Simon LeBon - vocals; Andy Taylor - guitar; John Taylor - bass; Nick Rhodes - keyboards; Roger Taylor - drums; Andy Hamilton - saxophone, keyboards
Originally broadcast on MTV as the headline act of its New Year's Eve broadcast and simulcast on FM radio for the King Biscuit Flower Hour, this lively set from the popular British New Wave rockers Duran Duran marks their first major New York City triumph.
The group, which was spearheaded by vocalist Simon LeBon, had ruled the MTV charts since the end of the previous year, but they did not take off on radio as rapidly. For this show, Duran Duran was not only performing to a packed house at New York's Palladium Theater, they were playing to millions of viewers all over the world. The stakes were high, and Duran Duran went for the gold. Shortly after this performance, in early 1983, "Rio" was in the U.S. Top 10.
All the essential early hits are featured here - including "Rio," "Save A Prayer," "Hungry Like The Wolf," and "Girls On Film." The show is interrupted to count down the New Year on MTV, but otherwise it remains a consistently upbeat show. The group augmented its original five-piece lineup with the addition of saxophonist/keyboard player Andy Hamilton.
This performance showcases the band when they were on the brink of worldwide stardom, if they weren't already there. The success of Duran Duran during this time period gave them enough momentum to get through most of the eighties as a successful act. It would also serve as the base of hits to keep the band poised for more than one reunion in the years that followed.