Duran Duran, the iconic 1980s new wave pioneers, have announced a major UK arena tour set to captivate audiences across the country this autumn. The tour will see frontman Simon Le Bon and his bandmates perform in Glasgow, Belfast, and Liverpool, among other key cities.
Kicking off at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on 15 October, the group will then head to Belfast’s SSE Arena on 18 October, followed by a performance at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on 20 October. They are scheduled to play Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena on 23 October, concluding the UK leg at Leeds’ First Direct Arena on 24 October. Indie band Pigeon will support them throughout the tour.
The announcement follows a busy period for the band, who released a new single, “Free To Love,” with Chic’s Nile Rodgers in April. They are also set to headline London’s British Summer Time (BST) festival on 5 July, where they will be joined by Scissor Sisters.
Beyond the UK, Duran Duran will extend their tour to several European cities, including Oslo, Stockholm, Hamburg, Cologne, Brussels, and Paris.
Comprising Le Bon, keyboard player Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor, and drummer Roger Taylor, the band is celebrated for hits such as “Rio,” “Hungry Like The Wolf,” and the James Bond theme “A View To A Kill.”
With over 100 million records sold worldwide, two UK number one singles, and a number one album, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
Simon Le Bon actually dropped out of university to perform with the group, who became synonymous with the New Romantic scene, after a successful audition in the 1980s.
Speaking about his performances after receiving his royal honour from the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle in 2024, Le Bon told the PA news agency: “It’s the most immediate and essential aspect of our job, getting up and singing a song or making some music in front of a crowd.
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“Whether it’s five people in the living room or around a campfire, or standing there in front of 30,000 people with their arms in the air, it’s essentially the same thing. It can feel very different.
“I used to be a very nervous performer. I was terrified, and slowly I’ve been able to overcome that fear and I don’t get it anymore. I just walk out there and it feels natural to me.”
Tickets for the arena tour will go on general sale from 10 am on 5 June via myticket.co.uk, with presales available on 3 and 4 June.
