Release Athens 2024 – Duran Duran
Plateia Nerou – 18 July Tickets
The legendary British rock group, Duran Duran, has been revealed as the headline act for the 2024 edition of the Release Athens festival. This news follows the critical success of their new gothic-inspired album, DANSE MACABRE, which highlights their revolutionary sound and style that have continually pushed the limits of music, fashion, and art throughout their esteemed career. Joining them will be SOFI TUKKER, one of the most prominent dance/pop duos of recent years, performing for the first time in Greece.
More acts to be announced soon!
Duran Duran’s latest album, DANSE MACABRE, brings forth bright melodies from the shadows with 13 tracks blending new songs, themed covers, and newly reimagined versions of their classics and favorites. The album has received an enthusiastic reception from both fans and critics, being described as “great ghoulish fun” by the Evening Standard, “a treat” by The Independent, “a stylish, warm-hearted album with a sense of humor” by The Line of Best Fit, and “damn good fun” by The Telegraph, while The Sun praised its “energy and excitement.”
The Release Athens announcement follows a remarkable year of live performances for Duran Duran, which included sold-out arena shows across the UK, Ireland, North America, and Canada. The shows continued the band’s acclaimed FUTURE PAST tour and were praised as “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.
In addition to the current single ‘Black Moonlight’ and the title track ‘Danse Macabre’, whose music video uses state-of-the-art AI techniques and has been described by Rolling Stone as “a graveyard smash,” fans are also enjoying a third new song, the 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.
DANSE MACABRE includes special collaborations with former Duran Duran band members Andy Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo, as well as Nile Rodgers, producers Josh Blair, Mr. Hudson, and long-time touring guitarist Dom Brown. Victoria De Angelis of Måneskin also features, providing guest bass and vocals on ‘Psycho Killer’.
Release Athens revitalized the local entertainment scene with extroversion and optimism as its primary mottos, in a time of turmoil when the festival was created. Believing in the liberating power of music, which inspired its name, it offers the perfect stage for Duran Duran to exhibit their pioneering sound and style, which have consistently expanded the frontiers of music, fashion, and art throughout their illustrious career.
Formed in 2014 by Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, SOFI TUKKER was nominated for a Grammy with their debut single ‘Drinkee’, followed by a second nomination for their debut album “Treehouse” in the “Best Dance/Electronic Album” category. Their love for Brazilian music and culture influences their creation of addictive songs like “Best Friend”, “Purple Hat” and “Brazilian Soul” (in collaboration with The Knocks). Their versatility as a live act has led them to sell out headline tours and perform at major festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and more.
On Thursday, July 18th, we will welcome SOFI TUKKER to Plateia Nerou where they will present, for the first time in Greece, an impressive live show they describe as “playful, lush and brimming with bright color.”
DANSE MACABRE follows a series of landmark accomplishments for Duran Duran. Their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2022 marked yet another career highlight, with the year also seeing them 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 hometown of Birmingham, and headline a tour across North America that 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 and scored 21 Top 20 UK hits. Their numerous awards 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 acclaimed concert film “Duran Duran: Unstaged” in 2014.
Their music has been sampled by artists like The Notorious B.I.G. and 5 Seconds of Summer and covered by Muse, Deftones, and more. “Rio” has been featured on Q’s “100 Greatest British Albums,” NME’s “100 Greatest Albums of All Time,” and Pitchfork’s “Top 100 Albums of the 1980s.” Vanity Fair summed up their enduring impact by stating, “Duran Duran’s always been about constant innovation and the ‘new’.” Their influence as style icons has also been well-documented.
Tickets are on sale now, with limited VIP tickets available, offering privileged benefits such as a separate raised area with stands & stools, open bar, priority access to the venue, private parking, separate toilets, and a festival souvenir.
Additionally, a combo ticket is available for those who wish to attend two days of the festival, offering a significant discount:
Massive Attack & more tba (17/7, Plateia Nerou) – Duran Duran, SOFI TUKKER & more tba (18/7, Plateia Nerou)
Tickets Available:
By Phone: at 211770000
Online: at www.releaseathens.gr / more.com
For all information (tickets, timetable, access, etc.), visit releaseathens.gr
