The Pacific Northwest is filled with memories of Duran Duran, the iconic ’80s band that became the second British invasion following The Beatles.
Echoes of a Seattle concert nearly three decades ago still reverberate: The March 1984 show at the Seattle Center Coliseum — today’s KeyArena — was the moment Duran Duran transformed from club band to phenomenon.
A packed arena met the band with shrieks and screams.
“It’s really locked in our memories,” said John Taylor, the band’s bass player. “That was when it became apparent that Duranmania had hit America.”
Duranmania returns to the region tonight at Comcast Arena Everett, kicking off Duran Duran’s latest U.S. tour.
The concert is expected to be a multimedia spectacle and will blend songs from “All You Need is Now,” the band’s critically acclaimed recent release, and their hits.
“This is probably the most integrated show we’ve done,” Taylor said.
Several screens will show film material synchronized to the music, he said.
“You’re always trying to put the material out there in a way that is fresh. You’re always trying to change the lights on it,” he said. “The gig is like a retrospective.”
Taylor, 51, started Duran Duran in the clubs of Birmingham, England, in the late ’70s. The band became an international sensation with hits like “Rio” and “Hungry Like the Wolf.”
Touring today isn’t like it was 30 years ago, Taylor said.
It’s not about meeting girls and partying anymore.
“We’re on tour because we love to play live,” he said.
Earlier this year, Simon Lebon, the band’s lead singer, had serious problems with his voice. The band canceled several shows.
“We were all asking ourselves the question, ‘What if?'” Taylor said. “None of us expected it to become as big a problem as it became.”
After undergoing therapy and treatment, Lebon’s voice is back in full form, Taylor said.
“It’s been quite a lesson in mortality,” he said.
Duran Duran makes albums, songs and shows, Taylor said. That’s what helped him maintain the enthusiasm he has for the music and the performing.
“I’m a searcher, constantly looking for new things to turn me on,” he said.
Duran Duran plays at 7:30 tonight at Comcast Arena Everett. The Neon Trees is the opening act.
Tickets are $49.50 to $75. Buy them at 866-332-8499 or comcastarenaeverett.com.
Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3447; jholtz@heraldnet.com.
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