Culture Club, Boy George delight at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix
It’s been more than 30 years since Boy George and Culture Club first appeared on the music scene. And after all this time, George is still as delightfully quotable as ever.
Take his reaction to the rotating stage at the Celebrity Theatre, where the group performed on Tuesday.
“I look much better from the front,” he deadpanned to the fans behind him. Or his response to an audience member dressed like an ‘80s-era Boy: “Exhibitionism is next to godliness.” Even when he was simply chatting with a couple in the crowd who had been together for 16 years, he was funny. “In gay years, that’s like eternity!”
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So, the wit is still intact. What about the reunited band’s music? If anything, the songs emerged as more forceful than on records. Then again, the four-piece group — George, bassist Mikey Craig, guitarist Roy Hay and drummer Jon Moss — was augmented with nine musicians, including a trio of backing singers and a three-man horn section. That gave an added heft to the tunes; “Move Away,” for instance, now packed a Tower of Power-style punch.
The show got off to a lively start with “Church of the Poison Mind”: George sporting a rainbow-colored suit and hat (he's no Cher, but there were two costume changes before the night ended). George’s vocals have naturally deepened with age, but his phrasing is still instantly recognizable, and he still boasts that creamy, soulful tone that is all his own. His reggae cover of Bread’s “Everything I Own” (a 1987 British hit for him) showcased his gifts, in that it manages to both be touching and danceable.
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Not surprisingly, the set was heavy on the hits, with the band playing each of the nine songs they sent into the American Top 20. That predictably sent the crowd to a near-euphoric state, but it wasn’t a mere nostalgia fest.
The band has cut a disc called “Tribes” that has yet to be released (they didn’t mention the album from the stage) but offered a couple of tunes from it. “A new song is just a friend you haven’t met yet,” George advised anyone who thought of making a dash for the bathroom. “Like I Used To” — accurately described by George as “very Culture Clubby ”— is a bass-heavy funk workout with a ‘70s sheen. “Different Man” is a Sly Stone tribute that has a chorus that latches onto your brain after only one listen. Both make a strong case for the album seeing the light of day.
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The evening was full of pleasures (although reworking "The War Song" to incorporate dirge-like verses was questionable). Perhaps the most meaningful aspect for fans who have followed the group through the years? It was the easy, playful camaraderie between George and his bandmates, whose relationships sometimes have been prickly. Craig, who appeared to be smiling the entire night, was a delight to watch, while Moss and Hay were both energized. In a beguilingly sincere moment, the threesome stayed behind after George left the stage to thank the audience for their support and enthusiasm. No thanks necessary; it was all earned.
Reach the reporter at randy.cordova@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8849. Twitter.com/randy_cordova.
Setlist
"Church of the Poison Mind"
"It’s a Miracle"
"I’ll Tumble 4 Ya"
"Move Away"
"Everything I Own"
"Black Money"
"Time (Clock of the Heart)"
"Like I Used To"
"Different Man"
"Miss Me Blind"
"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"
"Victims"
"The War Song"
(Encore)
"Karma Chameleon"
"Get It On"