Essential Junk

Thirty years have slipped right by since Duran Duran’s debut single “Planet Earth” introduced the Fab Five to the world via dance clubs and later, MTV. On Friday night at The Joint in Las Vegas, the band took the stage with a confident swagger. Their latest album All You Need Is Now represents another career peak for a band that withstood years of 80′s backlash only to return stronger than ever. The strength of the new material created a seamless music experience where nostalgia drenched classics like “A View To A Kill” flowed into new tracks like “Girl Panic!” without any loss of momentum. Dropping some notable hits like “Girls On Film” and “Save A Prayer” to make room for the new songs is a risky move but the band pulled it off wonderfully. The band’s early interest in disco and R&B, particularly Nile Rodgers and Chic, was celebrated on “Safe” as mirrored balls spun on the large video screens that adorned the stage. John Taylor’s bass guitar throbbed brightly throughout the night and Roger Taylor’s drumming adds a unique dimension to the band’s sound that was lost in the years that he was absent from Duran Duran. Simon LeBon’s voice, often the band’s weakest link, sounded stronger than ever especially on the soaring “Ordinary World”. While the packed venue erupted for “Hungry Like The Wolf” and “Rio”, it was “Careless Memories” that packed the biggest emotional punch for long time fans. The second single from their 1981 debut, the song stalled on the charts at the time but sounded more alive than ever. The same could be said for the band. Introducing their music to a new generation at this year’s Coachella and the critical acclaim for the new album is making 2011 one of Duran Duran’s best years in music. Tonight’s live performance provided a powerful reminder of the band’s lasting impact on music and, even better, was a ridiculous amount of fun.

The Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas wrapped up their summer of 80′s concerts with synth-pop icon Howard Jones. Hosted by original MTV VJ Nina Blackwood, the series was executed extremely well and brought the likes of Wang Chung and Men Without Hats to the streets of downtown Vegas. Ending with Howard Jones was a smart move as his songwriting and innovative use of technology set him apart during MTV’s best years. Opening with fan favorite ‘Pearl In the Shell’, Jones displayed a lighthearted attitude towards the festival setting. Finding the right balance between nostalgia and art can be almost impossible for an artist that most in attendance remember for one song (‘No One Is To Blame’). His red zippered ‘Beat It’ style leather jacket and sparkling pants certainly played to the expectations of those who remember the 80′s as a shiny decade of ridiculous fashion. However, throughout the set, Jones’ music rose above the setting and offered more to those willing to listen. Digging deep into his early albums, ‘Look Mama’ from 1985′s Dream Into Action was dedicated to his mother who is losing her memory. The tale of a young boy fighting for emancipation from his parents was re-cast as a poignant tribute be a man grown wise with years. Pulling extensively from his stunning debut Human’s Lib, Jones delighted old fans with rare tracks such as ‘Conditioning’ and ‘Equality’ nestled between the obligatory hits like ‘Life In One Day’, ‘What Is Love’ and ‘Things Can Only Get Better’. While other 80’s synth-pop acts are fondly remembered (everybody wants to do the safety dance), Jones floats under most radars and the reason was easy to spot on Saturday night. His catalog of smartly written synth-pop music cannot be laughed at or enjoyed with a wink by those starved for nostalgia. These songs have held up over the years and if you dug through the garages of many of today’s indie-pop bands, you’d certainly find some Jones cassettes. Returning for his encore, Jones delivered a few verses of The Killers’ ‘Human’, a fitting tribute to a Vegas band, sure, but also a band with synth-pop hooks that bear his influence. Those who came to sing along with ‘No One Is To Blame’ went home happy but Jones steered clear of the nostalgia drenched, theme park performances Hugh Grant delivered in Music And Lyrics. Finding the right balance as an artist and enjoying the performance can be difficult years after commercial success but Jones was more than game to continue what he started in 1984.

Having received positive feedback at SXSW, a glowing review in NME, and with a Coachella appearance on the upcoming calendar, The Joy Formidable’s ferocious Colorado performance at the Larimer Lounger delivered on the promise of their recent debut album, the aptly titled The Big Roar. Catching this tour might be the last chance to see The Joy Formidable perform in smaller venues as their music and stage presence is set on epic.

Opening with ‘The Everchanging Spectrum Of A Lie’ (they also do song titles big), the band attacked the stage and never relented. The blistering, brief ‘The Magnifying Glass’ followed and contrasted the layered, soaring chorus of the opener with a succinct dose of confident punk. Singer/guitarist Ritzy Bryan and bassist Rhydian Dafydd are a perfect pairing on stage constantly bouncing off each other and drawing energy from the crowd. Bryan’s charisma lies in her charming eyes that shine with delight as the band whips audiences into a fury. ‘The Greatest Light Is the Greatest Shade’ excitedly grew into a stadium-sized chorus while the post-punk darkness of ‘Buoy’ took a different path to an equally massive sound.

Holding together the swirling supernova of Bryan and Daffyd, drummer Matt Thomas adds a healthy dose of metal to the band’s noise by firing off the double bass pedal like a machine gun. On the massive closer ‘Whirring’, the thunder from behind the kit sounded like Lars Ulrich backing My Bloody Valentine as wall upon wall of distortion hit the audience while Bryan and Daffyd set about twisting every knob on their effects pedals while abusing their guitars. The guitars were tossed down on the stage and the band waved goodbye. After only eight songs, The Joy Formidable had conquered another club on their march towards greatness.

Describing Jake Shimabukuro as a ukulele player is sort of like calling Jimi Hendrix a guitar player. Revolutionizing the four stringed Hawaiian instrument, Shimabukuro’s success as an artist has taken the ukulele from kitsch to cool. In doing so, his music brings attention to a rich Hawaiian musical history that runs much deeper than Don Ho and ‘Tiny Bubbles’. Taking the stage alone with his ukulele in Henderson, NV, Jake sprinkled stories between each song to shed light on his originals while explaining the reasons behind the covers he ambitiously tackles each night. A Van Halen inspired ‘Bring Your Adz’ ignited the crowd as his fingers flew up and down the tiny neck of the ukulele employing techniques that would make Steve Vai blush. A few songs later, he turned his attention to traditional Japanese music with a gently plucked ‘Satura’. Using the ukulele as a percussion instrument on ‘Me & Shirley T’, Shimabukuro displayed the flair and dynamics of Rodrigo y Gabriela while again lifting the ukulele to new heights never thought possible. While he remains best known for a sparkling cover of ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’, his new album Peace Love Ukulele contains his most ambitious rock and roll cover to date. Taking Queen’s masterpiece ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and bringing it to life with the limited range of an ukulele is nothing less than brilliant and the crowd agreed. After the show, a line of aspiring ukulele players, young and old, stood in line to meet Jake and get their instruments signed. The visionary artist who inspired the musical evolution of the ukulele into mainstream music appeared more than happy to spend the rest of the evening talking music with the fans. That spirit of aloha towards fans might be even greater than the unattainable heights he reaches on stage.