The train that took us from Flinders Street to the Showgrounds, was packed with excited punters.   I should know - I was one of them.  Although, for once, I was being rather quiet due to near fatal alcohol poisoning. 

It was Melbourne’s first full V Festival after the Mini V, maxi-cost fiasco last year. And it was an event that I had been anticipating for quite some time.  Where else could you see Duran Duran, Air and Roisin Murphy all on the one bill, all on the one stage and all, one after another?

My day kicked off with Cut Copy, a Melbourne band with a number one record that reminded me of New Order. I am glad they weren’t entirely like New Order because had they been New Order they would have walk off stage between songs and keep us waiting for 8 years. 

Roisin Murphy is an odd presence; beautiful, aloof and possessing the same voice you hear when the angels come to get you. She held and caressed the crowd of gum chewers and those special boys like me, with her distinctive, chanteuse-like electroica.    

Whatever it was, whatever she did, she sucked us in, as the showgirl came out and morphed into different visions-splendid, resplendant in feathers, hats and mirrored sunnies and the lovliest jackets  this side of Dior.

I have always had a love/love/loathe relationship with those French hipsters Air, and their minimal, but elegant electro. But having deliberately avoiding their Moon Safari CD for the past ten years after I played it to death, umm ten years ago, I was ready for more.  I had checked out their more recent offerings and was looking forward to hearing them live through a vocoder. If you were looking for a show with action, then this was not the place for you. But if you were looking to get lost in the music while the performers flirted with the audience, then this was the place for you. 

And then it was time for the big guns -  those wild boys from Birmingham, Duran Duran.   There was much excitement and anticipation as people who hadn’t moshed since 1984 politely elbowed their way to the front of the stage to mosh as much as 40 year olds can. 

Duran Duran played a greatest hits setlist that did not disappoint.  All the hits including my two favourites ‘A View to a Kill” and ‘The Reflex’ were there, as was their latest single, ‘Red Carpet’ Massacre and 2004’s ‘Sunrise’. 

By the end though; no matter how good Duran Duran were and no matter how many hits they played, and no matter how sexy Simon is and because I am sure Nick Rhodes is Andy Warhol cloned, they struggled for an audience. 

Which was a shame, because there was a band who knew what to do, and were very good at it.