Duran Duran is 1st pop act to play Louvre

PARIS, June 12 (UPI) -- Britain's Duran Duran reportedly became the first pop group to perform at the Louvre in Paris when it headlined a recent museum fund-raising event.

The BBC said the iconic 1980s band, which is on its "Red Carpet Massacre" world tour, played in the Louvre Pyramid for an event that raised money for the museum's 18th-century Decorative Arts Gallery, which is due to reopen in 2011.

Singer Simon Le Bon joked that he hoped the concert "put a smile on the Mona Lisa's face."

"It was a great honor for us to be asked to perform at this prestigious event in one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in Paris and for such a worthy cause to the arts," the BBC quoted Le Bon as saying. "We are all great lovers of the arts and have visited the museum's works many times. Helping to raise funds for this incredible institution is a tremendous privilege for all of us."

The event marked the first time the museum has granted permission for a pop concert to take place on Louvre grounds or in its buildings, the BBC said.