Boy George
concluded a brief North American tour in support of his latest album This is What I Do on Wednesday at The
Mayan in downtown Los Angeles.
While
listening to fans chat before show time, I immediately thought of the chorus
from an old Culture Club hit: “I know you’ll miss me blind.”
Longtime
enthusiasts had plenty of reasons to be excited. These dates marked the
singer’s first U.S. appearances since his famous band played here in 2000 (a solo
tour in ‘08 was scuttled due to problems obtaining a work visa in the States).
Making it
clear that he’s all about the here and now, George opened the two-hour-plus
concert with a slinky “Feel the Vibration.” It was the initial taste of a dozen selections
off This is What I Do (1995’s Cheapness and Beauty was the last all
new studio effort).
The songs are
often very personal in nature. Some delve into spirituality (no surprise to
those following George’s solo career through the years). Musically, they revolve
around lovers rock/dub reggae, classic R&B and George projects a husky,
mature vocal tone.
All were either
co-written by frequent collaborators Richie Stevens (Culture Club) and John
Themis, as well as Culture Club bandmate Mikey Craig and esteemed producer/musician
Youth (The Fireman, The Orb, U2). Stevens served as producer. The latter
was on hand at the Mayan to play live drums; Themis handled guitar.
Sporting a
red hat and tasteful dark attire, the Brit looked svelte in his second sold out
LA club show of the week. His tight eight-piece group included a three-man horn
section. The set was front-loaded with new material. Fans unfamiliar with it
didn’t seem to mind too much and provided rapturous responses. One guy even turned
to me and said, “this is better than I expected.” There was a lot of chatter
though.
Still
mischievous at age 52, George introduced “Play Me” as the start of the concert’s
“dirty section” and wiggled his backside toward the audience. A snazzy “Bigger than War” saw the singer name check the Beatles and Yoko Ono and flash a peace sign. He covered her 1973
tune “Death of Samantha” in luxurious fashion.
Nine songs in, George did another
single from that year - a fine cover of the late Lou Reed’s “Satellite of Love.” Afterward
he quipped, “if you’re under 25, that was an educational moment.”
Before the
acoustic-based folk gem “”It’s Easy,” the singer apparently spotted someone dressed fabulously
in the crowd (there were quite a few) and joked, “I used to be a woman just like you.” After an admirer
presented a mini-Oscar statuette, George mock thanked the academy (too bad he didn't actually get one for "The Crying Game") then went
into the old school R&B of Barbara Lynn’s hit “You’ll Lose a Good Thing”
and stretched the ‘ol vocal pipes.
Once the musicians
finally kicked into Culture Club’s “Church of the Poisoned Mind” in a
faster-than-usual tempo, the electricity level elevated a few notches when George and Zee Asha really dug into some soulful inflections.
“Any
anxiety you have about the ‘80s – get over it,” directed O’Dowd. “This song
started my love affair with the planet,” he continued, and the musicians
started “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me.” The extended intro featured jazzy trumpet
flourishes, and the band played at a more relaxed pace.
Come encore
time, George’s UK chart topping cover of Bread’s “Everything I Own” from 1987
was a highlight, as was the countrified “Karma Chameleon,” accompanied by
Themis on acoustic guitar.
It segued into a mildly rocking take on T-Rex’s “Bang
a Gong (Get it on),” bolstered by punchy horns and George brought plenty of
swagger. The Hare Krishna-influenced dance tune “Bow Down Mister” (recorded
under the guide of Jesus Loves You in ‘91) was pure joy. George chanted and the
entire band pogoed along with the audience.
Backed by
only acoustic guitar, George’s tender version of Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe”
was simply breathtaking. The same held for dramatic Culture Club ballad “Victims,”
done with piano.
All told, it
was great to see the Boy back in business.
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