Duran Duran Live at the C3 Late Night Party SXSW

Sometimes it’s enough to just keep being great. Sometimes, even when the times and what’s “hip” may have passed you by, keeping true to that quality pushes any limitations placed aside. Duran Duran are one of these instances. Famously wildfire hot at point, passe at another, the band is riding high on the success of their latest effort (produced by Mark Ronson) All You Need is Now. Playing the title track from that new album and a litany of classic hits, Duran Duran sounded incredibly pristine. Simon Le Bon’s voice is stunning for this stage of their career. The crowd shrieked in joy. “Planet Earth,” “Notorious” and “The Reflex” all were standout cuts, but 90’s hit “Ordinary World” took the prize for the evening’s best track. Its balladry was an epic refrain on world weary confusion. The band’s encore brought even more surprises. “Rio” came first and the band closed with an elongated take on “Girls on Film” which included an intro to every band member and a small drop in of “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.” It deserves to be said, Duran Duran have found a renewed, extra life for their career. This was quite possibly one of the best performances of the festival thus far.