REVIEW: DURAN DURAN 20TH OCTOBER 2026

DURAN DURAN – THE HOMECOMING

Utilita Arena, Birmingham

20th October 2026

Well, Birmingham… what a night!

Last night your very own DJ PORK PIE had the absolute pleasure of seeing Duran Duran back on home turf at the Utilita Arena, and what a show it was. A packed-out arena, a few thousand memories, and one of Britain’s greatest bands reminding us exactly why they’ve stood the test of time.

First up, Pigeon!

What a brilliant opening act. A five-piece band with a real mix of afrobeats, psychedelic, 80s soul feel, The later bringing to mind the groove and energy of David Bowie’s Let’s Dance. Their frontman was absolutely mad as a box of frogs 😂 — dressed in orange overalls, full of energy and completely impossible to take your eyes off. A proper entertainer, backed by a seriously good band. Definitely one to keep an eye on!

Even the warm-up music was a treat, taking us from Curtis Mayfield to Doja Cat and The B-52s. You never quite knew what was coming next!

Then came Duran Duran… and WOW!

The band had been caught in traffic, so the show didn’t get underway until 8:50pm, but once they hit the stage, the wait was forgotten.

The band were incredibly tight, sounding absolutely superb, and Simon Le Bon’s voice is still hitting those notes. The musicianship, the atmosphere and the connection with the crowd were fantastic.

They took us on a brilliant journey through their back catalogue, delivering hit after hit, with some seriously inspired surprises thrown in along the way.

The ELO cover of Evil Woman was a fantastic moment, while Super Freak blended into Lonely in Your Nightmare was a brilliant mash-up. And then there was Psycho Killer mixed into Girls on Film — absolutely inspired!

From The Wild Boys, Hungry Like the Wolf and The Reflex to the beautiful Ordinary World, Come Undone and Save a Prayer, there was something for everyone. And when Rio arrived, it was the perfect reminder of just how many timeless songs this band have given us.

What made it even more special was how often the band spoke about their love for Birmingham. They made it clear how much the city means to them, repeatedly telling us how great it was to be home. You could feel that connection throughout the arena.

The verdict?

A phenomenal night from a band who know exactly how to put on a show. Great songs, incredible musicianship, clever surprises and memories that come flooding back with every chorus.

Duran Duran proved that they’re not just trading on nostalgia — they’re still a fantastic live band, and Birmingham gave them the homecoming they deserved.

If you ever get the chance to see them live, take it. You won’t regret it!

Thank you, Duran Duran, for a brilliant night!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#DuranDuran #TheHomecoming #Birmingham #UtilitaArena #SimonLeBon #JohnTaylor #NickRhodes #RogerTaylor #LiveMusic #80sMusic #BirminghamMusic

SET LIST

INTRO

IS THERE SOMETHING

WILD BOYS

AVTAK

HOWLING – HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF

UNION OF THE SNAKE

EVIL WOMAN

SUPER LONELY FREAK

THE REFLEX

ONLY IN DREAMS / WINTER MARCHES ON

THE CHAUFFEUR

ORDINARY WORLD

COME UNDONE

NOTORIOUS

I DON’T WANT YOUR LOVE

FREE TO LOVE

BAND INTROS – PLANET EARTH

WHITE LINES

REACH UP FOR THE SUNRISE

GIRLS/PSYCHO

ENCORE

SAVE A PRAYER

RIO