Okay, okay, bust my balls, why don't ya? Why is Ragman reviewing a Duran Duran DVD, you ask? Well, to be honest, they have always been a guilty pleasure of mine, since the early 80's. I haven't really followed the band since The Wedding Album in 1995, so I was curious to see what they were up to. Unfortunately, whilst viewing this DVD I realized that Andy Taylor was no longer in the group. Apparently he left back in 2006, and was replaced by guitarist Dom Brown (who?). Andy was the guy that brought them some rock credibility back in the day, as well as his first replacement Warren Cucurrullo (Missing Persons). Too bad they couldn't lure back Currurullo, but not sure that could have happened, after he was fired to bring back Taylor. That being said, I was intrigued by this release and had to check it out.
A Diamond in the Mist is a solid set from the pop/rock veterans. The set is a combination of the new and the old material. The show was filmed in 2011 in support of their then current release, All You Need is Now CD. The band sound great and seem to be performing as strong as they did back in the day. Again, I was disappointed in the guitarist, even though they were not know for guitar acrobatics, it would have been nice to have seen either Taylor or Currurullo wielding the axe in lieu of Brown. Brown is adequate, but that is about it.
The DVD is shot in a film type format and looks spectacular. Thank God for BuRay! The film has some special effects mixed in to add some flavor, and for this band and their type of music, it worked. It was fun to watch the boys on stage, because it really seemed like they were enjoying themselves. The funny thing about this band, is that it seems like none of these guys have aged. Weird! Guess they don't live as hard as us headbangers. An enjoyable watch from start to finish.
Bottom Line: If you're looking to tone it down and see how the other pop/alternative rockers do it, then this is right up you're alley. Dare I say, classic band still firing on all cylinders? Yes I do.
-Ragman was exploring his softer side with this one.