05 November 2023
Newsdesk
In a UK festival exclusive, the iconic British band Duran Duran has been unveiled as the headliners for the 2024 edition of the Latitude Festival. The announcement coincides with the release of the band's critically acclaimed new gothic-themed album, Danse Macabre, which made its debut in the UK Top Five this week.
The band is set to take the main stage at the award-winning festival as it returns to the picturesque grounds of Henham Park, Suffolk, from July 25th to 28th, 2024, presenting a diverse line-up where music and the arts converge. Tickets for the weekend and day passes are currently available for purchase. A further line-up announcement is scheduled for later this year.
Latitude Festival, renowned for its eclectic mix of culture, art, and music, provides the perfect stage for Duran Duran to showcase their ground-breaking sound and style, both of which have consistently pushed the boundaries of music, fashion, and art throughout their illustrious career.
Melvin Benn, Latitude’s Festival Director, said , "Duran Duran's fusion of artistry and innovation seamlessly resonates with Latitude's commitment to curate a multifaceted cultural experience. Celebrated for their iconic style, ground-breaking music, and a consistent string of chart-topping hits, the band have unquestionably left their mark on both the music and fashion realms. With their ongoing evolution and the ability to transcend musical boundaries, the band's mesmerising live performances make them an ideal fit for the Latitude festival."
Duran Duran’s John Taylor said: "We are excited to be making Latitude our sole UK performance next summer. It’s a great festival, and it’s been a long time since Duran have been in that part of the country. In fact, it’s our first time ever in Suffolk. We are riding high on the reception our new Danse Macabre album has received, and looking forward to bringing music from that record, all the way back to our 1981 debut album. See you there!"
Duran Duran's latest album Danse Macabre sees the band unearth bright melodies from the darkness, with 13 tracks threading together new songs, themed covers, and newly reimagined versions of their classics and favourites.
The album has been met with a rapturous response from fans and critics alike, described as "great ghoulish fun" by the Evening Standard, “a treat” by The Independent, “a stylish, warm-hearted album with a sense of humour” by The Line of Best Fit, “damn good fun” by The Telegraph, whilst The Sun praised "energy and excitement".
In addition to current single ‘Black Moonlight’, added straight onto the BBC Radio 2 A list, and title track ‘Danse Macabre’, the music video for which is powered by cutting-edge AI techniques and has been described by Rolling Stone as “a graveyard smash”, fans can look forward to a third new song in epic album closer, ‘Confession In The Afterlife’. Elsewhere gothic-tinged covers of Billie Eilish’s ‘Bury A Friend’, The Rolling Stones’ ‘Paint It Black’, the Rick James-inspired ‘Super Lonely Freak’, Siouxsie and the Banshees’ ‘Spellbound’, Cerrone’s ‘Supernature’ and The Specials’ ‘Ghost Town’ reveal the darker side of Duran Duran.
As well as Victoria De Angelis of Måneskin providing guest bass and vocals on ‘Psycho Killer’, the album features special collaborations with former Duran Duran band members Andy Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo, Nile Rodgers, producers Josh Blair, Mr Hudson, and long-time touring guitarist Dom Brown.
Danse Macabre follows a wave of landmark achievements for Duran Duran. Their 2022 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame marked yet another career peak with the year already having seen the band headline London’s Hyde Park, perform at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace, close the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in their home town of Birmingham, and a headline tour across North America which included sold out shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden and three nights at the Hollywood Bowl.
Duran Duran has sold over 100 million albums worldwide, in addition to scoring 21 Top 20 UK hits. Their numerous awards and accolades include eight Lifetime Achievement Awards, two GRAMMY® Awards, two Ivor Novellos, two BRIT Awards (including “Outstanding Contribution to Music” in 2004), and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They penned the only James Bond theme to reach #1 in the US, while David Lynch directed their outstanding concert film (“Duran Duran: Unstaged”) in 2014.
You can hear their music sampled in songs by everyone from The Notorious B.I.G. to 5 Seconds of Summer and in reverent covers by Muse, Deftones, and more. "Rio" has claimed spots on Q’s “100 Greatest British Albums,” NME’s “100 Greatest Albums of All Time,” and Pitchfork’s “Top 100 Albums of the 1980s.” Summing up their enduring impact, Vanity Fair proclaimed, “Duran Duran’s always been about constant innovation and the ‘new’.” Given a penchant and flair for fashion, rock music never looked the same after their emergence either. Their impact as style icons has been well-documented.
The Latitude announcement follows a huge year of live activity for Duran Duran, including sold-out arena shows across the UK, Ireland, North America and Canada. The performances continued the band’s acclaimed FUTURE PAST tour and were feverishly received, described as at “royalty status” by The Times, “decadent and bombastic” by The Telegraph, “a first-class and commanding performance” by CLASH, and “national treasures” by The Spectator.
Photo credit: Stephanie Pistel
