On 23 July 1983

Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger ...

staged an open air benefit concert at Villa Park, Birmingham, England in front of 18,000 people who paid £8.50 a ticket to raise money for MENCAP. It was one of only two concerts that summer by the band, the other being on 20 July before the Prince and Princess of Wales at London's Dominion Theatre. Birmingham was chosen as the venue, as it was where the band members' first met and formed the group. The concert and subsequent shows in the area have always been regarded as a "homecoming". This event was particularly special to

Roger Taylor Roger Taylor may refer to: *Roger Taylor (Queen drummer) (born 1949), drummer for Queen *Roger Taylor (Duran Duran drummer) (born 1960), drummer for Duran Duran *Roger Taylor (author), author of epic fantasy Hawklan series *Roger Taylor (college pr ...

as he once had ambitions to be

Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...

's goalkeeper and was a regular spectator at the ground.

Concert

The show started at 6pm when the host, BBC Radio 1 presenter Peter Powell, introduced the opening act "Prince Charles and the City Beat Band", which was followed by Robert Palmer who included the songs "

Johnny and Mary "Johnny and Mary" is a song written and originally performed by Robert Palmer. Palmer's version was recorded in 1980 at Compass Point Studios, New Providence, in the Bahamas. The song was featured on Palmer's album '' Clues'' (1980). "Johnny a ...

" and " Some Guys Have All the Luck" in his performance. Friendships from this concert helped Palmer, in late 1984, to join members of Duran Duran as lead singer of the super group The Power Station. Finally,

took to the stage at 20:40 Hrs beginning their opening song as two giant black curtains slid open revealing them on a brightly lit stage with a backdrop consisting of six inflatable Roman-style pillars designed by Henry Thompson. The band performed the following: # "

Is There Something I Should Know? "Is There Something I Should Know?" is the eighth single by British pop band Duran Duran, released on 14 March 1983. The song was released as a stand-alone single and became the band's first UK number one record. It debuted in the number one ...

" # " Hungry Like the Wolf" # "

Union of the Snake "Union of the Snake" is the ninth single by the English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 17 October 1983. It was the lead single from the band's third album ''Seven and the Ragged Tiger'' (1983), and preceded its release by one month. I ...

" # "Lonely in Your Nightmare" # " New Religion" # "Night Boat" # "Friends of Mine" # " Save a Prayer" # " Planet Earth" # " My Own Way" # "Hold Back the Rain" # "

Careless Memories "Careless Memories" is the second single by Duran Duran, released on 20 April 1981. The band's debut single "Planet Earth" had been a Top 20 hit, so it was regarded as a major setback when "Careless Memories" stalled at No. 37 in the UK chart ...

" # "

Rio Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

" # "Fun Time" # " Girls on Film" The concert finished at 22:00 Hrs with an after show "homecoming" party held at the city's

Rum Runner Rum-running or bootlegging is the illegal business of smuggling alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law. Smuggling usually takes place to circumvent taxation or prohibition laws within a particular jurisdiction. The te ...

nightclub.https://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/duranies_2/1980.html&date=2009-10-25+21:32:19 The programme which consists of 11 glossy double sided flyers with pictures on each side housed in a white glossy folder cost £2.00.

Duran Duran band line-up

* Simon Le Bon (vocals) *

John Taylor John Taylor, Johnny Taylor or similar may refer to: Academics *John Taylor (Oxford), Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, 1486–1487 *John Taylor (classical scholar) (1704–1766), English classical scholar *John Taylor (English publisher) (178 ...

(bass guitar) * Andy Taylor (guitar) * Nick Rhodes (keyboards) *

(drums)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duran Duran's Charity Concert at Aston Villa Football Ground 1983 Duran Duran 1983 in England 1983 in British music Charity events in the United Kingdom July 1983 events in the United Kingdom