Duran Duran set to tour new 'Medazzaland' album.

Amusement Business
November 3, 1997

BYLINE: Jaeger, Lauren

Duran Duran's 14-city, 16-performance tour promoting the new "Medazzaland" album begins Nov. 13 in Boston and winds up Dec. 10 in Los Angeles.

This tour is the group's first since 1993, with the exception of a few live performances in 1995 to promote the "Thank You" album. The venues are intimate. The largest, the Wiltern in Los Angeles, has 5,167 seats. The concert is expected to last 90 minutes.

For the first time, keyboardist Nick Rhodes will play an Apple computer, which he custom programmed with keyboard effects, in addition to a new instrument, the Air Theranen. Ed Thomas, vice president of publicity for Left Bank, said, "The Air Theranen is incredible. It's a paddle of wind blowing over a magnetic area of the computer. [Rhodes] passes his hand over it and different tunes play."

Bassist Wes Wellmuller and percussionist Steve Alexander join the core group of Rhodes, Simon LeBon and Warren Cuccurullo. Although an opening act was not signed by press time, Thomas said the group plans to showcase local talent at several venues. Those acts will audition by submitting CDs. He added, "Where curfews will allow, we may even look for a third act.

"This is not a big money maker," he said. "The main purpose of the tour is keeping in touch with the fan base, and it is a tour to let people sample 'Medazzaland.' It's a challenging record. I don't think [Duran Duran has] played theaters in 15 or 20 years." He added, "This will be a pristine music setting in intimate venues."

Tickets are priced from $ 25-$ 40. Since they went on sale in mid-October, sales have been steady, said Thomas. More than 2,000 sold for the Los Angeles date.

The tour's booking agents are Adam Kornfeld and Dennis Arfa of QBQ. Management is provided by Left Bank Organization, Hollywood, Calif.

Production is expected to cost $ 120,000 a week. Transport will take two to three semis. The staging is sparse, so the touring director said set up will not be time-consuming. The road crew consists of 13 members.

Mark Ward will arrange the Vari*Lites, and Davey Moyer will guide sound. Set design is by Alex Reardon. Dave Lister handles monitors; Dave Caillas, security; Tom Mates, bass tech; Hugh Calder, drum tech; Thomas Nordegh, guitar tech; and Mark Tinley, programmer.

"The gross potential of this tour is a little under $ 1 million," said Director of Touring Eli Lande. "The staging is sparse, but [the group has] unique lighting plans. It's a big piece of the production and is really sophisticated."

The group will rehearse three weeks prior to the tour.

PROMOTIONS

"Duran Duran can boast over 100 Web sites," Thomas said. "We are promoting over a three- to four-week period using radio promotions and the Internet. [Duran Duran has] one of the most fantastic fan club bases with over 3,000
listings. In comparison, U2 has 7,000 listings."

So What Media in New York City is reaching all of the Web sites to inform fans about the tour. Dan Klores of Los Angeles is doing publicity for mainstream media.

"Duran Duran has an intelligent fan base of computer users," Thomas said. "The band is very adamant about conversing directly with its fan base."

Additionally, the band appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Rosie O'Donnell" and "VIBE with Chris Spencer" in October.

HISTORY

"Duran Duran is credited for the birth of the MTV generation," Thomas said, adding that the group has "sold 40 million records."

A tribute concert by several bands was held Oct. 12 in Los Angeles at the Tower Records Sunset parking lot before an audience of 3,000, mostly radio station promotion winners. At the end of the appearance, Duran Duran came out and performed three songs from the upcoming tour and received a positive reception.

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