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Rio Duran Duran Tribute BandRio Duran Duran Tribute Band
RIO is a San Diego California based DURAN DURAN tribute band composed of dynamic live performers who embody and channel the Duran Duran of the mid 80’s Rio era, playing note-for-note renditions of Duran Duran songs and reproducing the feel of a mid-80’s Duran Duran concert, with hits spanning the band’s entire catalog.

RIO have played some of the top venues in Southern California, and are currently the only high profile full-time working Duran Duran tribute band in the United States. Venues played within the last year include the San Diego and Anaheim House of Blues, Knitting Factory Hollywood, Belly Up Tavern Solana Beach, Fantasy Springs Casino in Palm Springs, Coachhouse in San Juan Capistrano, and many more.

Singer Jason "Jake" Jacobs hails from Youngstown, Ohio but it wasn't until Orlando, Florida 1991 that his vocal career began. Jake studied theatre at UCF and sang in a funk rock band called Shock Lizard. He left O-town in 1998 to head to Los Angeles California to pursue acting. That lasted about 48 hrs. Jake hooked up with former college buddy George Castells and formed PSS which is an original rock act that still rocks to this day, earning him a Los Angeles male rock vocalist nomination in 2006.

Johnny Alonso plays the electric guitar and sings backing vocals for the band. A total east coast guy (New York native, Baltimore heart) Alonso is a graduate of NYU's Actor's Studio. A full time actor - a veteran of the business. He has guest starred in many film and tv shows and had recurring contract roles on the WB's "Dawson's Creek" as Jimmy Franco, and the CW's "One Tree Hill" as Joey D. Currently shooting a new series called "NASA 360" for Discovery Channel, Johnny eagerly jet sets and finds the time to practice and perform with his new So. Cal family RIO.

Bass player Gil Barron plays everything from Latin (Gipsy Kings, Luis Miguel, Santana, Jobim) to classic rock (The Eagles, Doobie Brothers, Peter Frampton) to pop (Beatles, Duran Duran, Chris Isaak) to smooth jazz (Sade, George Benson, Bobby Caldwell, Marc Antoine) to old school (War, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder). Completely self-taught, Gil has been playing guitar, bass, piano and singing for 25 years now. Started learning guitar after hearing the Beatles as a teenager. Picked up a bass after hearing John Taylor of Duran Duran. Sang in a gospel choir from 1991-1995. Can sing in both English and Spanish. Favorite singers are Luis Miguel and Frank Sinatra.

Duran Duran was the first band drummer Doug Smith really got into, back in 1984. It was Roger Taylor who first interested Doug in playing drums. Duran Duran's Strange Behavior tour stop in 1987 was Doug's first concert experience. He remembers going to Lou's Records, Off the Music and Licorice Pizza back in the 80's scouring the bins for Duran imports.

Doug taught himself how to play drums, most notably influenced by Roger Taylor, Stewart Copeland, Larry Mullen Jr, and Tony Thompson.

Location: Southern California

To book Rio Duran Duran Tribute Band, Please contact us