Bridgestone Arena
Nashville, TN. June 13, 2023
Photos By: Tom Rentz
Review By: Tom Rentz
My wife and I had the opportunity to attend and cover the Duran Duran show in Nashville, Tennessee at
the Bridgestone Arena. Since my wife's teen years, Duran Duran has always been her favorite band,
hearing them for the first time in the 80’s and watching their videos on MTV she even knew to the
minute when a Duran Duran music video would air (because that is what you did before you had
internet and cell phones). Her first Duran Duran concert was in Cleveland, Ohio on February 27th, 1984,
mind you there was a blizzard and roads were not good but despite the weather nothing was going to
stop her group friends from getting there. Thankfully one of their brave mothers drove them safely from
Dayton, Ohio to see an almost canceled show which would leave an impression on them that would last
a lifetime.
Let us get back to June 13th, 2023, in Nashville with newly Rock Hall Famers Duran Duran’s North
American Future Past tour, Inside the Bridgestone arena the lights went down and the intro song Velvet
Newton, a mix of Durans signature sounds filled the air. Night Boat brought the band on stage to set the
night on fire. The boys came out in true Duran fashion each with their unique style, Nick of course in his
signature wild suit and the others wearing the well-known Suit coats and signature Punkmaster Tees.
The night went on with hits like their U.S. breakout single Hungry Like the Wolf, the funky Notorious, the
newest single Anniversary and my personal favorite the punk inspired Careless Memories. Fans were
delighted to hear Hold Back the Rain with a vintage photo montage on the video board behind the band.
Overall Duran Duran sounded as good as they did in Cleveland in 1984 but without the teenage screams
drowning out the band!
To no surprise the Loyal Duranies came in from all over to join a near Capacity crowd of over 18000 fans.
The setlist had a few changes, but for the most part stayed the same with the drop of only 2 songs from
the Future Past album. Taking the stage, the guys seemed more excited than ever they were happy,
laughing and just seemed to be having fun. Once again, the boys came out in their fashionable attire,
especially Nick Rhodes in his classic suit with matching shoes! Simon LeBon sounded as amazing as usual
belting out the hits, Roger Taylor was in his zone (finally got a photo of him hidden in his drumkit) Dom
Brown the lead guitarist fits right in with band and as always John Taylor PLAYED THAT FUCKING BASS!
(True Duranies know that reference). My wife was singing and screaming at the top of her lungs.
Overall, it is great to see Duran Duran back on tour and in the States. Celebrating over 40 years of music
and success is an amazing feat for any band.
The Nashville setlist which consisted of over 40 years of music was a great mix of old and new, it was
truly a combination of songs from the future and past.
Setlist:
- Night Boat
- The Wild Boys
- Hungry Like A Wolf
- A View To A Kill
- Notorious
- Give It All Up
- Lonely In Your Nightmare / Super Freak
- Is There Something I Should Know?
- Anniversary
- Friends Of Mine
- Carless Memories
- Ordinary World (Dedicated To The People Of Ukraine)
- Come Undone
- Planet Earth / Band Intros
- White Lines (Don't Don't Do It) (Grandmaster Melle Mel Cover)
- The Reflex
- Girls On Film / Acceptable In The 80's
Encore:
18. Save A Prayer
19. Rio
Photos By: Tom Rentz
Review By: Tom Rentz
To be honest not knowing much about the next band Bastille as the other opener I was incredibly
overwhelmed by their sound and stage presence.
They took the massive stage with an massive light show and took me by surprise with their energy and
music.
Bastille are an English Indie rock band. They started in London in 2010. In February 2013, they released a
single called "Pompeii". It was number one in Scotland and Ireland. It reached number two in Italy and
the UK. They released their first album, Bad Blood, on March 4, 2013 in the United Kingdom. It went
straight to number one in the UK Albums Chart. It was released in the US in September 2013. It reached
number eleven in the United States & #11 on Billboard 200s. It also reached the top ten in Ireland and Australia.
Bastille have four members. Daniel Campbell Smith is the main singer. At first he was the only member.
He writes all of the band's songs. Chris "Woody" Wood is the drummer. Will Farquarson plays bass,
keyboards, and acoustic guitar. Kyle Jonathan Simmons plays keyboards, bass, and percussion. Charlie
Barnes has been a touring member since 2015 and plays guitar and keyboards.
Setlist:
- Good Grief
- What You Gonna Do??
- Survivin'
- Quarter Past Midnight
- Happier (Marshmello & Bastille Cover)
- Things We Lost In The Fire
- Of The Night
- Shut Off The Lights
- Pompeii
Photos By: Tom Rentz
Review By: Tom Rentz
With a near capacity crowd of over 18000 fans Nile Rodgers and Chic opened the concert and had the
crowd on their feet singing and dancing to all their hits starting with Le Freak, Chic Cheer, Dance Dance
Dance and Everybody Dance. Nile Rodgers has been a huge influence, collaborator and producer of
many artists including Duran Duran. He included songs like Bowies Modern Love and Let's Dance where
they had a special guest on guitar country icon Keith Urban. They played Madonna's Like a Virgin and
Material Girl to the more current Daft Punk song Get Lucky. The energetic crowd sang their hearts out to
Le Freak and Good times. He truly is a legend in the music business, and it was a chance of a lifetime to
photograph Nile Rodgers and Chic. Check another one off the Bucket list!
Setlist:
- Le Freak (Chic Cover)
- Everybody Dance (Chic Cover)
- Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah) (Chic Cover)
- I Want Your Love (Chic Cover)
- I'm Coming Out (Diana Ross Cover)
- He's The Greatest Dancer (Sister Sledge Cover)
- We Are Family (Sister Sledge Cover)
- Like A Virgin (Madonna Cover)
- Material Girl (Madonna Cover)
- Modern Love (David Bowie Cover)
- Cuff It (Beyonce' Cover)
- Get Lucky (Daft Punk Cover)
- Let's Dance (David Bowie Cover) (With Keith Urban On Guitar)
- Good Times / Rapper's Delight