Duran Duran to play first London show in six years at BST Hyde Park

Simon Le Bon and John Taylor as Duran Duran headline the main stage during day three of the Electric Picnic festival in Stradbally, County Laois.
Simon Le Bon and John Taylor as Duran Duran headline the main stage at the Electric Picnic festival in 2017

Duran Duran will play their first London show in six years when they take to the stage at British Summer Time in Hyde Park in 2021.

The band, comprising singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor, will be joined on the bill on July 11 by Nile Rodgers & Chic, and Grace Jones, who are among their long-term collaborators.

They had been due to play at the festival in July 2020, but the show was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Le Bon said: “We are so happy to announce the new date for our return to Hyde Park.

“This will be our first London show in six years and we are honoured that two of our musical heroes, Nile Rodgers and Grace Jones, will be joining us on the bill.

“Seeing as we had to postpone the 2020 show, BST Hyde Park 2021 will be extra special to us. After the year that everyone’s been through, we’re aiming to make next summer into the kind of party we all deserve.”

The group have sold more than 100 million records, with hits including Hungry Like The Wolf, Pressure Off, Rio, Girls On Film, (Reach Up For The) Sunrise, and A View To A Kill.

Fans who bought tickets to Duran Duran’s cancelled BST Hyde Park show in 2020 are guaranteed tickets if they rebook.

Jim King, chief executive of European festivals at AEG Presents, said: “It’s wonderful to finally talk about and look forward to next summer, knowing that the light we can see at the end of the tunnel will be the sunshine at American Express presents BST Hyde Park.

“We have always finished each year with a huge party and we need one now more than ever.

“It’s therefore with our enormous thanks to Duran Duran that they have made it possible to bring their incredible hit-packed live show to Hyde Park just when we all needed it most.

“We celebrate this moment with Duran Duran and the man who helped them make some of their biggest hits, Nile Rodgers and the incredible Chic.

“The band also have the legendary Grace Jones joining them for what will be an incredible day of quality music and a chance for us all to dance again.”

– Tickets are on general sale from December 4.