Written by: Leif Gaslow

(Photo courtesy of Stephanie Pistel)

Why did I drive 349 miles to see Duran Duran headline Ottawa’s RBC Bluesfest the other night?

Because I knew it would be worth it.

And it was.

Playing in front of thousands of adoring fans on City Stage at the annual summertime music festival, the legendary band were ageless, tireless and triumphant.

New Romantic fog swirled around the stage and the boys from Birmingham sliced through it with the alacrity of pop royalty. Opening the show, the nearly-eight minute title-track of their new album Paper Gods was as prescient as it was musically pressing. A searing commentary on consumerism, consumption and greed, when singer Simon LeBon declared, “The total human race became a basket case…” the specter of a possible Trump U.S. Presidency–even among this Canadian crowd–gave the song a menacing sheen.

Meanwhile, “Hungry Like The Wolf” was lacerating and lusty; “Wild Boys” showcased John Taylor’s awe-inspiring bass playing and “A View To A Kill” was so fresh and invigorating, it’s hard not to think of it as one of the best songs the James Bond franchise ever yielded.

The band were minus their sonic architect Nick Rhodes, who was tending to a family emergency, so in his place was the fetching singer/songwriter/producer (and voice of “Bang Bang Bang”) MNDR.

Duran Duran drew wisely and favorably from their nearly 40-year back catalog and when they launched into “What Are The Chances?” which is one of the finest numbers on the Paper Gods album, they showed that their new material sits perfectly next to their old.

And speaking of old, when LeBon emerged for the evergreen ballad “Save A Prayer” he donned a shirt that was emblazoned with the year 1978 written across it. The band was formed in ’78 and I was born in ’88, but somehow LeBon looks far younger than I do.

I tried to work that out on my long drive home.