Duran Duran

Nostalgia is certainly one way of dealing with New Year's Eve, so Duran Duran arrived at the Forum Friday night with an abundance of the stuff, launching the show with sets by Adam Ant and, gasp! , the '70s crotch-grabbing camp of the Village People. This strange mixing of the decades was a fitting close to a year that saw the rebirth of '70s cool and kitsch in music and fashion.

I am writing regarding Mike Boehm's review of the Duran Duran concert ("Duran Duran: No Mas, No Mas," Aug. 20). I was thoroughly shocked when I read Boehm's comments on the concert. While his arguments against lead singer Simon Le Bon's dancing may have been valid, he dwelled entirely too much upon that and the props used for the stage. Here, in San Diego, we were treated to a 105-minute concert without the use of such things as telephone booths or sewage pipes. Thus, the performance was straightforward and the music superb.

In regard to Mike Boehm's review of Duran Duran ("Duran Duran: No Mas, No Mas, " Aug. 20): It seems as if every single music review that your paper prints is bad. If a concert comes up and you don't like the group that's playing, don't go. Find somebody else who can enjoy it. The groups that are getting the bad reviews are extremely talented and don't deserve to be badgered because of your lack of interest. In my eyes, that arena was packed with people who thought Duran Duran was worth paying money for and worth screaming and cheering for. SERENE WEBB Villa Park The review was so devoid of the truth I have to wonder if Mr. Boehm was really even at the concert.

Duran Duran's big commercial comeback is proof that history can repeat itself. Now there's an encouraging thought. No, it is not encouraging that Duran Duran--which almost sold out Irvine Meadows on Wednesday and plays the sold-out Forum in Inglewood on Monday--is a big commercial success again after a long downward slide from its '80s peak as an early darling of MTV.

Duran Duran's big commercial comeback is proof that history can repeat itself. Now there's an encouraging thought. No, it is not encouraging that Duran Duran, which almost sold out Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre on Wednesday night and plays a sold-out Forum on Monday, is a big commercial success again after a long downward slide from its '80s peak as an early darling of MTV.

Can the music blasting from the surreal-looking stage that fills one end of a huge airplane hangar in Santa Monica really be what it sounds like? Is that really Simon Le Bon singing " Notorious . . . "? Didn't Duran Duran, the dreaded spawn of the '80s, go away years ago, along with junk bonds and other excesses of that decade? Well, it sure sounds like Duran Duran, and that looks like Le Bon at the mike.

Barbra Streisand's "Back to Broadway" is still a big seller, ranking No. 3 on The Times' Southern California pop album chart. It's remarkable that a collection of old theatrical songs performed by an over-50 singer can outsell albums of current material by much younger artists. What a testament to her enduring clout. Gloria Estefan is showing clout too--in Spanish this time. The support of the area's Latino population has pushed her "Mi Tierra" into the Top 10--at No. 9. Dr.

Barbra Streisand's stay at the top of The Times' Southern California pop album chart was certainly brief--just one week. Her "Back to Broadway"--now No. 2--got blown away by U2's "Zooropa," which commandeered the top spot. Look for its reign to be long. An album on the rise is 4 Non Blondes' "Bigger Better Faster More!," an alternative rock album that's getting attention in pop circles, entering the chart at No. 19. The rap duo Tag Team's "Whoomp!