse.. Simon: "Meeting you, with a view to a kill. Face to face in secret places, feel the chill. The first crystal tears, fall as snowflakes on your body. hang on thats not the words". my face just dropped! i couldn't believe it. and then after that, Simon went over to John and said something. and
through lip reading i could make out John saying "shut up", and then Simon came back on Mic to start the chorus, and before doing so said, "thanks John" in a sarky fashion. from that moment till wild boys, Simon and John didn't really interact.

Well after that suprising performance of View To A Kill, Duran Duran were approaching the final straight. With a beautiful performance of Ordinary World, we went into a "different" version of Save A Prayer. Different in the fact that "we" sung it. as Simon played accoustic guitar, it was the crowd that sung every lyric till the second chorus. to me, this was it. this was the special home coming concert that we had all antisipated. people of all ages from all over the world, singing Save A Prayer (in unison) with the backing of Duran Duran. it doesn't get anymore special than that. it really was a moment to reflect on what was happening.

From that moment on, the crowd just loved everything that was thrown at them. Taste Of Summer, NO NO.... Notorious/We are family and Nice. and then we knew were towards the end of the concert when John introduced the class of 1980 - Careless Memories! i went absolutely crazy for this one. everyone on the stage, everyone on the pitch, everyone in the stands was going mad for this. i love the Japanese video they have at concerts for this song. just adds to the elctric atmosphere that surrounds Simon's shouting and Andy's mad guitaring, and Roger's crazy Drum's bass. and this carried on into Wild Boys. with the capacity of St. Andrews stamping their feet, it was a great song to wrap up the main body of the concert.

The biggest shock of the night to all those in attendance, and no doubt it suprises a few of you who have read reviews of this concert, the Encore started off in a really old school fashion. to be honest, i was expecting Andy to pick up his guitar and start White Lines, but instead the band came out and Simon had a guitar in hand and stool under him. Nick then started a beat that we'd all hear but couldn't quite put our hand on where we hand
hear it before (well my feeling anyway). i was just as Simon announced that they were going to perform a song they hadn't done in a while, that it hit me! Come Up and See Me (Make Me Smile). it was a different version to that of the Hammersmith Odeon 1982, this version went straight into the heavy, fast riff. You won't find this on any other Astronaut Tour Date. This Was For Birmingham. and then we were into the two final songs. Girls on Film with the band introductions (i won't mention Simon falling over) and then Rio, which i wished could have gone on forever.

What a show, no-one went home empty hearted that night! this was Duran Duran and no other band could put on a show like this! the band was brilliant, the crowd was brilliant and the whole night was brilliant. THANK YOU DURAN DURAN!