BALTIMORE – Over the last few years, Duran Duran has embraced Halloween with great enthusiasm.

In 2022, they took over the Encore Theatre at Wynn in Las Vegas, performing in full costumes on a stage adorned with towering skeletons, gravestones, and coffins.

Last year, they unveiled their Halloween-inspired album “Danse Macabre,” featuring chilling reimagined versions of their tracks “Nightboat” and “Secret Oktober (31^st),” along with clever covers of Billie Eilish’s “Bury a Friend,” the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It, Black,” and The Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer.”

This Halloween season, the original lineup, consisting of singer Simon Le Bon, bassist John Taylor, drummer Roger Taylor, and keyboardist Nick Rhodes (alongside longtime guitarist Dom Brown), has blended their unique live performance with a special edition of “Danse Macabre” and the concert film “Secret Oktober,” filmed during their first Wynn show (both are now available).

As they prepare for a Halloween celebration at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, the band has kicked off a brief East Coast tour this month, stopping in Allentown, Pennsylvania; Atlantic City, New Jersey; and recently at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore.

Duran Duran Gets Ready for Halloween Celebration

The set lists for their shows differ from city to city. In Atlantic City, they performed the instrumental “Spooky” for the first time, while Baltimore experienced the New Wave classic “Black Moonlight,” accompanied by a quirky black and white horror film backdrop and a surprising mashup of “Lonely in Your Nightmare” with Rick James’ “Super Freak.”

While the Atlantic City concert felt like a standard Duran Duran event, sprinkled with a few new darker tracks, the Baltimore performance came off as a rehearsal — albeit without the costumes — for their upcoming Halloween show.

Yes, a packed crowd enthusiastically sang along to classics like “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Union of the Snake,” and the eternally funky “Notorious.” Toward the end, they delivered a high-energy cover of Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel’s “White Lines (Don’t Do It)” followed by a thrilling fusion of “Girls on Film” and “Psycho Killer.”

Duran Duran Creates a Haunting Dance Party

This performance certainly leaned into the spooky theme.

Le Bon, exuding his playful spirit a day after his 66th birthday, sported sunglasses for the pulsating title track of “Danse Macabre,” which featured a video of the band as stylish dancing skeletons.

The concert also spotlighted the two standout new bonus tracks from “Danse Macabre”: their cover of ELO’s “Evil Woman,” which added a deeper disco flair to the original, and “New Moon (Dark Phase),” an updated version of their 1984 hit “New Moon on Monday.”

The latter already has the makings of a unique pop song, combining atmospheric sounds with an anthemic chorus, and this refreshed take showcases it even more with slight changes in key, tempo, and lyrics.

Why Duran Duran Continues to Shine Live

It has been over a year since their significant Future Past tour, celebrating their 40th anniversary with their 2021 album, yet the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers still captivate audiences on stage.

The joy on John Taylor’s face is evident as he drives the quick bass rhythm of “Planet Earth,” while Rhodes, ever-stoic behind his keyboard setup, cheekily snaps phone pictures of the band and audience throughout the performance. Even though Roger Taylor remains slightly hidden behind his cymbals, his steady contributions during “The Reflex” and “Wild Boys” are crucial to the band’s sound.

Duran Duran doesn’t have to exert themselves on stage or create unique events like these Halloween shows. However, their passion for their craft — and their dedicated fans — is undeniable motivation, leaving the audience thoroughly satisfied.