THEY are true eighties icons and Duran Duran never sounded better as they closed Common People 2016 in spectacular style.

The New Wave-synth pop pin up boys delivered a crowd-pleasing set dripping with nostalgia and chart topping tracks but there was nothing tired or dated about this show.

Working with Mark Ronson on the new Paper Gods album has kept them current but the hits selected from a 37 year career also seemed to have been given a new lease of life too.

It kicked off dramatically with Paper Gods accompanied by thunder and lighting effects and monochrome visuals to huge applause before launching into 80 s classic Wild Boys followed by Hungry Like a Wolf.

The excitement and anticipation was almost tangible and despite the Southampton Common setting this was the full tour production with spectacular lighting and visuals, from coloured lasers to confetti cannons.

Forget the Duran Duran of old - there wasn't a shoulder pad , frilly shirt or big hairdo in sight.

Front man Simon Le Bon, 57, was in fine voice and super-trim as he wiggled his hips in tight white jeans topped with tour t-shirt and leather jacket, joined by the equally youthful original members John Taylor, Nick Rhodes, and Roger Taylor.

They were joined by an additional guitarist and saxophone player plus two dancing female backing singers.

After an epic rendition of Paper Gods - a scathing indictment of Hollywood - they eased into Wild Boys with its blaze of red and green laser lighting and flame effects, followed by Hungry Like a Wolf and Bond-themed View to a Kill.

They then delivered two funky uptempo tracks with Notorious and Pressure off as the audience was bombarded with pink confetti cannons.

This was swiftly followed by Planet Earth which blended into a David Bowie tribute with Space Oddity with the late singers face forming a giant backdrop.

The more melancholy and atmospheric Ordinary World, which had been the band's come-back song in 1993 after a period in the doldrums, sounded fresh off the press.

A real highlight was the energetic roof raising White Lines which had the crowd chanting and bouncing up and down with their arms in the air.

And then came the uplifting mix of Sunrise and New Moon on Monday followed by Girls on Film.

The encore saw them return to pay tribute to Prince whilst turning the stage purple as they sang Save A Prayer with the common lit by thousands of phone torch lights.

The final track Rio was the cherry on the cake of a really outstanding show.

Setlist

Paper Gods
Wild Boys
Hungry Like the Wolf
A View to a Kill
Come Undone
Last Night in the City
Notorious
Pressure Off
Planet Earth/Space Oddity
Ordinary World
I Don't Want Your Love
White Lines
Surprise/New Moon on Monday
Girls on Film

Save a Prayer
Rio