Chcel som sa s Vami podeliť o úžastný zážitok z koncertu DURAN DURAN v Zagrebe, ktorého som mal to šťastie sa zúčastniť. Prvý a posledný krát som ich mal možnosť vidieť naživo v Budapešti 1988. Je jasné, že som bol poriadne nedočkavý. Takže chorvátsky predskokani FLARE, pravdupovediac pomerne zaujímava rocková kapela (zniesli by porovnanie s britskými Puressence), vedená strhujúcou speváčkou s divokým sexeappelom, nemali v tejto situácii u mňa ani najmenšiu šancu.

Po polhodine neschopnosti technikov spojazdniť Nickove klávesy, čo ma dosť rozladilo, som bol už rožhavený do ružova a uvodná Last Day on Earth znamenala explóziu. Hungry Like The Wolf, Planet Earth, Come Undone, Electric Barbarella, Skin Trade, A View To A Kill, proste čo skladba to výbuch nadšenia v preplnenom zagrebskom športovom dome. Fantastická videoprojekcia a neodolateľný "šašo" Simon Le Bon privádzali cca osemtisícové obecenstvo do neuveriteľného varu, ktorý ustupoval snáď len pri pomalších skladbách Ordinary World a Save A Prayer. Nick, blahosklonne sa usmievajúci na Simonových úletoch a neuveriteľný gitarový šaman Warren, ma svojim výkonom utvrdzovali v názore, že len absulútny ignorant a prepytujem idiot môžu prirovnávať DURAN DURAN k Backstreet boys a podobným spartakiádnym zoskupeniam. Z posleného albumu, okrem úvodnej skladby koncertu, zazneli ešte Playing With Uranium, Mars Meet Venus a jeden z vrcholov večera Hallucinating Elvis , v ktorej sa Simon premenil v samotného "Kráľa" a predviedol skutočnú rockovú show.

Oficiálnu trojku DURAN DURAN dopĺňa na tomto turné bassák Wes Wehmiller a bubeník Joe Travers, ktorým taktiež nebolo čo vytknúť. Pre mňa najemotívnejšou časťou tohto vynikajúceho koncertu bolo Anyone Out There z debutového LP, ktorá naplno ukázala, v čom aj po 20 rokoch bola a je sila ich piesní. Nálada gradovala aj na pódiu a bolo vidieť, že samotná kapela sa výborne baví. Na záver to bol dnes už povinný Wild Boys, funky Notorious a Girls On Film, pri ktorej som nedokázal neskákať už ani ja, hoci som posledný štvrťrok strávil s oboma nohami v sádre. Posledným prídavkom na záver takmer dvojhodinového koncertu, a to dokonca na želanie, nemohlo byť nič iné ako Rio. To slovo ako jeden hlas reval celý sál a Simon sa blažene usmieval a tváril sa, že nie je počuť.

Cestou domov mi v mysli bežali názvy ďalších a ďalších skladieb, ktoré by som rád počul a nedostalo sa na ne, ale uvedomoval som si, že by sa koncert zmenil na 24 hodinový maratón. Dúfam, že na ďalšiu príležitosť nebudem musieť čakať ďalších 12 rokov.

zoznam skladieb :

01 Fragment/Kiss Goodbye/Last Day On Earth / 02 Hungry Like The Wolf / 03 Planet Earth / 04 Playing With Uranium / 05 Come Undone / 06 Anyone Out There / 07 Ordinary World / 08 Save A Prayer / 09 Hallucinating Elvis / 10 White Lines / 11 Mars Meets Venus / 12 All She Wants Is / 13 Skin Trade / 14 Electric Barbarella / 15 A View To A Kill / 16 Too Much Information / 17 Wild Boys / 18 Notorious / 19 Girls On Film / 20 Rio.

I´d like to share with you my terrific experience from concert of DD in Zagreb, where I fortunately could be present. I am from Slovakia, which used to be together with current Czech Republic former Czechoslovakia, therefore I had so far the first and the last chance to see live concert only in Budapest in 1988. It is obvious that this time I was very impatient. The concert started with Croatian FLARE. To tell the truth quite interesting band (could be compared with British Puressence) led by charismatic woman singer with wild sexappeal, that in spite of their performance did not have any chance with me.

After half an hour of technician´s "incapability" to make Nicks ´s keyboard functional (it made me very upset) I was almost burning with desire and the start with Last Day on Earth meant explosion. Hungry like the Wolf, Planet Earth, Come Undone, Electric Barbarella, Skin Trade, A View to a Kill, simply every track swept over the Zagreb Sport Hall with new wave of explosion. Tremendous videoprojection and irresistible "clown" Simon Le Bon was driving 8000 audience (estimated) crazy. "Madness" might be weakening only with slower Ordinary World and Save a Prayer. Nick with his condescending smile over Simons mischiefs and incredible guitar "shaman" Warren only confirmed my opinion that only absolute ignorant and moron can compare DD with Backstreet and similar "aerobics" bands. Except of the beginning track the band played from the last album Playing With Uranium, Mars Meet Venus and one of the evening top was Hallucination Elvis, when Simon changed into the "King" himself and performed the real rock show.

Official trio was playing together with the bass guitar player Wes Wehmiller and the drummer Joe Travers, playing also great. For me the most emotional part of this great session was Anyone Out There from debut album, which entirely proved where was and still is the power of their songs even 20 years later. The mood was increasing also onstage and it was clear that the band themselves are in a good mood. Finally it was compulsory Wild Boys, funky Notorious and Girls on Film, during which neither could I resist to start jumping despite I spent last 2 months after accident with plaster of paris on my both legs. The last track after almost 2 hours could not be anything else than Rio (as a wish of audience). This word sounded like a one voice in the hall and Simon was blissfully pretending he could not hear anything.

On the way home I had in my mind other and other songs which I would like to hear realizing that the concert than would must have been not 2 hours but 24 hours marathon. I hope that for the next opportunity I do not have to wait another 12 years.

The set list :

01 Fragment/Kiss Goodbye/Last Day On Earth / 02 Hungry Like The Wolf / 03 Planet Earth / 04 Playing With Uranium / 05 Come Undone / 06 Anyone Out There / 07 Ordinary World / 08 Save A Prayer / 09 Hallucinating Elvis / 10 White Lines / 11 Mars Meets Venus / 12 All She Wants Is / 13 Skin Trade / 14 Electric Barbarella / 15 A View To A Kill / 16 Too Much Information / 17 Wild Boys / 18 Notorious / 19 Girls On Film / 20 Rio.

Translated by Jana