Between car bombs, kidnappings and cocaine wars, Colombia never had a chance to savour

the 1980s. Other capital cities enjoyed visits by Englishmen with big hair and pastel suits, but

not Bogota. It was a decade, in other words, without Duran Duran.

The wait is over. The band has arrived in Colombia to a heroes’ welcome.

South America’s one-time pariah nation greeted Duran Duran’s gig in Bogota last week as the latest sign that it is finally becoming normal.

Of course, getting in a lather about a band that peaked a generation ago may sound less than

normal, but it is understandable. Colombia has come a long way. Cities are safe, guerrillas are surrendering and tourists are visiting. With homicidal mayhem abating, the

country has happily joined the rest of the world in singing along to Wild Boys, View to a Kill and Save a Prayer.

No matter that the rest of the world stopped doing so several years ago. Local media swooned over Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor as if they were indomitable all-conquering sex-god rock stars.

Burly cameramen set down their gear and clamoured for autographs. For a band hardened to mocking, naff-obsessed British critics it was an exhilarating change. “That was the most amazing press conference and the warmest welcome I’ve ever experienced,” Le Bon beamed afterwards.

It may be churlish to point out that Colombia goes ape over pretty much any international act that comes to town. Kylie Minogue was received with rapture only a few days before Duran Duran.

She is a big star, true, but Boy George got the rapture treatment in September. The capital of Colombia has become one of the safest and peaceful cities in the region.

The risk of being bundled into a car boot and tethered to a tree in the jungle for six years is now negligible.

Kylie did have her luggage stolen, including a laptop, but that did not dent her thusiasm. “We met her on our way in at the airport and she said Colombia was so far easily the best leg of her tour,”

said Rhodes.