When Culture Club performed in Australia in June they paid tribute to David Bowie. This time Prince was honored.
Culture Club performed ‘Purple Rain’ towards the end of their only capital city show on this Encore Australian tour in Melbourne.
This show was almost a carbon copy of the one six months earlier. ‘The War Song’ was the only oldie at this show not at the last.
It was a shame the show wasn’t that well attended. Crowd estimates were around 3000 but that included a furious month of cut-price tickets on Lastix, the Australian online discount store for live music that has basically fucked the live music industry.
Lastix has changed the mindset of the consumer. Fans now tend to wait for the cheap tickets and risk missing out instead of buying early. For Culture Club, it was a disaster.
Regardless, you would never know from the band. Boy George is the ultimate showman and delivered one of the most musical and entertaining acts on the planet.
He also had the best lines – “If Noah Ark were here, we’d be fine. We’ve got two of everything” and a nod to Melbourne weather “Warm days, cold nights. Perfect drag Queen weather.”
This is a big band. Along with the four founding members there was another nine musicians and singers supplying the brass, the keyboards, additional drums, guitar and vocals.
Culture Club songs represent everything that was fun music in the 80s. The show is pure pop. This group has now reached iconic status.
This was the last show on the Australian tour. On Wednesday they play Wembley.
George muttered something about hosting some reality show in Australia in 2017 so he will be back. Maybe so will the band.
The entire night was a great example of Australian pop of the 80s with Wa Wa Nee, Real Life, Pseudo Echo and Eurogliders performing before Culture Club.
Culture Club 11 December 2016 Melbourne
Church of the Poison Mind (from Colour By Numbers, 1983)
It’s A Miracle (from Colour By Numbers, 1983)
I’ll Tumble 4 Ya (from Kissing To Be Clever, 1982)
Move Away (from From Luxury To Heartache, 1986)
Everything I Own (Bread cover)(from Boy George’s Sold, 1987)
Black Money (from Colour By Numbers, 1983)
Time (Clock of the Heart) (single, 1982)
Different Man (unreleased)
Like I Used To (unreleased)
Miss Me Blind (from Colour By Numbers, 1983)
Do You Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? (from Kissing To Be Clever, 1982)
Victims (from Colour By Numbers, 1983)
The War Song (from Waking Up With The House On Fire, 1984)
Karma Chameleon (from Colour By Numbers, 1983)
Purple Rain (Prince cover)
Get It On (T. Rex cover)
