Live Review: Duran Duran – 31st October 2026 – The O2 Arena, London, UK

If there is one thing Duran Duran have never been particularly guilty of, it is playing things safe. More than four decades into a career that has seen them evolve from New Romantic poster boys into one of Britain’s most enduring pop institutions, the band have consistently understood that presentation is every bit as important as performance. Their Halloween spectacular at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday night was further evidence of that approach, delivering an brilliantly staged evening that delivered the kind of arena-sized production that few of their contemporaries could hope to match.

Arriving midway through the band’s current Free To Love tour, this special Halloween performance was a welcome departure from the standard touring format. Having embraced the concept in previous years, Duran Duran have made something of a tradition out of these October celebrations, and Saturdays production demonstrated exactly why they remain such an accomplished live act.

Musically, the band were equally keen to embrace the occasion, putting together a setlist that moved well beyond the familiar hits and into some considerably more adventurous territory (though I did miss Ordinary World and Come Undone – two of my favourite DD hits). Opening with the tour debut of Friends of Mine, there was an immediate sense that this would be a performance with a few surprises in store. John Barry’s James Bond Theme, given a new Halloween-inspired arrangement, followed before A View to a Kill and Hungry Like the Wolf brought the first major dose of familiar Duran Duran magic. It was an effective opening batch, balancing the cinematic with the anthemic while establishing the darker tone with revised visuals that showcased a red carpet of dark characters on the screens while the band mastered their instruments and donned some impressive Halloween outfits of their own.

The inclusion of DANSE MACABRE, another tour debut, felt like an obvious but entirely welcome addition, the track’s gothic sensibilities perfectly suited to the night. Union of the Snake followed, before an unexpected excursion into Electric Light Orchestra territory with Evil Woman. It was an interesting choice, as was the pairing of Lonely in Your Nightmare with Rick James’ Super Freak, although the latter’s inclusion provided a welcome injection of funk into an otherwise darkly themed evening and an AI facelift of the fun 70’s inspired dancers reimagined in grotesque forms on the screens overhead.

Having seen the band perform on several occasions over the years, including their appearance at this year’s BST Hyde Park series, one thing that has consistently stood out is the sheer quality of their production. There is rarely anything understated about a Duran Duran show. The stage design was incredible, with floating witches suspended above, two towering skeletons framing either side of the stage, fire breathers adding an extra layer of danger and fireworks illuminating the arena throughout much of the set as well as a handful of very flexible backing dancers that added to the camp and spooky feel of the show. It was an elaborate, occasionally outrageous visual feast, but one that felt entirely appropriate for the occasion. The attention to detail was impressive, and rather than simply serving as an aesthetic backdrop, the production gave the entire performance a personality of its own.

The Reflex brought proceedings back to more familiar territory, but it was the subsequent run of covers and deeper cuts that helped set the show apart from the bands current touring format. Siouxsie and the Banshees’ Spellbound made its tour debut, proving an inspired choice given the evening’s aesthetic, while the first-ever Duran Duran performance of the Ramones’ Pet Sematary was perhaps the night’s most unexpected inclusion. With backing singers Rachael O’Connor and Anna Ross stepping into the spotlight, the band delivered a roaring interpretation that offered a welcome change of pace and demonstrated the value of giving their supporting vocalists room to shine.

The less conventional selections continued with Only in Dreams and Winter Marches On, before the tour debut of CONFESSION IN THE AFTERLIFE added another atmospheric moment to the evening.

The Rolling Stones’ Paint It Black was another tour debut, its ominous undertones making it a natural fit for Halloween, while Cerrone’s Supernature brought an altogether different flavour to the performance. Both were interesting additions, particularly the latter, which tapped into the electronic and disco influences that have long been a part of Duran Duran’s own sound.

Of course, there were still plenty of opportunities for the band to remind everyone why their own catalogue remains so enduring. Notorious and the LGBT-influenced Free To Love brought the focus back to the band’s original material, although the latter also served as a reminder that this was still very much a stop on the current touring campaign rather than an entirely standalone Halloween production.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Heads Will Roll, performed by Duran Duran for the first time, was another welcomed surprise, its dance-rock energy fitting seamlessly into the shows increasingly eclectic flow. Planet Earth provided one of the more nostalgic moments with it’s powerful visuals of spaceships in battle and sexy female dancers, while Grandmaster Melle Mel’s White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It) added another unexpected twist. The main set concluded with a suitably chaotic combination of Girls on Film and Talking Heads’ Psycho Killer, a pairing that brought together the band’s theatrical instincts and their willingness to have a little fun with the material.

The encore was equally theatrical. A quick-fire fire-eating performance, accompanied by an introduction of The Clash’s London Calling, set the scene for The Wild Boys, before Rio brought the evening to a suitably celebratory close as a town of orange, white and black balloons fell from the ceiling and covered the floor section of the arena.

Duran Duran remain a band who understand the value of reinvention, and Saturday night’s Halloween spectacular demonstrated that their appetite for the unexpected is far from over. Visually spectacular, musically eclectic and fabulously camp – Saturday nights show was a colourful carnival of hits from a collective that shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

Brendon Veevers

RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder

Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.

Over the years he has been lucky enough to review hundreds of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb, Tori Amos and iconic, late Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.

Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK.