Next weekend, British pop legends Duran Duran come to Massachusetts for a July 17 tour stop at the XFinity Center in Mansfield. When they roll into the Bay State, it’s possible they will be without founding member Nick Rhodes.
Last night, Duran Duran announced that their longtime keyboardist is temporarily leaving the Paper Gods tour, returning to the United Kingdom “to attend to an urgent family matter.” No timetable has been given for his absence, but to keep the show moving along, the band have enlisted the skills and services of American musician and frequent collaborator MNDR (Amanda Warner), who earlier this year appeared on Flume’s “Like Water”.
“I am devastated to be missing even a single date on this tour,” says Rhodes in a statement. “We are having such an amazing time and the shows have been fantastic. I will be back as soon as possible but know, in the meantime, that I am leaving both my band mates and the fans in incredibly good hands, with the amazing MNDR.”
Duran Duran begin two consecutive nights this evening at Illinois’ Ravinia Pavilion, then play four additional dates before the XFinity Center gig. Listen to a single off Duran Duran’s acclaimed 2015 album Paper Gods below.